NationStates Jolt Archive

Esteemed members of the United Nations,

Though The Incorporated States of Walkering Industries has a hard-nosed, hard-working population of only 16 million, its citizens have recently been dismayed to find that their unique form of locomotion, walkering, does not permit them entry to a number of the countries to which they wish to travel. Having further noticed that a number of other nations have populations whose locomotive methods no doubt similarly constrain them, a government committee was recently formed to seek methods of addressing these concerns on a global scale. The result is the draft below, for a United Nations Freedom of Locomotion Act, which would seek to encourage, in the gentlest possible terms, that every nation make at least its capital city accessible to the variety of sentient beings that wish to travel there. It is hoped that the passage of such an act, or a modified act of similar intent, would raise human rights among all member nations by promoting more widespread understanding and more harmonious political relations, among other benefits. Therefore, we invite your comments and criticisms in relation to the proposal hereby presented below:

Draft of 11 February

Freedom of Locomotion Act
Category: Human Rights
Strength: Mild

RECOGNIZING the variety of sentient beings assembled under the many flags of the United Nations;

COGNIZANT of the fact that many such cohorts, though they be small in number, may propel themselves forward (and in other directions) by a variety of means, whether biological, mechanical or otherwise;

BELIEVING that freedom of travel, where not otherwise restricted by national legislation or United Nations mandate, is of benefit to all nations through the exchange of culture, attitudes and commerce, and the general broadening of minds (or other sentient appliances);

CONFIDENT that contact between citizens of different nations, unfiltered by communications devices such as telephones, emails, etc., results in increased understanding, more harmonious political relations, more frequent instances of love at first sight and economic benefit to all;

CONCERNED at the thought that travel between nations may be inadvertently restricted by the lack of avenues adequately accomodating a number of the above-mentioned variety of locomotive methods;

RESPECTFUL of national laws that may deny entry to certain citizens of foreign lands;

INSPIRED by the uniquely entertaining method of locomotion used by the citizens of a number of member nations;

DESIRING to see such locomotive methods fill the avenues and byways of such member nations as would be entertained and edified by them;

The United Nations Freedom of Locomotion Act hereby

1. (a) ALLOWS delegates from member nations whose citizens wish to travel abroad to request that the government of the nation to which those citizens wish to travel make accomodation for their citizens' native means of locomotion within that nation's capital, and to and from its borders, if necessary, if such accomodation does not already exist;

1. (b) GRANTS the nation receiving such a request to refuse it with no further obligation should the request be deemed an unreasonable burden of cost or aesthetics, at the sole discretion of the destination government;

2. (a) REQUIRES the government of nations receiving such a request to make such accomodations within a period of three years from the receipt of the request;

2. (b) REQUIRES the government of nations making such a request to share the costs of fulfilling it equally with the destination government, those costs to include money, labor, materials and equipment;

2. (c) FURTHER REQUIRES the government of nations making such a request to effect a technology transfer to the destination government of such technologies as may be required for the completion of the accomodations in question;

3. PERMITS nations receiving such a request to judge, at their own discretion, whether such accomodations are sufficient;

4. ASKS that such nations entertain requests for improvements in accomodation, should the nation requesting such disagree with the destination government's assessment;

5. VACATES the requirements in (2)(a) and (b) above in event that the borders of the nation receiving such a request are closed to the nation making the request;

6. DEFERS to all legislation in effect at any time in the destination nation that would deny entry to any citizens desiring to travel there;

7. EMPOWERS the United Nations to make an annual Survey of Locomotive Freedom cataloguing the accomodations that are available in the world;

8. ENCOURAGES the citizens of all nations who may not have traveled beyond their borders to take advantage of the Freedom of Locomotion Act to get out and see the world.

This is the most interesting proposal I've seen in awhile. Thank you!

Aüþgæþ Spøtyiú
Ambassador

((OOC: Whats that? Legislation that makes sense for the diverse role play world of NS, but doesn't talk about any sort of opinionated, controversial, or stupid real world issue? Gasp!))

