Post by Point Breeze on Dec 26, 2013 9:57:28 GMT -5
Regional Founder Tells All!
The History of Sparrow, the Conspiracy of SECO, and How to Earn the Title "Brad the Tyrant"
Mark Wheeling, Dux Milan Regional News
Dux Milan is now home to twenty-two nations - a humble amount, but possibly the beginning of something grand. Ask Founder Bradford John about how he felt about Sparrow in August of 2003, and he might have said the same thing.
Sparrow would grow to become one of the largest regions in the World, even by today's bloated standards. With the help of legends by the names of Borogravia Moldavi, Tygaland, and Allahuland, Sparrow peaked at 400 nations in late summer of 2003. What follows next is the story of a military coup, corrupt moderators, and an introspective journey into one of the worst incidents of griefing the world of NationStates had seen.
Sparrow - A Hopeful Beginning
John founded the Region of Sparrow when a lot of things were just getting started. The World Assembly didn't exist as we know it - we still had a United Nations. John single-handedly created the government of Sparrow, running unopposed as president and drafting a Constitution that was unanimously approved. The region was steadily growing, probably numbering over 100 nations by this point. "Within a number of months, Sparrow was huge," John says.
One of the more critical aspects of this tale is the degree of separation between Sparrowvian government and John's powers as Founder, and also the distance between Sparrowvian Congress and the office of the President. John, even as Founder, didn't exercise full control over the region. "It's important to know I was elected;" John was not a dictator. This is reflected in one of the founding principles of Sparrow - inclusive democracy: The right of all nations to have a say in the government of the region, and for that government to operate with authority and fairness.
Things were going great in Sparrow, however, paradise was not for forever. John's status in the region (and his ego) took a blow in the Fall of 2003 when the region's Congress, headed by Borogravia Moldavi, established a paramilitary group called Sparrow Elite Covert Operations. If this sounds like the beginning of a military coup d'etat, you're almost right.
"...Some of the nations had betrayed our constitution by creating a military without the consent of the Sparrowvian Presidency," John explains the source of his initial distrust of the group. SECO was not constitutionally authorized, it was created solely by an act of the legislature. Actually, that bill never passed, as John vetoed the bill with his constitutionally-provided veto power, but - here's the crazy bit - SECO operations continued anyway. President John was to have no say in any of SECO's activities.
Some might call that decision a good thing. After all, the people need recourse against violent governments ("A well-regulated Militia," and all that), and since SECO has no constitutional basis, the Congress could pretty much run it how it wanted.
John, of course, didn't see that logic; or if he did, he felt it betrayed the fundamental meaning of the region of Sparrow. "It was at that point that I threw any hope of having inclusive government in Sparrow out the window," said John, "That dream died the moment our Congress subverted my office." That logic is hard to deny when Congress and military officers intentionally defied a Presidential veto. Sparrow was no longer the idyllic oasis its founders had hoped for.
The Beginning of the End
John vehemently objected to Congress's actions. Of course, this caused quite a ruckus. "My telegram inbox was swamped with requests nightly, and I needed help contacting members to enforce the region's regulations." Thus, the office of Executive Lieutenant was born, and occupied by Pacific Bell, an IRL friend of John's. This was blatantly obvious as a "corrupt and nepotic" power grab to many inhabitants of Sparrow.
"That chain of events set the table for . . . a breakdown in Sparrow's governmental dialogue and a self-implosion of the region itself."
The next 72 hours would prove disastrous to the region. On December 26, 2003, John, with his God-given powers as Founder, dissolved the regional government and began ejecting belligerent nations from the region. Most were offline when the event, known as "griefing," occurred, and logged in the next day to find themselves in the Rejected Realms. From here, it gets downright ugly.
"Brad the Tyrant" is Born
In all, 70 nations are ejected (and banned) from Sparrow, with another 12 leaving on their own volition. These 82, including many figures influential in Sparrowvian Congress and the creation of SECO, founded Exiled States of Sparrow, and began formulating plans for continuity of government.
In the meantime, John's nation, The Kingdom of Bradfordsburg, was deleted by moderators. "This is widely believed," John claims, "to be the first time the moderators had intervened in a player-created region to that extent." Indeed, raiding (then called region crashing) was very new to the game at this point, and at its onset, it was not moderator-sanctioned as it is today. It was viewed as a perversion of game mechanics at the least and a ban-worthy offense at most. This, the deletion of Bradfordsburg was acceptable, to a degree, in the mods' common-law authority to protect the peace and order in the game.
