NationStates Jolt Archive

(OOC: Explanation, since this is an RP of the effects the recent resolution had on my country as opposed to debate over the resolution, I'm posting it here. Feel free to participate in whatever way you can think of participating if you like, whether by telling us something about the resolution's impact in your nation, or by taking the role of a average Pantocratorian woman, or by posting incessant TAGs. :lol: )

His Most Catholic and Imperial Majesty the Emperor Andreus sat attending to the business of the day in his Sun King drawing room in the Imperial Court of Christ Pantocrator. The morning sun filtered through the tall, narrow windows which overlooked the serene beauty of the palace's formal gardens. The Emperor was quite alone, but he preferred to work alone, at least in the mornings. The solitude, the beauty of the sun rising over the palace's gardens, the feeling of its soft rays warming his skin, and a fresh stack of the day's paperwork on his desk combined to give him a feeling of general well-being, of the natural order of things. Everything was as perfect as it should be, and in such an environment the Emperor found he could read through the new laws, the warrants, the appeals, the briefs, and the correspondance of the day and take the necessary action for each faster than when others distracted his concentration, or when poor weather marred the soothing view.

He was, therefore, quite surprised when the doors to his drawing room swung open. They were opened, as always, by his chief guard and closest friend, Sir Constantine the Hardy.

"Sir, Your Majesty's envoy to the United Nations is here to see you." the knight said solemnly.

The Emperor furrowed his brow.

"Send him in, Constantine." he replied, setting aside the letter to his eldest daughter on which he had been working.

Monsignor Hugh de la Morée entered the drawing room dressed in his usual clerical vestments. Sir Constantine closed the door behind the envoy. The Monsignor stood before the Emperor, a look of concern on his face, almost mirrored by the Emperor's confusion. Abruptly, he fell to his knees before the Emperor's desk.

"Your Majesty," he said. "Forgive me."

"Up, up, Monsignor!" the Emperor said, his tone almost annoyed. He wanted to know what was going on already. The Monsignor didn't stand, but instead produced a document, and held it out for the Emperor to read. The Emperor impatiently snatched it out of his hand, and poured over it quickly. He had barely started when the blood ran from his face.

"What... was the margin...." the Emperor said quietly, in shock.

"9368 votes to 6549, Your Majesty. It was 3 to 2." replied the Monsignor.

"Then you couldn't have done anything. Pantocratoria's vote was meaningless. So get up off your knees and sit down." the Emperor said, tossing the resolution aside in disgust.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty." the Monsignor said again as he rose to back into a seat.

"There's nothing to forgive you for, Monsignor, there was nothing you could've done without another 3000 votes on your side." the Emperor muttered. "What will we do?"

"There is nothing we can do, Your Majesty." replies the Monsignor. "We are powerless."

"These.... callous monsters...." the Emperor growled. "How could anyone vote in favour of such a thing? Haven't any of them ever had children of their own? How could anybody who knows how singularly special, magical, and spiritual that experience is turn children into a commodity, like livestock, to be slaughtered when convenient?"

"They are godless heathen, Your Majesty." replies the Monsignor with anger in his voice.

"This isn't just a matter of religion, Monsignor. I don't mean to trivialise it of course, but... Catholic or not, Christian or not, theist or not, how can any human being condone the murder of an innocent child?" the Emperor said, in genuine amazement. He wasn't posturing, he truly didn't understand the thinking of those who had voted for the resolution. "When the United Nations demanded that its members recognise homosexual so-called marriages, even though I disagreed with it as a Catholic, I could understand the thinking behind it. I could see how a reasonable person, albeit one devoid of a moral grounding, could believe that all relationships based on love were equally valid. When the United Nations demanded that its members commit men and resources to an on-going war against quote unquote terror, I could understand the righteous indignation even if I did not understand the logic of the resolution. But I cannot for the life of me, not for my whole Empire, understand how anybody could... could justify..."

The Emperor trailed off.

"The United Nations works slowly, but its resolutions are not carved in stone tablets. Perhaps in time, we will be able to repeal the resolution, Your Majesty." offers the Monsignor. The Emperor glares right at him.

"Repeal the resolution? Repeal the resolution?" he barked. "Monsignor, do you know how many death warrants I have signed in the past year? Eight. Eight! Do you know how many death warrants that piece of paper you handed me will be worth in a year? Thousands! THOUSANDS! Repeal the resolution in time Majesty! One year? Two years? Three years? Twelve years? And each year, how many will die because of it? More than the eight hardened criminals, traitors, rapists and murderers put to death by the laws of this Empire! Thousands more! And those thousands will be our dearest blood, our future, our legacy, and our most innocent victims! All sentenced to death not by a criminal court, but by your slow-moving international bureaucracy! And will the United Nations' child-victims be able to appeal their sentence? No, the sentence will be carried out without a waiting time, without hope of appeal until 'perhaps in time, we will be able to repeal the resolution'!"