Lio Vandenburg attempted to walker down to look at the draft, but didn't have the slightest clue what he was doing and ended up falling down some stairs. "I definitely like the idea behind this legislation.." He said, as he rubbed his head, "My only problem with it is that it requires, upon request, that the nation who is to be visited make accommodations. The problem there is that the only way for them to get out of it is to say that no one from that specific country is allowed to come in. What if they can't afford to make proper accommodations?"

[Prime Minister von Aschenbach scratches his head.]

Eyup. This sure is an interesting one, alright. Yes, indeedy. Very interesting. If I get this right, some crit... er... person from the planet Hooptigumpus wants to come tour around Ausserland. But the crit... er... people from that planet travel by propelling themselves through tubes of methane, which they also breathe. So, because this one guy wants to come play tourist, I gotta honeycomb the country with methane tubes so he can get around. And I gotta pick up the tab. And he's probably the only person from Hooptigumpus who would ever want to come visit. Did I get that right?

I gotta admit, though, that guy from Walkering Industries did a good job of writing the thing. Must be a lobbyist.

We share Prime Minister von Aschenbach's concern, though perhaps on a level of absolute horror as to the scale of architectural vandalism required rather than that of cost, significant though it would be. We note that the proposal makes no attempt to limit the nature of the "unique form of locomotion" employed; in particular, there is nothing to suggest that it has any concern with natural forms of locomotion, or replacements therefor for beings unable to employ their natural form of locomotion for whatever means, nor is there any limit of reasonability employed.

Thus, for example, a perfectly human visitor whose "unique form of locomotion" was a gold-plated steam engine could require us to lay tracks thoughout Gobbannium City and its public buildings so that he was at no point obliged to leave his conveyance. Intriguingly, his home nation would be under no obligation to provide the same facilities. This allows for truly awesome economic warfare, with nations attempting to bankrupt each other through ever more damaging forms of locomotion.

This proposal, as it stands, is in no way mild.

[The industrious emissary from Walkering Industries bows to the Ambassador from Yelda and hopes to address the concerns of both Prime Minister von Aschenbach and Lio Vandenburg.]

Friends,

I would make several points that I hope would assuage your concerns. Specifically, our dear friend from Ausserland raises the issue of the hypothetical need to honeycomb that beautiful country in methane tubes. However, Paragraph 1 of the Act states only the need for accomodations "within that nation's capital, and to and from its borders, if necessary." In addition, Paragraph 3 gives the nation that is building such accomodations full discretion over what is sufficient.

As to the matter of cost, our Crythtythian interlocutor notes the case in which the nation asked to build new avenues of conveyance is ill-placed to make such expenditures. The Ausserlandian Prime Minister further outpoints the case in which such expenditures might be requested only in order to benefit a single foreign traveler.

The delegation from Walkering Industries recognizes the validity of such concerns, and respectfully apologizes. As you know, UN draft legislation very often reflects national attitudes more strongly than is appropriate for a globally-thinking organization such as the one before which we now stand, and such has been the case here, in which Clause 2 of the proposed act seems to have been based largely on guidelines set forth by The Incorporated States' Department of Homeland Assets, rather than being a broader reflection of UN members' views. With that in mind, the Walkering delegation suggests that a sharing of fiduciary responsibility (as foreign a concept as that is to our constituency), as well as a technology transfer from the nation making the request, may alleviate the concerns raised above.

Specifically and in an attempt to win the support of those nations who may have refrained from commenting on the draft because of their concerns over cost, we propose that Clause 2 of the draft be amended to read as follows:

2. (a) REQUIRES the government of nations receiving such a request to make such accomodations within a period of three years from the receipt of the request;

2. (b) REQUIRES the government of nations making such a request to share the costs of fulfilling it equally with the destination government, those costs to include money, labor, materials and equipment;

2. (c) FURTHER REQUIRES the government of nations making such a request to effect a technology transfer to the destination government of such technologies as may be required for the completion of the accomodations in question;

In that way, the delegation from The Incorporated States hopes that not only will costs be shared equally but that benefits will accrue to nations receiving such requests in the form of new technologies that will be available to their governments and their industries, and which would no doubt be of benefit to them as development continued in their nations.

