Election Debate Tesrin Hray 6th

[One_With_Nature]

Election Debate Tesrin Hray 6th Hosted by Student Mekonnen Aristides

Candidates:

Magistrate  Dante Moretti (Gold League)
Legate Marcellus Saenus (Purple League)
Ahmet Yildirim (White League)

Question 1:

"What is the basis of your platform, and what was your motivation, inspiration or reasoning for your running in this month's election?"

Magistrate Dante Moretti:

"It is the vision of the Gold League that Ephia's Well shall be made the greatest, most glittering jewel of the world. That this place shall again be the crossroads of destiny. That we shall rise from the shadow of mother Baz'eel and look her, smiling, in the eyes, grown to our fullest glory. It is our duty to reach for this. To reduce our dependence on the charity of our parent empire, so that she may see more fully to her own burdens. And that we may stand should-to-shoulder with them against terrors to come. Of Arslan, the most important question of our day, we seek to acquire it as a colony. With calm and careful diplomacy, yes, as to not sunder our important alliance with Kha'esh... ...but to reach, nonetheless, by any means necessary to acquire this second city. That it may further uplift the prestige and wealth of Ephia's Well. That we may secure our food supply against blockades of Qadira, with the fertile river valley of Arslan. That we may float our treasury with corporate understandings on the mining rights in their canyon edges. That we may rise higher, taller, greater, worthier. Suffice it to say that the businessmen of the Gold League are uniquely well-suited to this task. To this mandate, of high stakes negotiation. It is our profession. "

Ahmet Yildirim

"I have a vision in my mind. One I share with many, countless as the grains of sand in the great wide desert. Can you picture it? A world with no arbitrary divisions. A world where all may live in fraternity, in liberty-- equals in all rights. And yet some will tell you this is a mere dream; child's play, content to rest with their laurels and their gobs stuffed with riches they've conquered through the river of blood. We are never stationary. Ages ago, it was too a DREAM that we would break free from the Sibilant Empire! Ages ago, it was too a DREAM that the Ring-Walls would disappear, and bring all the people of this world together. We march, ever towards liberation, ever towards equality, ever towards the destruction of these divisions amongst one another. For in my lungs is the very same breath in yours! In my arms the very same blood flows! And so, when asked what my platform is, I say this: liberty, equality, and the annihilation of divisions between the sons and daughters of Ephia and Phor. We must smash all these arbitrations to dust, and let the winds scatter them away. So we, of the White League, stand on this sole, essential truth: that all men must be as one. Thank you."

Legate Marcellus Saenus

"When men speak of visions, they speak of dreams that they have had. Ideas that were born in the cradle of their minds, that they nurtur and allow to grow. To blossom into a beautiful garden. A garden which they then share with others. They show that vision to all those who'd wish to witness- - it, to see it. To embrace it. But I had a different vision. One that I do not wish to share with those present here, for instead of beauty, there was Ash, and death. When I was an Izdur, I approached knowledge, learning and understanding as my primary goals and aims. But after the Gods have shown me what would happen if Iakmes won. When they showed me what would become of what I hold dearest. My vision is not like those of other candidates. I too can dream, but I must sternly stand upon the foundations of reality. Iakmes is still out there. His clans, his armies, hiding. And while he hides, other threats arise. The Sibilant, the Tormented... Those of the Wyrm, and other fell powers. My goal is stability, but not because I want everything to remain still. To rot away, crumble under the weight of time. We need stability, we need security, so that the dreams of people like Dante or Ahmet might actually become a reality. Dreams will not stop the fires of war, nor a bloodthirsty monster's axe. For that you need men ready to throw their lives, their very being into the chaos of the world, to keep our world firm and whole. That, is why I run.

Question 2:

With Iakmes' hordes pushed back and Arslan captured, what will be your pursuit as Legate on the matter? What will be sought for the fate of Arslan?