The Emperor finished his angry tirade by emulating the Monsignor's voice, who sits in stunned silence.

"Oh, OUT! OUT!" the Emperor screamed at him, although he knew the Monsignor was blameless in the matter. "You've a country of graveyards to sanctify, Monsignor, if we're to be ready for the carnage that piece of paper will soon unleash upon the most defenceless of my people!"

It was with quiet satisfaction that Doctor Pierre Lenard and his colleagues had received the news that the United Nations had passed a resolution legalising abortion; the quiet satisfaction of knowing that what he and his colleagues had been lobbying for for years had finally come to pass. When the proposal was first put on the UN's agenda, Lenard and his colleagues had taken the necessary steps to be ready to act on their long held convictions that a woman should have the right to choose for herself what happened to her body. They had each arranged to take a day a week off from their usual private practices, and had each contributed their savings towards establishing an abortion clinic, whose services would be available free of charge, no questions asked. Now that the resolution had passed, the clinic could finally be opened.

Lenard knew that clinic might not be allowed to remain open for long. The Imperial Government could be brutally heavy handed, and although, for now, those heavy hands were tied by Pantocratoria's United Nations membership, which required that all UN resolutions be passed immediately into Imperial Law, no one knew how long they would remain thus. If Pantocratoria withdrew from the United Nations, or succeeded in getting the resolution repealed, the clinic would be shut down immediately, and none of the doctors knew what would happen to them. But Lenard was prepared to take that chance - he wouldn't have lobbied for eighteen years if he hadn't.

Lenard had suffered for the cause, but he didn't complain. He had been excommunicated by the Church, which didn't bother him because he had never been a religious man, but excommunication did carry a significant stigma in a devout country like Pantocratoria. His parents had cut off contact with him years ago, and his mother had not wanted to see him even when she was dying. That had hurt him, and he felt badly that his children had been deprived of ever having paternal grandparents. At first, he had expected professional difficulties, but to his surprise, over the years he found that, in private, the vast majority of other doctors would confess to him that they held similar views to his own, and so he hadn't suffered any significant career setbacks. The average person on the street never bothered him - the Ministry of Cultural Development saw to it that lobbyists for a cause like abortion never made it into the newspapers. That would change now, he supposed, but whatever hardships were to come, he was prepared to accept them.

He glanced through the front window of the clinic. The time was 8:53am - the clinic was about to open. Already a small mob of protestors had formed outside, and a smaller still group of young women were standing quite separate from the protestors, accompanied by several police officers, who were here to keep things under control. From the looks on some of their faces, especially the older ones, not all the cops seemed pleased with their assignment. But so long as they did their jobs, it didn't matter. Lenard checked his watch, and rubbed his hands. A new era was about to begin.

President Whyte looked at his Media Moderator. "So it passed?"

"Yes sir, indeed...9368 votes to 6549 if I remember correctly."

Whyte sighed. Mikatopia had join the UN twice, only to leave; claiming that Mikatopia's fate as a Nation and as a People should not be controlled by other nations and thier idiotic votes. The real reason is that it took power away from the Mikatopian dictators, Royal Guardsmen couldn't break into houses and deal with criminals however they pleased.

"Apparently Pantocratoria is taking this rather hard."

"Who?"

"Pantocratoria, it is a predomitately Catholic nation. Very conservitive on many issues. It seems to be causing a few problems in thier community."

Whyte thought for a moment. The he got out of his chair and made his way back to his private quarters.


"Sir? Should we broadcast this news tonight."

Whyte stopped and turned. "No! Mikatopia has always adn will always outlaw abortion. If the peoplem discover that the rest of the world is allowed and they are not, we'll have ralleys. So no."

The Media Moderator shrugged and tore up the report. He'd have to find something else for the news at 9.

V. Rendi Madatanad, Deputy Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of Krasnovaria, was skimming the daily news briefing when he came across the report of the UN's latest resolution. He chuckled, pleased that the wisdom of his country's decision was now so clearly apparent. "The very idea," he mused to himself, "that we would have some band of foreigners stuff an abortion law down our throats! THAT is why we didn't join the United Nations. They may have called us renegades, but who has the last laugh now?"

The clock struck 9am, and the clinic's receptionist unlocked the door as the police officers outside joined hands and formed a human wall between the protestors and the would-be patients, giving them a safe passage into the clinic. Each one quickly made her way to the clinic door, ignoring the jeers of the protestors. One of the protestors had a camera and was snapping photographs of every woman who entered. Although they were noisy, the protestors weren't being particularly violent - they daren't provoke the police, and knew that the Ministry of Public Safety had a no-tolerance policy towards violent protests.

Lenard warmly greeted his first patients personally as the door closed behind them, blocking out the sound of the crowd. He guided the first one into his office.

***

"So, we are resolved?" Princess Irene asked her cabinet members.