There is nothing to suggest that it has any concern with natural forms of locomotion, or replacements therefor for beings unable to employ their natural form of locomotion for whatever means, nor is there any limit of reasonability employed.

With respect to the concerns of the honorable Master from Gobbanium, which slipped in ahead of our last response:

Though the wording seems to have been inadvertently dropped from the current draft, the Act as proposed was intended to cover only natural forms of locomotion in use in the normal course of everyday activity by the population wishing to travel. Special needs of individual citizens are specifically excluded by the intentions of the Act.

In order to address such concerns, the Walkering delegation suggests the following amendments:

1. (a) ALLOWS delegates from member nations whose citizens wish to travel abroad to request that the government of the nation to which those citizens wish to travel make accomodation for their citizens' native means of locomotion within that nation's capital, and to and from its borders, if necessary, if such accomodation does not already exist;

1. (b) GRANTS the nation receiving such a request to refuse it with no further obligation should the request be deemed an unreasonable burden of cost or aesthetics, at the sole discretion of the destination government;

If all of the above-mentioned amendments are satisfactory to those concerned, we will proceed to amend the bill.

In an effort to address concerns raised by the esteemed delegates above, the Act has been amended to Draft of 11 February as can be read at the top of this thread. Walkering Industries invites further comment on this proposal to enhance human rights throughout the United Nations membership, and thanks you in advance for your time.

Interesting...

Very interesting...

Very, very interesting...

We thank Chairman Speight for his careful consideration of the discussion thus far. On a small point of drafting, we note that clause 5 is probably intended to vacate all three subclauses of clause 2, as it originally vacated the two the extant subclauses. Indeed, clause 5 goes a long way to limiting the possible economic warfare that my previous submission spoke of, and we apologise for not giving it proper consideration at the time.

We would request one minor clarification; we are not completely certain in our reading of clause 1(a) that the request is made government to government, as we suspect is the intention. If that is not the case, and requests can be made by individual citizens to foreign nations, then their home nations can rapidly be placed in a financially untenable position, paying half the costs of many convertion projects over which they have no say. Since we are quite sure that Walkering Industries does not wish to create a unique form of terrorism, we would suggest some minor alteration to the wording to improve clarity.

All that being said, we would like to commend the work that clearly been put into this proposal, and would urge the drafters to resist any further temptation to dilute the power of this unique civil right.

Awed by the elegance of this proposal, the government of Ardchoille would suggest only the most minor of changes, purely in an effort to avoid any blemish to the aesthetic appeal of this masterwork.

We would urge the proposer to replace "accomodate" and its derivatives with "accommodate" throughout, unless this conflicts with deeply held beliefs on the transient nature of conventions in transcription.

We suggest the following modification to Clause 1(b):

1. (b) GRANTS the nation receiving such a request the right to refuse it with no further obligation should the request be deemed an unreasonable burden of cost or aesthetics, at the sole discretion of the destination government;

as without such modification the verb "grant" has no object for its action.

Finally, and perhaps most controversially, we advise the replacement of the word "sentient" in the preamble with the word "sapient", as we have no wish to see yet another ship of dreams founder on the rocks of this body's pedantry, or to promote further excursions into imaginative (and often, in our opinion, unnatural) descriptions of the uses to which sentient, but not sapient, beings (for example, sheep) are put in member nations.

However, if the writer subscribes to the belief that only the Perfect can produce perfection, and has therefore included these imperfections deliberately, as a religious obligation to signify that the proposal is the work of an inferior but devout being, we withdraw our suggestions and apologise for any offence we may unwittingly have caused.
________________________________

Dicey Reilly, president of Ardchoille.

(Dicey Reilly, having sat down, rises again, somewhat flurried)

I crave the indulgence of the Assembly for a brief modification of my previous remarks. It has been drawn to my attention that the description "sentient, but not sapient" in relation to sheep may cause considerable insult to the populations of certain UN-member nations, particularly to the reputable and undoubtedly intelligent people of Baa-Lambia.

Nor should my remarks be read as veiled allusions to the voting record of other members with whom I may disagree on certain issues.