Ahmet Yildirim

"Arslan. The enemies of yesterday, and so says the Gold: property of tomorrow! Yes, indeed, our opponents would have you, noble citizens, clasp tight-shut the yoke! To seal the fetters on a fresh-made slave, written off as chattel, another "investment", and to make you into cruel taskmasters, flogging your very brothers and sisters with the vine-stick. This, they would promise you in the name of "stability", what a brilliant concept! This, they would bring through their greed and "prosperity", but I ask, prosperity for whom? For these puffed-up plutocrats and fattened patricians, not you, not they, the people of Arslan! No, the prosperity of these heartless elites, the prosperity of their patrons, the prosperity of their puppet-masters! We of the Heron are uniquely positioned here in the Desert as the first democracy, as the sole land where the right of blood and heritage are not held as divine, but treasonous! For here, anyone of any place may be a citizen, anyone of any place may hold a voice, a say! Who then, are we, to make of Arslan our colony? Who then, are we, to make them our property? No. We must embrace them as brothers, as sisters, and under our guidance and tutelage, oversee them until such a time as they can be independent. Drive out Kha'esh, says I! Out, out with the butchers of the innocent, they who killed countless villages and hamlets indiscriminantly out of trumped-up charges of treason, they who razed the lands by the mountains! For if we are a Heron to be, then let Arslan a falcon fly free! Some of you have come from Il-Modo, some from the deep south, some from long-gone settlements. Yet we are all one, citizens and people of the Heron. We mustn't go down the route of the tyrant, of the conqueror, but of the friend, the brother! Let us guide Arslan to their independence. No more cruelty, no more chains, no more revenge. Their blood-debt has been paid in the war, settled! That is all I have to say. Thank you."

Legate Marcellus Saenus

"When the Seekers After Death attacked our city. Killed our people, one of those who was murdered by their hand was Martin. A Scribe, son of our Chief Scribe. To me, one of my closest friends, whom I would sometimes treat as if he were my own son. From one moment to the next, the people of Arslan stormed our city, killed our people... *he paused for a moment here...* They acted in a way savage beasts work. So naturally when it came to Arslan, the answer seemed simple to me. Control. To grasp them by the neck, squeeze the very last drop of Iakmes' heresy out of their blood, until their treachery and betrayal is eradicated. Why? Because we cannot trust them. But can we simply lock them in chains, cast them into cages and leave them to rot? Terrorize and paralyze their future generations to never dare step out of line, with the threat of death hanging above their heads? No. We cannot. My goal for Arslan, take back control over it, not by force, but through agreement with Kha'esh... and at first. establish that control. Root out the corruption that festers among the Arslani. And slowly, bit by bit, inch my inch... As our confidence grows, in their, in their loyalty, we will loosen that grip, take off the chains, call it however you wish. But I do not believe in eradicating them, turning them into slaves or a colony... Nor do I believe simply freeing them is the right thing to make. Assimilate, re-integrate. That's the goal for Arslan.

Magistrate Dante Moretti

"Before I begin, I denounce Ahmet Yildirim for even uttering that the "right of blood and heritage" has been deconsecrated. We serve here for the glory of Sultan Osman Maribid. This election is no less for the position of a royal governor, under that Sultan's auspice. I denounce him for his disloyalty to the concept of His Sublime Majesty's divine right to rule, that of his dynasty, that of his daughter: a daughter, who in turn, is our future Sultana. It is he, not hierarchy, that is treasonous in character. I speak now on Arslan. Our position is kindred to the Purple League. Diplomatic annexation. We will *not* break our alliance with Kha'esh. Iakmes is still out there, and what Ahmet spoke was total madness. To turn against our brother-in-arms is to invite the destruction of Ephia's Well, the crippling of Baz'eel, and the ruin of us all. We will *not* give Arslan their city back. These are not our friends. These are not our brothers. Perhaps they are brothers to the White League? But they are no brothers to me. The city of Arslan turned against its merchants, genocided them in a frenzy of madness as a blood offering to Iakmes. Not satisfied with this, it sent terrorists to Ephia's Well, who perpetrated a heinous attack on the Souk. Dozens of Voiced citizens are dead at the hands of these people. Murdered. And I hear from Ahmet that he yearns to restore them to power? No. Never. Not while I draw breath. I will not have it. Arslan will be made an asset of Ephia's Well. Political power in that city will be given to martial law under a garrison of the Accord. Our enemies there will not be "slaves," or mistreated by our soldiers. But they will not be given opportunity to raise a hand against us again."

Question 3:

"What is the ideal cost of citizenship, and...or, what does citizenship in Ephia's Well mean to you?"

Ahmet Yildirim

"So I am asked on the ideal cost of citizenship! But how can citizenship be measured in something so arbitrary as money? Will we accept a foreign gangster, fresh from the plunder, with enough money to buy his way into our registry, but then at the same time reject a pauper, a miser, for the weight of his pockets? What /is/ a citizen? Some would tell you: a patriot. Others: the useful and brilliant. And yet, is a man these things if he is wealthy? No, there is scarce a link, scarce a tie! In /our/ reality, they would have you make a citizen a thief, a killer, a rich-man, no matter how or why! The man who thinks, thinks, merely /thinks/ of freedom is a dissident! And so, if I must be a renegade, then let me be, for I declare a relentless war on this "princely" chain. There should be /no/ cost to citizenship, save that same cost we all pay in kind. Let he who loves his nation, let he who bears the fraternity in his heart be a citizen! Let he... be free! Thank you."