The Imperial Cabinet chamber was an oppressive granite room with an ornate gothic vaulted ceiling, high above the heavy oak table around which the cabinet sat. Each member sat in a high-backed oak chair, except for the Chancellor, the Princess Irene, whose Imperial status afforded her a purple cushion. Every member of the cabinet nodded.

"Then while at this time we are forced to comply with the resolution, our compliance will be as nominal as possible. The Government must stand firmly against abortion - it is certain that the Opposition will." said the Chancellor.

"I will instruct that no Ministry of Public Safety official nor any police officer is to provide comfort, support, protection or assistance to abortion clinics, nor to those seeking abortions." said the Minister of Public Safety.

"Very good. It will still be legal for a woman to get an abortion of course, but if devout everyday Imperial citizens were to prevent them from doing so, that wouldn't be the work of the government." says Irene.

"Crown prosecutors will be instructed to show as much leniency as is possible to anybody charged with a crime relating to anti-abortion activities." offers the Minister of Justice.

The Chancellor nodded her head.

"Good. Issue your instructions to your departments immediately. When you return, we will discuss the Empire's United Nations membership..."

Brand, Warder of Riva and High Seat of the Alorn Council of Kal-Garion, was troubled by this latest report. His nation had joined the U.N. just after this lastest proposal, but now he almost wanted out. He led a left-leaning nation, but almost everyone would be against this assault on human life. Unfortunatley, his goverment had no choice but to support this resolution. Then, he had an idea. Why not let the resolution support his government. Immediatly he sent word to other Kal-Garion leaders for an emergency session of the Alorn Council.

The other rulers filed in slowly, hanging their heads in grief over the news they recieved before coming to Riva. They even glared at Brand for his apparant lack of emotion. As the last one filed in, Brand called the meeting to order.

"I assume you have all heard of the lastest UN resolution, the one legalizing abortion," he paused as the other leaders grumbled about it, "My feelings exactly, gentlemen. However, I have found a way to perhaps make this resolution work for us. I propose a heavy tax, along with various other additives like an agreement to not recieve insurance or goverment aid for the procedure. What do you think?"

A vote was immediatly taken, and the new taxes and laws were unanimously passed. Women could get abortions, they'd just have to pay an extremly high price for them.

"Thy Majesty, the Chancellor has arrived"
Two large richly decorated wooden doors opened and a man in his forties, wearing a black frock suit and a top hat under his left arm, entered and walked across the stone floor which shone like a mirror.
In front of the throne the man kneeled. "Thy Majesty" the man said humbly.

"Ah, chancellor Wulfgard. What news have you?" His Holy Imperial Majesty said.
"The UN passed the resolution on abortion, thy Majesty" the chancellor answered.
"Ah, marvelous. Have you brought the document?"
The chancellor opened his briefcase and produced a small stack of papers.
"Hm, one could grow weary of this if it wasn't a calling..." the emperor said while reaching for his pen. "Thy Majesty?" the chancellor asked suprised. "Oh, mister Wulfgard, signing papers is sometimes all I do. Luckily I do it well dressed!" the emperor said while pointing to his exhuberantly decorated uniform with various medals on it. The emperor grinned and signed the document in three places.

"Well, chancellor. Another great day for Liberalism. We have Abortion. Now we'll need to get free Euthanasia passed."
"Indeed, thy Majesty. We almost have the eugenetics laws of the Holy Emperor Aristibald complete!"
"Yes, chancellor. My grandfather would have been pleased, bless him."
"Luckily our Death Penalty was never an issue."
"They would not dare, I would reckon" the emperor grunted.
"Were there any opposers of significance?" he asked.
"Significance is quite relative compared to our greatness, thy Majesty" the chancellor quickly replied, "there was Pantocratoria..."
The emperor jumped out of his chair angrily.
" Bah! Catholics, I can not stand them! The fools... Did you know they actually believe God and Jesus are one? And imagine this; they think the Virgin Mary is the mother of God! Such idiocy." the emperor loudly said.
It is quite obvious that Jesus is the Son and God the Father. We, the followers of bishop Arius, know how it is. But then, we are of greater genetics anyway."
"Thou art infinately wise, thy Majesty" the chancellor agreed.
"It's a good thing the archbishop agreed to this law."
"He would not dare oppose me, but yes, We are also glad." the emperor added. "Now, let us talk about other affairs, chancellor..."

While Lenard lead the first patient off to his office, the other women sat down in the reception area, trying to ignore the protestors on the other side of the glass door. None of them noticed as the middle-aged police sergeant made his way over from the police cruiser after speaking on the radio with control. None of them noticed the police moving away from their positions between the clinic and the crowd. The crowd watched, dumbstruck, as the police walked over towards their cars. One of the younger cops, who was shaking his head disapprovingly, turned around to look back at the clinic.