I withdraw unreservedly my use of the species 'sheep' as an example, apologise humbly for such species-ist remarks, which do not in any way reflect the overall policies of my government, and deeply regret sullying the tenor of this debate with such inappropriate language.
_____________________________

Dicey Reilly, president of Ardchoille.

We very much appreciate the efforts of the honorable representative to accommodate the concerns we, among others, have expressed. Unfotunately, the draft as revised has us thoroughly confused. It seems to say we have to do this, but we don't have to do anything. Perhaps our brains are just napping, but we really think the well-intentioned efforts at accommodation have turned the draft into something of a muddle.

We're by no means ready to dismiss this effort, though. The example put forward by His Excellency, our Prime Minister, was perhaps a bit extreme (far-fetched?) but it was not out of the realm of possibility. Perhaps we would be more comfortable with the draft if the author would give us some examples of the types of acommodations he envisions. What sort of "means of locomotion" are we talking about?

Travilia E. Thwerdock
Ambassador to the United Nations

OOC: Hey, I think this might be a good time to go OOC for awhile. I think what we're talking about here is something along the lines of the Americans With Disabilities Act in the RL U.S.A. The difference is that it isn't aimed at providing accomodations to disabled persons, but rather providing them to persons whose physical bodies are decidedly non-human. In other words, larger or in some other way radically different than humans. Is this correct? So what we're talking about is making buildings and transportation systems accessible to these beings, not razing and then reconstructing your entire infrastructure to accommodate them, right?

It seems to me that there is considerable overlap. For example, including an elevator would help a wheelchair-using human, an alien who isn't equipped to use stairs, or even a short-legged gnome.

Interesting...

Very interesting...

Very, very interesting...

...Thinks.

This is truly a fascinatng proposal, and well written, but ultimately there are just too many different possibilities to consider all the affects this resolution could have. In fact, to be quite honest, it numbs the mind. I really like what the delegate from Walkering Industries has done with this proposal, but I just see too many different possibilities for proposal abuse. As such, it could result in massive amounts of funding and man-hours consumed for various transport systems for many different sentient beings, some of which may only visit once.

Again, in one way, I love this proposal, it epitomizes a really well written and inclusive UN proposal. At the same time, I must personally oppose it, because potientially spending that much time and money so the king of the 3 tonne McDonald's loving octopusses can visit my country can visit my country is pretty unappealing.

The gentleman from Walkering Industries thanks the assembled deeply for their patience and assistance. We plan to submit a revised draft above at some point in the very near future. And although some nations may have legitimate objections to the Act as proposed, we will probably eventually seek a quorum, if only to raise consciousness around the globe about the issue, and perhaps to seek further input as to the shape of an act that would satisfy all.

In reference to two points in particular:

OOC: I think what we're talking about here is something along the lines of the Americans With Disabilities Act in the RL U.S.A. . . . providing them to persons whose physical bodies are decidedly non-human. . . . So what we're talking about is making buildings and transportation systems accessible to these beings, not razing and then reconstructing your entire infrastructure to accommodate them, right?

Indeed, the Freedom of Locomotion Act envisions extending to the citizens of all nations similar freedoms as provided in the Americans With Disabilities Act, except that the current Act has in mind not disabilities but, yes, different abilities. Such accommodations would only need to be made upon request of one government to another, and should, under a revised proposal, cover only a limited amount of infrastructure.

It seems to say we have to do this, but we don't have to do anything.

Indeed, our efforts at accommodation have introduced a flaw. It is our feeling that even a mild improvement of human rights such as is envisioned here has costs. The Act is designed to minimize these, and in fact to provide future economic enhancements in the form of a transfer of technology to the nation making the accommodations.

An Industrious committee is hard at work on another draft of our proposal, but would be happy to note any further comments or criticisms the assembled may wish to put forth.

It's a times like this I'm glad that Cobdenia has a magic time portal...

It's a times like this I'm glad that Cobdenia has a magic time portal...

Does your portal ensure you'll land in another such glad-making time, though, that's the question.

I withdraw unreservedly my use of the species 'sheep' as an example, apologise humbly for such species-ist remarks, which do not in any way reflect the overall policies of my government, and deeply regret sullying the tenor of this debate with such inappropriate language.Darn tootin'. You don't want to fuck with sheep (http://www.ifilm.com/video/2810911).