Legate Marcellus Saenus

"For as long as I have been a Legate the question of citizenship crossed my mind multiple times. Originally it cost only 5,000 dinari. Then, it went down. Many people could afford the voice, and the barrier to becoming a citizen was very low. Perhaps, to a degree, too low. But why do we look at numbers, when we ought to look at what citizenship ought to be? Proof. But proof of what? Proof that those people who have come to the Well, who stayed here, who lived here, have also embraced being part of the community. Who consider this place their home. But to prove that simply by throwing coin at it, especially a low sum, is not proof of anything, other than shrewdness when it comes to saving and putting away coin. It is not evidence of loyalty, or belief, anything of the sort. Voices for Merit, should be the path to go. A system where through their actions, achievements, dedication they have proven themselves to be true Ephians. But, for those who lack ambitious, direction, or whose only ambition in life is to cut things and run the board, or sell in the market... fine, we can leave that gate of dinari open, but it would have to be higher than before. 10,000 dinari for a voice, or earn it through merit. Service to the Well, service in the Accord. We may remember those days where officers of the Accord would earn their voice when they advanced through the ranks. Voices through actions, voices through hard, honest work, for the Well, and its people. Thank you."

Magistrate Dante Moretti

"It is well-known, I think... ...well-known that the Gold League desires to make a modern aristocracy of the Voiced. That it is our long-held dream to make lords of every voter, to give you... my peers...! ...the esteem and privilege that you deserve.  Sadly, I think that my misguided predecessors have gotten confused on how to achieve this. Understand this: I want the Voiced to represent our brightest, worthiest citizens. I will be seeking a civics exam, proctored by the Scribes, as a mandatory prerequisite to gaining that Voice. Every Voice is a member of our parliament, the Assembly, and must have a competent grasp of what that means. And further... Further, you should be aware that my faction within the Gold League retains a strong sense of "noblesse oblige." That those of status owe a duty of kindness still to those less able. My associates run some of the most successful and prolific charity operations in Ephia's Well. In much embarrassment, if you compare these to the White League... I have promised to these associates, further, that I will be bringing the Voiceless back under the protection of law. The rising tide, I tell you, will lift all ships. Do not fear that our prosperity will leave the less fortunate behind. There will be a place in our golden city for all peoples. Any who can contribute, will be put to work, and given their fair chance to begin a new life for themselves. I could go on! But I do not want to take too much of your time. I would like to thank Narwen Alendiel for her contributions to our charitable projections. You have done much to help us in doing good in this city."

Alice Helerath asked:

"Ahmet, Why must you trample upon the pride of those who have earned their Voice at the current price?"

Response:

"It is a travesty that some have been forced to pay their way into citizenship at such a high cost, indeed. But I must ask, /why/ is the freedom and liberation of another the trampling of their pride? If you are hungry, will you scowl to see another enjoy a falafel, a kebab? The sins of yesterday should be wiped away; a clean slate to be drawn. We oughtn't linger in our dismal, afflicted state in an attempt to justify the cruelties of the past. So no, I am afraid I will seek no such thing. I will seek to build no arbitrary divisions among people."

Alice also asked:

"Legate Saenus, How do you feel about being known as the 'war-time Legate?' Do you think that you will ever be remembered for anything ELSE?"

Response:

"A good question. I would want to say the new District, but we all know the progress on that is highly unpredictable and gods know when it would be finished.  So, if I were to offer a genuine answer, I think the closest thing I could name to "building" or rebuilding, or at least taking some steps toward it, would be Arslan. Once it is ours, it needs to function, as a city. People will not survive into a burned out ruin."

Mirielle Rosseau asked:

"On a scale of one-to-ten, how hare-brained is it to alienate the Well's only non-Bazeeli ally, who has physically assisted us not only in repelling the Thousand Clans, but also at the Red Hill?"

Responses:
Magistrate Dante Moretti:

"Ten."

Ahmet Yildirim

"What a ridiculous, loaded question. I reject the premise of this question. Kha'esh has no claim to the lands of Arslan, and it will not alienate them to /not/ hand over a city to them on a silver platter."

Legate Marcellus Saenus

"Ten, maybe eleven."

- Recorded by Witness Scribe Ekmel Fonzuvi