What follows, though, is highly controversial. "Then, just when it couldn't get any worse...it did. A moderator installed Moldavi as founder of Sparrow. " This is considered to be a political gesture, one not founded in jurisprudence and neutrality; an act of judicial activism. While Borogravia Moldavi's reverse-engineered leadership of Sparrow was short-lived, the action is symbolic.
John had been kicked out of the game for using powers available to him, and a politically-opposing nation had literally been hacked into the Founder position by moderator intervention. The injustice is profound. “Where was the democracy in that? I was the democratically-elected President of Sparrow, and I was replaced by a tyrant!” Apparently, someone higher up realized this and removed Borogravia Moldavi from the founder position shortly after his installation.
New Sparrow
The 82 Sparrowvian ex-pats departed for New Sparrow, which was founded by Borogravia Moldavi, the head of Congress and commander of SECO in Sparrow. John declared psychological war on the remaining inhabitants of Sparrow and New Sparrow, trying "to make the region unlivable." Pacific Bell, Exec. Lt. of Sparrow, was active in this campaign and also suffered the wrath of a politically-motivated banhammer.
The attacks continued until March of 2004, when John and Pacific Bell gave up their campaign. Shockingly, John was elected Vice-Delegate and Minister of Immigration (recruiting director) of New Sparrow - a region that tried to ban him from political office with a constitutional amendment. This redemption did not come easily. John was the subject, understandably so, of much contempt for even residing in New Sparrow. However, there were a few players loyal to John's cause and who understood his actions in Sparrow and supported his run for Vice Delegate in 2004. He faced the music and stood up to his former enemies, and he won. His honesty was rewarded, and his name was redeemed.
What can we learn from this novella? Many things, and also surprisingly few. "The most ironic part of all this," John says, "is that griefing is now a sanctioned part of the game." Truly ironic. "Bradfordsburg would never have been deleted for the same actions in 2013." Ok, maybe now you're reaching.
In all seriousness, this episode of regional politics and moderation likely shaped the landscape of NationStates Gameplay in those formative years of 2003 and 2004. They defined how many players now choose to play the game, run their nations, and build their regions.
Most importantly, though, players should realize “There is a higher calling to accepting [regional] authority in NationStates than access to regional controls.” Leadership is leadership, wherever it is practiced. Dishonesty, ignorance of the law, and backhandedness are just as vile and disrespectful in the World of NationStates as they are in the Real World. John and the other leaders in Sparrow learned this the hard way, but they weren't the only ones learning lessons.
“I don't think the moderators quite ever knew how to handle the situation in Sparrow,” John says. Failure to follow through and failure to stand by past decisions are learning experiences all the same. John hopes the moderators have had a chance to learn from this mistake, as he plans to ask for the revival of his original nation, Bradfordsburg. Bringing the saga full circle, the renewal of the Kingdom of Bradfordsburg will provide closure to John, along with the personal apologies he plans to send to the founders of SECO and New Sparrow.
Always Moving Forward
With these lessons learned, and an ugly chapter of NationStates history closed, we move forward. The month of January - named for the Roman deity Janus, with one head looking forward, always aware of the past and one head charging forward to new times – will be a time of creation in Dux Milan. Our regional government will finally take shape. On what principles shall we establish it? How do we ensure the mistakes of the past are not repeated? What is the key to a strong, successful region?
Inclusive government is a healthy start. Every nation must be represented, no minority will go unheard. Tyranny by majority will be a falsity, a myth, an unfortunate and forgotten consequence of stunted governments of the past.
The rule of law must be held dear. A written Constitution is not simply lines of text, it embodies the very principles that a region is founded upon. Disrespect for such a document would be unacceptable by even the most esteemed leaders.
Finally, all those who claim to represent their fellow Milaners must be willing to lose the privilege of this game to protect these values. John made the ultimate sacrifice for the region of Sparrow. He was hated, ridiculed, then deleted. An inability to do the same is unfortunate, and unacceptable. We would do his legacy a dishonor if we were to violate this tenet.
As Dux Milan grows by the day, let it be known across the World that it will become a region of enviable democracy, respect for the law, and virtuous leadership.
“Nations who have made their careers opposing democratic values and promoting anarchy across NationStates have much to fear from Dux Milan.'