I expected this to be for Kylie (http://www.kylie.com/)

Anyhow, time for a breakdown.
RECOGNIZING the variety of sentient beings assembled under the many flags of the United Nations;

COGNIZANT of the fact that many such cohorts, though they be small in number, may propel themselves forward (and in other directions) by a variety of means, whether biological, mechanical or otherwise;

BELIEVING that freedom of travel, where not otherwise restricted by national legislation or United Nations mandate, is of benefit to all nations through the exchange of culture, attitudes and commerce, and the general broadening of minds (or other sentient appliances);

CONFIDENT that contact between citizens of different nations, unfiltered by communications devices such as telephones, emails, etc., results in increased understanding, more harmonious political relations, more frequent instances of love at first sight and economic benefit to all;

CONCERNED at the thought that travel between nations may be inadvertently restricted by the lack of avenues adequately accomodating a number of the above-mentioned variety of locomotive methods;

RESPECTFUL of national laws that may deny entry to certain citizens of foreign lands;

INSPIRED by the uniquely entertaining method of locomotion used by the citizens of a number of member nations;

DESIRING to see such locomotive methods fill the avenues and byways of such member nations as would be entertained and edified by them;Whoa, nicely done.
The United Nations Freedom of Locomotion Act hereby

1. (a) ALLOWS delegates from member nations whose citizens wish to travel abroad to request that the government of the nation to which those citizens wish to travel make accomodation for their citizens' native means of locomotion within that nation's capital, and to and from its borders, if necessary, if such accomodation does not already exist

1. (b) GRANTS the nation receiving such a request to refuse it with no further obligation should the request be deemed an unreasonable burden of cost or aesthetics, at the sole discretion of the destination government;Okay, fair enough.

2. (a) REQUIRES the government of nations receiving such a request to make such accomodations within a period of three years from the receipt of the request;Not convinced about the timeframe - but anyone could make a case for a shorter or longer term, so meh.2. (b) REQUIRES the government of nations making such a request to share the costs of fulfilling it equally with the destination government, those costs to include money, labor, materials and equipment;Okay.2. (c) FURTHER REQUIRES the government of nations making such a request to effect a technology transfer to the destination government of such technologies as may be required for the completion of the accomodations in question;Not sure everyone is willing to divulge technological secrets to other nations. 3. PERMITS nations receiving such a request to judge, at their own discretion, whether such accomodations are sufficient;

4. ASKS that such nations entertain requests for improvements in accomodation, should the nation requesting such disagree with the destination government's assessment;

5. VACATES the requirements in (2)(a) and (b) above in event that the borders of the nation receiving such a request are closed to the nation making the request;

6. DEFERS to all legislation in effect at any time in the destination nation that would deny entry to any citizens desiring to travel there;

7. EMPOWERS the United Nations to make an annual Survey of Locomotive Freedom cataloguing the accomodations that are available in the world;

8. ENCOURAGES the citizens of all nations who may not have traveled beyond their borders to take advantage of the Freedom of Locomotion Act to get out and see the world.Don't have an opinion on this either way.

One quick thought - it might be over the character limit.

Our thanks to the emissary from Hirota.

Not sure everyone is willing to divulge technological secrets to other nations. . . . it might be over the character limit.

The technology transfer only covers those technologies that are necessary to complete the travel accommodations.

The character limit we will have to look into.

New draft coming soon.

Darn tootin'. You don't want to fuck with sheep (http://www.ifilm.com/video/2810911).

Ambassador Prince Rhodri rises to his feet with a puzzled expression on his face, but is rugby-tackled down by his Permanant Undersecretary before he can say anything.

"It was a colloquialism, Your Highness!"

It looks good, is reasonably fuzzy, smells and feels like freshly laundered puppies*, and is generally very agreeable. That said, the technology transfer thing doesn't taste very good, in fact it tastes of the regrettable Global Library resolution.

*The government of Kelssek does not endorse putting puppies in washing machines

Darn tootin'. You don't want to fuck with sheep (http://www.ifilm.com/video/2810911).