The crowd surged forward, banging on the glass door. Finally, they got the attention of the women inside; but they didn't want their attention. They wanted in. Two large men at the head of the crowd started slamming their shoulders into the door, as other members of the crowd use the wooden posts for their signs to smash in windows. The women screamed.

Back at the cruisers, the last cop who was watching the attack turned his back to the clinic, got into the car, and closed his door. The police cars pulled off out of the clinic's carpark as if nothing was happening, as the protestors broke in, smashing furniture, breaking glass, throwing computer monitors against walls. The would-be patients tried to make it to the other exits, but the crowd overtook them, cutting them off.

Back in the lead police car, the old sergeant turned to the young cop who had been the last to look away.

"I feel like getting some donuts." he says.

#tagged for a possible future post...

#tag#

Hmmm... this looks like something for Sukothai to discuss when he arrives in Pantocratoria tomorrow...

God bless,

The Republic of Syskeyia

Kholintian officials recently broadcasted this announcement to the general public via the Telly-screens:

*"Yes, it is true that a recent U.N. resolution on the right for women to choose whether they have an abortion or not has been passed.
But, many people missed the small print on the other side of the resolution...particularly the "only available in specified clinics".

I bid you a good day.

...-hey, do you think that fooled 'em?
What? We're still live?
Woah, turn it of- "*

Cardinal Poobar (Spiritual Guider of the Church of the Shining One and Temporay Executive Officer of the Theocracy of the Holy Word) let out a scream of rage from his executive office. His staff let out a collective shudder, fearing that once more the Cardinal's legendary rage was about to erupt. The Cardinal's personal secretary fearfully opened the door to ask what was wrong.

"Those godless heathens at the UN have passed a resolution condoning abortion" snarled the Cardinal.
"But we're not members of the UN" ventured his personal secretary tentatively.
"That's hardly the point" the Cardinal screamed. "This is merely further proof that the darkness is loose in the world and gaining strengh"
Suddenly, the Cardinal's rage subsided to an icy calmness.
"Summon the Eccesliastic Council" he demanded.

His personal secretary scurryed out of the office, glad to escape momentarily. Once he was out of earshot, the Cardinal picked up the phone and rang the Inquisition's Headquarters. His personal secretary could expect a knock on the door tonight- the Cardinal had previously doubted his committment to the Shining One and his softeness on the genocide of innocents merely confirmed his suspicions. The Cardinal wiped a tear from his eye. How many more dark agents would he need to root out before the country was purifed of the influence of the darkness?

Moments later the three Archbishops that made up what was left of the Council arrived.
"I take it you've heard of the abortion vote at the UN" snapped the Cardinal.
The Archbishops fell over themselves in their rush to be the one to condemn the UN the most severely.
"Suggestions?" demanded the Cardinal.
After some uncomfortable silence Archbishop Bollivar spoke out. (The Cardinal had always suspected Bollivar of ambition, but his quick wit made him an asset, currently speaking at least).
"Um" he ventured "Do we need to consider attempting an alliance with other religous and moral nations? I know they don't follow the true path, but we may need allies to fight against this slide into evil".

Silence filled the room as the Council waited nervously to hear the Cardinal's reaction. Slowly a smile started to play on his lips.
"Yes" mused the Cardinal. "Maybe it's time to put religious differences behind us. Besides the Shining One will know his own when the fire comes."
Getting up from his chair the Cardinal ordered his personal secretary to make him an appointment for a television interview that evening. Then he strode back into his office without a backwards glance.

-Offical Response from President Aron Toko-

The nation of Saiogena always has and always will reject the UN and it's complete joke of it's so-called "resolutions" which are the reflection of the extreme bias the UN has towards Extreme Liberalism. The government of Saiogena and the new Pact of Union reflects Moderation and Balance between Conservatism and Liberalism. Abortion has been legal in Saiogena since 1910 and only the extremist christians and the catholic cultists have been agianst it.

Our Two Cents,

President Aron Toko

Kholintian officials recently broadcasted this announcement to the general public via the Telly-screens:

*"Yes, it is true that a recent U.N. resolution on the right for women to choose whether they have an abortion or not has been passed.
But, many people missed the small print on the other side of the resolution...particularly the "only available in specified clinics".

I bid you a good day.

...-hey, do you think that fooled 'em?
What? We're still live?
Woah, turn it of- "*

OOC: It'd be nice if the resolution had any fine print at all to allow you some wigglespace like that! But there just isn't.

Abortion Rights

A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights Strength: Significant Proposed by: Vistadin
Description: Henceforth all women shall have the right to choose whether to have an abortion or not, no member nation will interfere with a woman's right to have an abortion.

Votes For: 9368

Votes Against: 6549

Implemented: Sat Jun 5 2004

Lenard's clinic had been reduced to a burned out shell of a building. The good doctor and his patients were nowhere to be found, nor were the protestors. A group of reporters from the local newspapers were pouring over the place - normally at a crime scene, they would never have been allowed in for fear of contaminating evidence, but there wasn't a Ministry of Public Safety official in sight, nor was there any police line, so the journalists got a good look, up and close and personal with the burned ruin.