”We are here, and we are not going away.”
The History of Sparrow, the Conspiracy of SECO, and How to Earn the Title "Brad the Tyrant"
Mark Wheeling, Dux Milan Regional News
Dux Milan is now home to twenty-two nations - a humble amount, but possibly the beginning of something grand. Ask Founder Bradford John about how he felt about Sparrow in August of 2003, and he might have said the same thing.
Sparrow would grow to become one of the largest regions in the World, even by today's bloated standards. With the help of legends by the names of Borogravia Moldavi, Tygaland, and Allahuland, Sparrow peaked at 400 nations in late summer of 2003. What follows next is the story of a military coup, corrupt moderators, and an introspective journey into one of the worst incidents of griefing the world of NationStates had seen.
Sparrow - A Hopeful Beginning
John founded the Region of Sparrow when a lot of things were just getting started. The World Assembly didn't exist as we know it - we still had a United Nations. John single-handedly created the government of Sparrow, running unopposed as president and drafting a Constitution that was unanimously approved. The region was steadily growing, probably numbering over 100 nations by this point. "Within a number of months, Sparrow was huge," John says.
One of the more critical aspects of this tale is the degree of separation between Sparrowvian government and John's powers as Founder, and also the distance between Sparrowvian Congress and the office of the President. John, even as Founder, didn't exercise full control over the region. "It's important to know I was elected;" John was not a dictator. This is reflected in one of the founding principles of Sparrow - inclusive democracy: The right of all nations to have a say in the government of the region, and for that government to operate with authority and fairness.
Things were going great in Sparrow, however, paradise was not for forever. John's status in the region (and his ego) took a blow in the Fall of 2003 when the region's Congress, headed by Borogravia Moldavi, established a paramilitary group called Sparrow Elite Covert Operations. If this sounds like the beginning of a military coup d'etat, you're almost right.
"...Some of the nations had betrayed our constitution by creating a military without the consent of the Sparrowvian Presidency," John explains the source of his initial distrust of the group. SECO was not constitutionally authorized, it was created solely by an act of the legislature. Actually, that bill never passed, as John vetoed the bill with his constitutionally-provided veto power, but - here's the crazy bit - SECO operations continued anyway. President John was to have no say in any of SECO's activities.
Some might call that decision a good thing. After all, the people need recourse against violent governments ("A well-regulated Militia," and all that), and since SECO has no constitutional basis, the Congress could pretty much run it how it wanted.
John, of course, didn't see that logic; or if he did, he felt it betrayed the fundamental meaning of the region of Sparrow. "It was at that point that I threw any hope of having inclusive government in Sparrow out the window," said John, "That dream died the moment our Congress subverted my office." That logic is hard to deny when Congress and military officers intentionally defied a Presidential veto. Sparrow was no longer the idyllic oasis its founders had hoped for.
The Beginning of the End
John vehemently objected to Congress's actions. Of course, this caused quite a ruckus. "My telegram inbox was swamped with requests nightly, and I needed help contacting members to enforce the region's regulations." Thus, the office of Executive Lieutenant was born, and occupied by Pacific Bell, an IRL friend of John's. This was blatantly obvious as a "corrupt and nepotic" power grab to many inhabitants of Sparrow.
"That chain of events set the table for . . . a breakdown in Sparrow's governmental dialogue and a self-implosion of the region itself."
The next 72 hours would prove disastrous to the region. On December 26, 2003, John, with his God-given powers as Founder, dissolved the regional government and began ejecting belligerent nations from the region. Most were offline when the event, known as "griefing," occurred, and logged in the next day to find themselves in the Rejected Realms. From here, it gets downright ugly.
"Brad the Tyrant" is Born
In all, 70 nations are ejected (and banned) from Sparrow, with another 12 leaving on their own volition. These 82, including many figures influential in Sparrowvian Congress and the creation of SECO, founded Exiled States of Sparrow, and began formulating plans for continuity of government.
In the meantime, John's nation, The Kingdom of Bradfordsburg, was deleted by moderators. "This is widely believed," John claims, "to be the first time the moderators had intervened in a player-created region to that extent." Indeed, raiding (then called region crashing) was very new to the game at this point, and at its onset, it was not moderator-sanctioned as it is today. It was viewed as a perversion of game mechanics at the least and a ban-worthy offense at most. This, the deletion of Bradfordsburg was acceptable, to a degree, in the mods' common-law authority to protect the peace and order in the game.