I am a better person for having seen that.

I sincerely believe it was filmed in New Zealand solely because of the superb scenery.

I expected this to be for Kylie (http://www.kylie.com/)

I am shamed that I actually had to take a moment to think of the connection there. I wish to move towards removing this shame by putting forth that it would be better intended for Little Eva (http://www.history-of-rock.com/little_eva.htm).

I am shamed that I actually had to take a moment to think of the connection there.Have I ever told you that I can't get you out of my mind?

I am shamed that I actually had to take a moment to think of the connection there. I wish to move towards removing this shame by putting forth that it would be better intended for Little Eva (http://www.history-of-rock.com/little_eva.htm).


As pennance, you must watch this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKNrrlyuJXY).

As pennance, you must watch this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKNrrlyuJXY).Watching a hawt girl shaking her ass is "penance"?

As pennance, you must watch this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKNrrlyuJXY).

I can think of worse pennances than having to watch Ms Minogue gyrate and thrust her hips in a provocative fashion.:p

Have I ever told you that I can't get you out of my mind?

na na na - na na na na na - boy you're lovin is all I think about.

Thanks, now that's going to be stuck in my head all freakin day

na na na - na na na na na - boy you're lovin is all I think about.

Thanks, now that's going to be stuck in my head all freakin day

Here, lemme help you (http://www.totalno.co.yu/mp3/Kylie%20Minogue%20-%20Cant%20get%20you%20out%20of%20my%20head.mp3). :p

Here, lemme help you (http://www.totalno.co.yu/mp3/Kylie%20Minogue%20-%20Cant%20get%20you%20out%20of%20my%20head.mp3). :pNot the same without the video. Mmm...

Heh. Memories.

Not the same without the video. Mmm...

Heh. Memories.


For you (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38Sa8tYVnIk), then, Hack. ;) I remember when this song came out. I was in Chile, and one of the few TV stations I could get in my hotel room that had English stuff was a music-video channel (my Spanish is good, but it's tough to follow the rapid speech on, say, a chat program). They played that bloody video at least once an hour.

I was in Chile, and one of the few TV stations I could get in my hotel room that had English stuff was a music-video channel (my Spanish is good, but it's tough to follow the rapid speech on, say, a chat program). They played that bloody video at least once an hour.Heh. My memories are better.

But I think we've hijacked this poor thread enough.

For you,

broken linky.

Heh. My memories are better.

But I think we've hijacked this poor thread enough.

I left stuff out... ;)

broken linky.

Fixed.

I wish I kept my trap shut now about Ms Minogue. :p

New draft coming soon.We look forward to seeing it. You could probably trim off a bit from the preamble first.

Wolfgang's author, deciding to nudge the thread back on track, has Wolfgang walk in, sit down, and view the record of dialog so far. "Hmm... I'm pretty sure the Office of Transportation could probably rig any of our regular vehicles to carry pretty much any visitor wherever they please. I mean, why build a methane-tube network thing, when you could loan the visitor an automatic vehicle with a methane atmosphere inside? That's what we'd probably do. I assume most nations have some form of roadway. Ours are used primarily by cargo vehicles nowadays, so we'd just modify one of them to transport such a person.

"However, another evident problem is, even if they can get around the country, if they're all too different, they won't really be able to... do anything. I mean, a being so big that it required one of our cargo vehicles to transport it likely would hardly fit inside buildings designed for seven-foot high Guardians. I guess we could build some sort of personal vehicle for the "gnome" scenario, like some sort of antigrav pod or something. You just have to keep in mind that if you get beings too different from your environment, no amount of transportation work could enable them to appreciate your environment the same way you do. In short, actual transportation is really a minimal problem in the interspecies compatibility of one's culture."

Isn't there at least one nation of sapient whales somewhere around here?

*ponders the difficulty involved in supplying large waterways around our 'capital city' -- which is in the frozen Antarctic -- specifically for use by any whales who wish to visit the place...*

If one of the ancients awoken and decided to vist the St Edmundan Antarctic, you'd have to try and accomodate the increased mass on your planet...that could be difficult to manage.