"Is that blood?" murmured Virginie Merlot, a pretty young journalist from the New Rome Daily Dispatch. This was her first "crime" assignment; the first time she had been sent to the scene of a violent act. She was maintaining her professionalism admirably, although to herself she felt like she was just pretending to be a real journalist; she had no idea what to look for, or how she would write her story.

"Yeah." replied Jacques Garrot, a middle-aged hack from the Peacock Post. He was a cynical old sort who didn't need to bend over to more closely examine the red stain on the burnt carpet below to answer his colleague's question. "I've got a better view from up here." he added as he glanced appreciatively at the young woman's rear-end while she was bent over.

Virginie stood up.

"This will be a big story, I can feel it." she said.

"This, yeah, this is big." said Jacques, in a tone which suggested he wasn't particularly enthusiastic. "You know what the bigger story is? That we're standing here, in the middle of a crime scene, and the cops aren't anywhere to be seen. Normally we'd be twenty metres away from where we're standing, and we'd be begging for scraps of evidence from the table of the police."

"Hmmm..." Virginie said, a little disappointed in herself that she hadn't noticed the glaringly obvious point that Jacques had noted. A third journalist stepped through the fire-scarred frame of what used to be a door.

"Hi, Michél." said Jacques, greeting his old friend Michél Boulot from the Imperial Chronicle, one of the most respected newspapers in Pantocratoria. He and the newcomer shook hands.

"It's something, eh?" said Michél. "Spontaneous outburst of violence like that."

"How do you know it was spontaneous?" asked Virginie.

"I've just come from interviewing witnesses who live in the apartment complex over there..." said Michél, gesturing up to the apartment block across the way. "...they said that a crowd of previously peaceful protestors suddenly surged forward and attacked the clinic, smashing the doors, lighting it on fire, and so on. Nobody saw what happened inside, of course, but what happened outside is more interesting..."

"More interesting? But we don't know what happened to the people inside, that's where the mystery is, that's the story!" saidVirginie.

"I can guess what happened to 'em." said Jacques, drawing his thumb across his throat.

"Trust me, madamoiselle, what happened outside was more interesting. My name's Michél, by the way." he said.

"Virginie." replied the young reporter from the Daily Dispatch.

"A pleasure, Virginie." said Michél. "The protestors were originally peaceful because the police were here to keep them that way. Then apparently they left. One witness said she even saw the cops watching from their cars as the protestors broke into the clinic and started to rip it apart. The fact is, the cops know about what happened here, they could've even stopped it. But where were they? And where are they now? There's no investigation to speak of!"

"There's your mystery, honey." Jacques told Virginie.

"Do you know what you're saying?" Virginie said, her voice lowering to a whisper. "You're saying that the police deliberately ignored a crime, that they saw innocent people being attacked, and did nothing!"

"And no prizes for guessing where they got their marching orders." said Jacques cynically.

"You don't mean..." Virginie started, but was interrupted by Jacques.

"Yeah tuts, I mean the Government!" Jacques concluded.

The three journalists left the room they were in and stepped out through what used to be the front door, onto the steps of the burnt-out clinic. The stopped abruptly as they saw a man in a long black trenchcoat standing in-front of them. In the carpark a black luxury Peacock Motors sedan had pulled up, inside of which was a driver wearing a Ministry of Cultural Development uniform.

"Messieurs Garrot and Boulot, Madamoiselle Merlot, I am Frederic Drakos from the Ministry of Cultural Development." said the figure.

"How do you know our names?" asked Virginie.

"Weren't you listening? I told you I was from the Ministry of Cultural Development." Drakos replied, his voice maintaining a dispassionate, monotonous tone. Virginie looked a little embarrassed.

"And what the bloody hell are you doing here?" asked Jacques. "You can't censor us, not on something like this, the police let an angry mob de...."

"Police? There were no police here." replied Drakos. "Make sure you don't mention any in your stories."

"We've got witnesses!" barks Michél. "There were three police cruisers..."

"Lower your voice, monsieur. You wouldn't want people to overhear you questioning the integrity of His Imperial Majesty's police department." replies Drakos in the same dispassionate monotone.

"There are witnesses dammit!" asserts Michél.

"That apartment building was built back in the 1960s. All sorts of dangerous chemicals, some of which have been known to cause hallucinations, were used in the building materials which would never pass code today." said Drakos.

"That's the biggest load of shi..." Jacques started.

"Besides, if you talked to your witnesses again," continued Drakos. "I'm sure they'd recant their past hallucinations. There were no police here."

"And there aren't any here now!" pointed out Virginie. "They're ignoring this crime scene!"

"There's no crime scene here." Drakos asserted.

"Monsieur, there most certainly is!" Virginie protested.