What follows, though, is highly controversial. "Then, just when it couldn't get any worse...it did. A moderator installed Moldavi as founder of Sparrow. " This is considered to be a political gesture, one not founded in jurisprudence and neutrality; an act of judicial activism. While Borogravia Moldavi's reverse-engineered leadership of Sparrow was short-lived, the action is symbolic.
John had been kicked out of the game for using powers available to him, and a politically-opposing nation had literally been hacked into the Founder position by moderator intervention. The injustice is profound. “Where was the democracy in that? I was the democratically-elected President of Sparrow, and I was replaced by a tyrant!” Apparently, someone higher up realized this and removed Borogravia Moldavi from the founder position shortly after his installation.
New Sparrow
The 82 Sparrowvian ex-pats departed for New Sparrow, which was founded by Borogravia Moldavi, the head of Congress and commander of SECO in Sparrow. John declared psychological war on the remaining inhabitants of Sparrow and New Sparrow, trying "to make the region unlivable." Pacific Bell, Exec. Lt. of Sparrow, was active in this campaign and also suffered the wrath of a politically-motivated banhammer.
The attacks continued until March of 2004, when John and Pacific Bell gave up their campaign. Shockingly, John was elected Vice-Delegate and Minister of Immigration (recruiting director) of New Sparrow - a region that tried to ban him from political office with a constitutional amendment. This redemption did not come easily. John was the subject, understandably so, of much contempt for even residing in New Sparrow. However, there were a few players loyal to John's cause and who understood his actions in Sparrow and supported his run for Vice Delegate in 2004. He faced the music and stood up to his former enemies, and he won. His honesty was rewarded, and his name was redeemed.
What can we learn from this novella? Many things, and also surprisingly few. "The most ironic part of all this," John says, "is that griefing is now a sanctioned part of the game." Truly ironic. "Bradfordsburg would never have been deleted for the same actions in 2013." Ok, maybe now you're reaching.
In all seriousness, this episode of regional politics and moderation likely shaped the landscape of NationStates Gameplay in those formative years of 2003 and 2004. They defined how many players now choose to play the game, run their nations, and build their regions.
Most importantly, though, players should realize “There is a higher calling to accepting [regional] authority in NationStates than access to regional controls.” Leadership is leadership, wherever it is practiced. Dishonesty, ignorance of the law, and backhandedness are just as vile and disrespectful in the World of NationStates as they are in the Real World. John and the other leaders in Sparrow learned this the hard way, but they weren't the only ones learning lessons.
“I don't think the moderators quite ever knew how to handle the situation in Sparrow,” John says. Failure to follow through and failure to stand by past decisions are learning experiences all the same. John hopes the moderators have had a chance to learn from this mistake, as he plans to ask for the revival of his original nation, Bradfordsburg. Bringing the saga full circle, the renewal of the Kingdom of Bradfordsburg will provide closure to John, along with the personal apologies he plans to send to the founders of SECO and New Sparrow.
Always Moving Forward
With these lessons learned, and an ugly chapter of NationStates history closed, we move forward. The month of January - named for the Roman deity Janus, with one head looking forward, always aware of the past and one head charging forward to new times – will be a time of creation in Dux Milan. Our regional government will finally take shape. On what principles shall we establish it? How do we ensure the mistakes of the past are not repeated? What is the key to a strong, successful region?
Inclusive government is a healthy start. Every nation must be represented, no minority will go unheard. Tyranny by majority will be a falsity, a myth, an unfortunate and forgotten consequence of stunted governments of the past.
The rule of law must be held dear. A written Constitution is not simply lines of text, it embodies the very principles that a region is founded upon. Disrespect for such a document would be unacceptable by even the most esteemed leaders.
Finally, all those who claim to represent their fellow Milaners must be willing to lose the privilege of this game to protect these values. John made the ultimate sacrifice for the region of Sparrow. He was hated, ridiculed, then deleted. An inability to do the same is unfortunate, and unacceptable. We would do his legacy a dishonor if we were to violate this tenet.
As Dux Milan grows by the day, let it be known across the World that it will become a region of enviable democracy, respect for the law, and virtuous leadership.
“Nations who have made their careers opposing democratic values and promoting anarchy across NationStates have much to fear from Dux Milan.'
”We are here, and we are not going away.”
