NationStates Jolt Archive

Ving wishes to thank the current supporters of this proposal, and has had his secretary send individual replies to each supporter on his behalf.

Ving believes in the restoration of a code of personal honour, responsibility for one's own actions, and a return to skill and study over smarmitude.

Herein follows the proposal, which may be found on the voting lists by a search for the word "Duelling".



Resolution by Duelling
A resolution to increase democratic freedoms.


Category: The Furtherment of Democracy Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Ving

Description:

The Dictatorship of Ving proposes the motion that the use of the Sword should be returned to, and that individuals with a grievance against each other, should "take it to the field".
The field in question would be a venue agreed upon by the Plaintiff and the Defendant, without the need for a meddling legal system.

In the event of an individual being unfit to take up the sword, they may nominate a second to be their representative.

Lawyers will henceforth be required to take up new fields of study, foremost of which will be ancient texts and treatises on the use of the sword (likely to be that of a sabre or rapier, however specialist lawyers may so choose to also study the use of larger swords, such as the Scottish Claymore, or the Germanic Zweihander.)

The proposal implies that swords be used instead of guns, to allow the spectacle to be not only fairer, (as the duelling parties must get up close and personal to be ultimately culpable for their actions), but also to be more entertaining, and provide a new source of revenue for the governing body of the country at the same time.

In this latter reasoning, jurors would henceforth be divided into two teams of six, to provide a cheering squad for each combatant, for this is fair.

This revised solution to dealing with legal matters would not only provide funding for the government coffers, but also would provide a source of monetary recompensantion to the winner of the case, in the following manner:

In allowing members of the public to enjoy the spectacle of something which has nothing to with them, it is motioned that only movie crews be allowed to document the process (with commentary by case witnesses), as at the end of the day, the majority of the public enjoy a good bit of swashbuckling, on the big screen, and will probably be prepared to pay for it.

Indeed, if the trial takes place aboard a seafaring galleon of the 17th century, the defendant may be exempted from ultimate death in the event of losing the duel.
Their sentence, may be reduced instead to being seasonally fruited by the public, in wooden stocks in the central park (or parking space), of the city in question.



Ving is a fair and just city, with a belief that duelling is very sensible. That the Vingian Olympic team of duellist lawyers are also in the paypacket of the dictator, has nothing to do with the submitting of this proposal.



Ving thanks you for your consideration in this matter.
Any questions may be directed here, and Ving's team of crackpot fencing lawyers will endeavour to field a reply.

We have no gloves or gauntlets. How then does one issue a challenge?

The Empire of Roycelandia salutes your noble ambition- indeed, Duelling is legal in Roycelandia and seen as a very gentelmanly and honourable way to settle a dispute.

However, Roycelandian Legislation allows for the use of Flintlock smoothbore firearms for duelling, on the grounds that death is, paradoxially, less likely to occur from the use of these weapons than, say a rapier. Smoothbore guns are, by and large, inaccurate, and with only one shot, honour can be satisfied whilst limiting casualties.

As such, we are unable to support your proposal at this time, but would be amenable to a later version which included provisions for Flintlock duelling.

How can u not have gloves collaberation? Make some for gods sake

In the event of no glove or gauntlet, a slap in the face with a wet fish is a good substitute.
Ving is happy to lend an "official fish for slapping" to Collaboration, if such is deemed necessary, in the event that Collaboration has no fish either.

Empire of Roycelandia - Ving sees your point about guns of inaccuracy.
However, re. the use of a pistol, there is the potential hazard that such a weapon could cause death to others (i.e. the movie crews and court witnesses), in the event of a bullet going astray.

That said, it can be expected that in each country there will be subtle variances on the law, and as long as it pertains to traditional duelling, a flintlock pistol pairing should be acceptable, on the understanding that, at the end of the day, it is important for a case to be resolved.
Therefore Ving would propose that in circumstances whereby nobody actually got hit, they should then commence with duelling by sword.

Ving thanks you for your consideration.

Very interesting... duelling eh?

Well, I see nothing wrong with it, the only problem is justice is sacrificed... but meh... who cares... lol

The only thing I wonder is... is this a duel to the death or to the disarmament?

Dueling? :roll:

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Kûk‡xenisi n!ok‡x'osi xno-k‡xek‡emi.
The state only exists to serve itself.
Racism-the other stupid ideology
Peace, love, and girls with small waists and really big butts!
http://www.sulucas.com/images/steatopygia.jpg
I'm male. Note the pic
of attractive women.

good idea, but half the people are going to win and half the people are going to loose. NS may become a very small community :)

is there any use for this ouside of being an issue?

Yes, duelling is outlawed for a reason.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kûk‡xenisi n!ok‡x'osi xno-k‡xek‡emi.
The state only exists to serve itself.
Racism-the other stupid ideology
Peace, love, and girls with small waists and really big butts!
http://www.sulucas.com/images/steatopygia.jpg
I'm male. Note the pic
of attractive women.

I support duelling. The justice system will be so much more lightened if individual dueling will take place. Hey think of the small claims court, instead of sueing lets just take it to the sword field! I love it!

I support duelling. The justice system will be so much more lightened if individual dueling will take place. Hey think of the small claims court, instead of sueing lets just take it to the sword field! I love it!

Duelling with toothpicks is good. You get to know who wins, and no one really gets hurt. :)

The Great Nation of Putergeeks does not support this proposal. We prefer to flip a coin to settle a dispute.

Esteemed Baron Porkonia - Resolution by death would be the preferred outcome, as there would be at least either one complaining person, or one naughty person less in the world.

Disarmament is an interesting possibility, and indeed is up to the choice of the individual. Embarrassment displayed to the rest of the world in terms of a humiliating defeat, can be almost as cruel a punishment as death.

There is still the option of duelling aboard the seventeenth century galleon, as a death avoiding means, as outlined in the proposal.

For the sake of fairness, Ving, as well as hoping to see a return to traditional justice, also hopes that chivalry will make a return.
In chivalry, one would believe that good citizens will spring to defence of those innocents unable to wield a sword themselves.

That instant fame in the movies might be a drawcard is entirely coincidental.



Astute Zervok, indeed, your perception of smaller communities reveals another advantage of the system.
Population control, and easier management!


Good Tawy - One fine aspect of duelling is the reduction of the "getting away with loopholes in the law" event. :)

Repeat offenders who somehow survive, will become targets that others will seek to take down for glory (and mass public acclaim) itself. It is hoped that increased danger in laying complaints will make people more cautious about accusing others on flippant notions of misjustice.


Enlightened Letila - It is true that duelling was once outlawed for a reason, but reason itself seems to have gone out the window, hand in hand with common sense, and self responsibility.
Ving dislikes justifying his actions when the truth is merely his addiction to sparkly shiny swords, and swashbuckling heroics.
But if you will accept this response cobbled together by the Vingian crackpot fencing lawyers, that is good. If not, then Ving will give them a bit of a talking to.


Dear Calumnia, toothpicks are indeed a gentler way, but they sparkle and shine not half as well as a rapier.
If one can devise a means of making sparkling toothpicks of steel, the close quarter combat would make for most exciting viewing.

Ving will look into this possibility.


Putergeekian Putergeeks - one supposes that coin flipping might be the chess-like equivalent of trial by combat - but it makes for less spectacular movies.
Unless the outcome resolves itself with the loser falling upon their sword. Even still, Ving finds this not quite as satisfactory or financially rewarding as a good bout of swashbuckling, and it is a bit too reliant on the fickleness of fate and zephyr breezes.


Ving thanks you all.