"No, madamoiselle, there is not. After the fire brigade put the flames out, a building investigator examined the building's remains, and determined that the building spontaneously combusted as a result of unsafe electrical wiring shorting out after the air conditioner had been turned on for the opening of business." replies Drakos. "The shoddy wood and plaster burnt quickly, producing a massive fireball which shattered the windows, and which flung much of the furniture about in there. The investigator ruled it an accident, and attributed all blame to the owners cutting corners during construction."

"But... the blood, dammit!" Jacques tried.

"Blood? Of course, putting out fires is dangerous work. At least one of the fire fighters cut himself quite badly. I imagine you saw his blood at the scene." said Drakos. "Messieurs, madamoiselle, it is quite obvious that the real story here is the hard work and dedication of the heroic fire fighters of New Rome's Fire Department. I will expect all of your stories to say so when you submit them to me at MCD prior to their publication. I've already called your respective editors."

Drakos turned around as the three journalists stood, shaking their heads in disgust. The Ministry of Cultural Development was the Imperial Government's propaganda instrument, they knew that, they just resented being turned into its tools.

Drakos spun around once more.

"Oh, and best not to mention what sort of clinic this was, eh?" Drakos said. "Some people might have their sensibilities offended, and we wouldn't want to confuse the issue of the heroism of the fire fighters involved with unpleasant public debate about abortion."

From the Pantocratorian Daily Dispatch...

Firefighter Injured in Heroic Struggle to Save Clinic
By Virginie Merlot
Firefighter Michél Drakos was injured while he and his heroic comrades battled to save a downtown New Roman clinic from fires today, but you won't hear him complaining.

"It is all in a day's work." said Drakos, 32, a father of three. "If I was stuck in a burning building, I wouldn't want the firefighter whose job it was to rescue me to give up because he got a little scratch across the forearm."

That "little scratch across the forearm" was enough to cause Drakos to lose so much blood that it is still visible all over the once carpetted floor of the burned ruin of the clinic, covering in all over 2 square metres of the remains of the carpet.

"It is a miracle he's still alive." said a doctor from the Ministry of Public Safety, who treated Drakos for his injuries, who wishes to remain anonymous. "I wouldn't expect anybody to be conscious after losing all that blood. That really is an incredible amount of blood to lose, and to think that all that blood loss was caused by a relatively minor arm wound."

The firefighters struggled against the inferno for forty minutes as they fought, in vain, to rescue the clinic's staff and patients.

"I don't know why you're congratulating me, all I did was fail to do my job." said Drakos, modestly. "Had I been better at my job, maybe we could've got more people out."

The Ministry of Public Safety didn't disclose the number of survivors rescued by the firefighters, not wanting to cause any unnecessary distress to the families of those who did not survive. An anonymous source within the ministry did say that the number of survivors was "very, very low."

"The real tragedy here is that all of this carnage could've been avoided." said the Ministry of Public Safety's Department of Building Safety's press release. "The clinic was constructed out of shoddy materials - unsafe plaster, untreated wood, and highly flammable insulation. In addition, the clinic's electrical wiring was not up to code. An electrical fire broke out, and tragedy was the inevitable result."

"The people who built that place should be thrown in jail, and the keys should be thrown away!" said one witness to the fire, who wishes to remain anonymous. "I've always said that [poorly built] places like that were slaughter houses [waiting to happen]! The doctors who built it are guilty of murder!"

"I don't want to go pointing fingers," said Drakos. "I just wish I could've saved more of them."

The Lord Mayor's office said that they had offered Drakos a Medal of Civil Heroism for his efforts, but that the firefighter had declined.

"This man is not only a hero, but the epitomy of Christian modesty." said the Mayor's office. "Truly a model citizen, whose devout example all loyal citizens should follow."

(OOC: This is interesting... Do you want to turn this into a character RP?)

THe Czar congradulates all United Nations members taking a stand against this new barbaric resolution. Continute to fight this new resolution. God be with you in this fight.



OOC: No, I'm not in the UN.

(OOC: This is interesting... Do you want to turn this into a character RP?)

OOC: If you think you've got a good idea for a character RP, please, go ahead, I'd like for people to try whatever they'd like to try in this thread so that it isn't just me telling a story alone. It really is open, so give it a go, please! :D

OOC: I'm just curious if you might have an unmarried Prince (who is in his twenties) who could fall in love with the Empress of Saiogena, she is looking for a husband. It would be an interesting RP.

"Akan?"
"Yes, aid?"
"The abortion resolution won on a rather large scale."
"Excellent. With the popularity of raves, abortion is almost neccessary to control population."
"The catholics are showing opposition..."
"There are catholics in Muktar?"
"Not at the moment. They're to strict to fit in to our culture."
"So why should I care what the catholics think?"
"Several nations, such as Pantocratoria are run by catholics."
"So voicing our opinion on the matter could cause war."
"Exactly."
"Send a diplomat to make good relations."
"We can't."
"What?"
"Karnst is at a coronation in Celdrone, his brother Kardo is at a diplomatic masquerade in Roania, and our official diplomats are all in embassies."
"I'll go myself then."
"I'll see if they are willing."
"Do that. And try to get more diplomats, we may need one for a potential embassy."
"Of course. But, what if they don't take?"
"I'll be taking a standard escort."
"Of course."

Transmission to Pantocratoria:

Screw the resolution. Yes, it must be passed -- there are loopholes. I'm sure you have Special Ops, do you not? Use them, and destroy the clinics. Also, tax the people for abortions to death, and make it impossible to attain a building lisencse to have it. Make it a horrendous price. This must be stopped at all costs.

OOC: I'm just curious if you might have an unmarried Prince (who is in his twenties) who could fall in love with the Empress of Saiogena, she is looking for a husband. It would be an interesting RP.

OOC: I've two such princes, I'll telegram you about it. Probably doesn't belong in this particular thread though!

To: Pantocratoria
From: Muktar

Our nation's leader wishes to visit your nation in person to discuss recent events involving the abortion resolution and how UN nations opposing the resolution should go about dealing with it in a moral manner.

To: The Monopolistic Corporation of Muktar
From: Her Imperial Highness the Right Honourable the Imperial Chancellor the Most Pious Princess Irene

The Imperial Government is interested in discussing options open to it and all other United Nations member states which opposed the recently passed resolution, and my colleagues and I would be most happy to welcome your ministers to Pantocratoria to discuss the issue in person.

Sincerely,

HIH the Most Pious Princess Irene
Chancellor of the Holy and Most August Empire of Pantocratoria

OOC: Tag for future post, Im digging the MCD, like my INSA...No this is not a gun, and no, that is not a dead body.

"Emperor Cav, we've got some bad news from the U.N," First Minister Miles O'Reilly said. "The abortion resolution passed. We are going to have to..."

"No." Cav interrupted.

"I'm sorry, Your Excellency. No what?"

"The United Nations is just a group of stodgy, self-serving socialists. Well, most of them anyway. I've not even heard of half of the member nations, and one vote isn't going to sway things either way. They've gotten too big and decentralized."

"Your Excellency, you do understand that we are in a socialist region, don't you?"

"I understand that, Miles, but they don't try to impose their will on us. The UN however, is doing just that. And we're not going to stand for it."

"Do you mean that we're going to ignore the UN resolution?"

"That's exactly what I mean. They're not going to mount a coalition or pass any resolutions against us. The United Nations is made up of individual nations with not many formal connections between them. Abortion will still be illegal in Cav. Our laws are made by the people, and if the majority doesn't want abortion, why are we going to let foreigners tell us what our people want?"

"I'll have a statement prepared, Your Excellency."

****************

"Citizens of Cav, I have no doubt that most of you have heard of the newest United Nations resolution dealing with abortion. We, being UN members, are supposed to comply with that resolution. But I am here to say that we are not." He paused for a few seconds to allow the news to sink in.

Continuing, "That's right. We are going to openly defy a resolution mandated by the UN. Next month, we will hold an open referendum on this resolution. If you vote the resolution down, the laws stay as they are. If you vote in favor of the resolution, we will consider relaxing the sentences for offenders.

"This is a grave issue. Any unauthorized clinics seeing pregnant women are hereby ordered to cease and desist. Any woman requesting an abortion from said clinics is to be jailed and put under close scrutiny. The Imperial Ministry of Justice will handle all other matters when and if the need arises. Continue begin good citizens. Do not let the UN put us down for this. Cav is a strong country, and we will do whatever it takes to preserve our morals and values. That is all."

To: Her Imperial Highness the Right Honourable the Imperial Chancellor the Most Pious Princess Irene
From: High Commander Akan Muktar, CEO of the Muktar Corporation

I will be coming to the meeting personally. Hopefully this will lead to better relations among our nations.

The Czar applauds The emperor of Cav for standing up to your moral values.

OOC: While I'm sympathetic, Cav, one of the few game rules is that UN members must comply with all UN resolutions. You can't just say "I'm ignoring this resolution". It is unfortunate that it doesn't work more like the real world UN, but that's the way it is. :?

OOC: While I'm sympathetic, Cav, one of the few game rules is that UN members must comply with all UN resolutions. You can't just say "I'm ignoring this resolution". It is unfortunate that it doesn't work more like the real world UN, but that's the way it is. :?

OOC: That's true, there's nothing really stopping me from RPing the ignoring of a resolution. Sure, my nation may have to bear it, but I can reverse the UN decision whenever I get the new abortion issue.

OOC: Tag for future post, Im digging the MCD, like my INSA...No this is not a gun, and no, that is not a dead body.

8) Thankfully the upcoming UN resolution is so softly worded as to allow the Ministry of Cultural Development to continue its work unobstructed.

In Port Noel, the unseasonal July weather resulted in yet another day of rain. The normally smoggy city seemed to be washed clean as the old drains of the Imperial Quarter struggled to contain the flow. On the seafront, young families sat in their cars and ate the picnic they'd originally intended to eat on the pier while in the main streets only a few shoppers were brave enough to face the elements. On church, temple, factory and home, it rained.

In the bowels of the city, in tunnels carved out during the second world war, Uncle Noel worked. In the silence, all that could be heard was the hum of his computer and the constant 'drip drip' as the aging concrete walls allowed the damp from up above to seep in. An aid entered his chamber and placed a document on his regency walnut desk that looked so out of place.
Without speaking, Uncle Noel read the official briefing.

"This information is nearly one month out of date." He said.
"I'm sorry Uncle Noel, but the intelligence services have recently had an overhaul and data has been in a backlog.." mumbled the civil servant.
Uncle Noel glared at him through his pince nez, his cold eyes showing his displeasure.
"I'm sorry sir, it won't happen again."
"Good."
Uncle Noel returned to the document. It seemed troubling.
"What is our position on the errr...subject sir?" asked the civil servant, eager to change the subject. Uncle Noel sat for a while and seemed to gaze into the distance. At last he spoke.
"My regime has always been a secular one. I have strived to create a regime that united the two peoples of our fair land so that they might form a single nation. Abortion, while I have never exactly been happy with it, will always happen and thus it is better to have those women in clean and regulated clinics then dying in backstreet ones. This whole UN business admirably demonstrates why such institutions should stay out of such affairs."
"What shall we tell the Emperor sir?"
"Say something along the lines of......."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: His Most Catholic and Imperial Majesty the Emperor Andreus I Capet, Imperator Pantocratoria, Autocrator of the Romans, Caesar Augustus, Equal of the Apostles, King of France and Navarre, Master of the Knightly Order of the Pantocrator, et al.

From: Uncle Noel

Your Imperial Majesty, I read with some consternation the situation that your fine nation has been plunged into due to the bizarre actions of the UN. Uncle Noel, acting for the greater good of his people, abandoned the institution some time ago in fear that just such a situation would occur. A brief view of Pantocratorian news told of a recent fire in a 'clinic'. While Uncle Noel is of no doubt of the validity of the story, it would be most unfortunate if other 'clinics' were to suffer accidents at this delicate time. That said, Uncle Noel nor his regime will do nothing to damage the alliance that has stood the test of time and wishes His Imperial Majesty good fortune throughout His reign.
To that end the Government of Uncle Noel offers a state visit to the island to His Most Catholic and Imperial Majesty and hopes that arrangements can be made soon. Such a visit might also establish key policy areas for the alliance and discuss whether the forces of the Fiefdom can aid His Most Catholic and Imperial Majesty's efforts.
Yours sincerely

Uncle Noel

*Relayed via the New Macclesfield Radio Station*

OOC: Uncle Noel is back! This is utterly awesome!

IC:

To: Uncle Noel

From: His Most Catholic and Imperial Majesty the Emperor Andreus I Capet, Imperator Pantocratoria, Autocrator of the Romans et al.

We are most pleased to receive your greetings and best wishes in this difficult time, Uncle Noel. It has been altogether too long since we had the pleasure of your correspondance. Naturally, we would leap at the chance of visiting the Fiefdom, just as we would be most pleased to welcome you to the Empire.

Naturally we are distressed that some Imperial citizens have felt it necessary to resort to violence to demonstrate the strength of their convictions. While we share their disgust and indignation about the UN resolution to enforce abortions, resorting to violence is illegal. It was unfortunate that there were no police close enough to the clinic to respond in time to stop the enraged mob.

Given by our hand in the 31st year of our reign,

ANDREUS
Imperator Pantocratoria, Autocrator of the Romans, Equal of the Apostles, King of France and Navarre, Caesar Augustus et al.

OOC: Well you can't keep a good man....or..er..dictator down.
Although my time away has resolved me to make Uncle Noel less evil and more like some alooft Philosopher Prince aka the Republic. This should mean that you'll have a generally more honourable and less Orwellian ally. So disregard that whole episode when someone disappeared and I'll also alter that factfile or...even write a new one.
And did we exchange embassies? I remember there was talk but I wasn't sure in the telegram whether to say 'my embassy informs me' or whether just to say that we randomly checked your news. If we don't have ambassadors then we bally well should! ;)

OOC: From memory Uncle Noel wasn't keen on having a permanent foreign embassy in the Fiefdom, although there was an equivalent in Pantocratoria.. one day I'll find the old threads ;)

ooc: Well Uncle Noel is become less cantankerous with age so if you want a permenant embassy then say.

Although anything less than a member of the imperial family as an ambassador will be considered a slight on the honour of your old ally :D

OOC: Uncle Noel, let's move the embassy talk to this thread: http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=343035