Pandora renounces her citizenship

[Pandora]

I origionally was told and thought that Shireroth was an online cybernation that was seperate from the real world and although different from online games such as wow and others that include violence I thought it was similar in the respect that was fantisy and for fun.

I have come to realization that I am mistaken and for that I am sorry.

I have just read a news article that attacks my charater in reality. This I can not accept. Please know that the character of Pandora is exactly what I originaly thought Shireroth was: Fantisy.

And for that, I renounce my citizenship. I shall miss all of you whom made me fell welcome and I am sorry I will no longer be conversing with you anymore.

Farwell

[b3n|<3r|\|]

Please, Pandora, reconsider. You are quite right about Shireroth being fantasy - some people might not agree, but they are definately in a minority.

The worse part is you have only just returned! The newer Shirerithians like me have hardly had a chance to get to know you and vice versa.

If you would only stay a week or two so we can demonstrate that Shireroth is lots of things. Shireroth's strength is in its diversity. It would be a crying shame if we were to lose you and with you all our secret, repressed hopes of the nation becoming a nudist colony.

[Andreas the Wise]

Pandora, stop, you're making a mistake! Shireroth IS fantasy, unlike most of the other micronations out there. You must realise those news articles were written by and for the relatively serious nations ...

If Shireroth isn't for fantasy and fun it has no point in my eyes. But it is. Perhaps some people have forgotten, but that's why we have Duchies ... so you can bury yourself in the nice one and ignore the crazy ones ...

Please, I implore you - come back!

[Jacobus Loki]

What idiot attacked your character? Your character is fun and totally unique!

I've found it useful to stomp off into exile on occasion, but to call it an LoA, not a resignation!

The firm of Hesam & Jacobus would cheerfully sue somebody on your behalf.....

[b3n|<3r|\|]

Ooh, a libel suit! I can bear testimony. In fact I discussed the matter with the perpetrator immediately after publication, my chat logs here confirm it was very malicious and so on.

[Andreas the Wise]

Ah, that would be in finest Novatainian tradition ... Tomsett might agree ...

[Hesam Jayatar]

That's correct, Jake and I are teaming up to defend the little guy/gal (especially if they're rich).

I've read most of the entry for "The Hague" in the Centre for wikipedian study, so I think you could say I know a little bit about human rights cases.


I'd say our consultancy fee is 5 erb. If we win the case, it's an additional 40?

[Jacobus Loki]

We should be able to recover from the perpetrator. The usual US fee is fee-contigent, 30% of the recovered amount plus minor office expenses.

Maybe a class-action suit, discrimination against nudists!

THIS INJUSTICE CANNOT BE TOLERATED!

[Andreas the Wise]

A fair summation?
http://mnins.dr-spangle.com/wordpress/?p=299

[Hesam Jayatar]

THIS INJUSTICE CANNOT BE TOLERATED!

instead....

'THIS INTOLERANCE CANNOT BE TOLERATED!

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Pandora: Will Tomsett, who wrote the article, isn't a citizen of Shireroth and doesn't even visit here much. If you look on the comments there, you'll see that every real Shirerithian defends you and knows exactly what you meant. Don't let this ruin what looks to be good work as Countess of Alexandretta.

[Jacobus Loki]

if she is not interested in a suit, can the Arbiter accept a suit on behalf of the Imperial Republic?

A sweet little kewpie-like character has been besmirched, and the honor of Shireroth has been messed up as well.

Where habits this vile scribbner? Maybe its a job for the MoMa....

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Jake, calm down. This isn't something to be turned into a lawsuit. This is a serious emotional issue that's impacting someone who should be a member of our community. Let's all just reassure Pandora that we still love her, and then we can play political games.

[Andreas the Wise]

Yeah - Tomsett's a nice chap, just not Shirithian. I only support a trial if its done in the spirit of fun ...

[Yvain Wintersong]

Pandora, I have not been following this issue, except so far as to vote "yes" on your Landsraad proposal. But I want you to know that everyone in Brookshire supports you and wants you back, and that whoever dislikes you for whatever reason, they're not welcome within our Duchy. Come back to us!

[hypatias mom]

Gentlemen--

I have to thank you on Pandora's behalf for your defense of her character. As she said, if someone had poked fun at her in the Shireroth forum, it would have been taken in the spirit of fun and fantasy. But when someone who doesn't even know or understand a fantasy character is not the same as the person in real life, attacks one's character in the greater press, that becomes a real life attack, which could have repercussions well beyond micronations.

Pandora is grateful for your coming so swiftly to her defense, but she is still too upset to return, at least for a few days. I am hoping that non-Shirerithians will not attempt in the future to equate fantasy with reality. How many fantasy generals, emperors, kings, bishops, or even vampires or mass murderers seen in fantasy roles are anything like that person's real self? People not in micronations or roleplaying are likely to misunderstand if they see someone labeled as such.

Oh, and Pandora, I will delay processing your emigration request until all of us have had a chance to cool off and recover.

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Crossposting from the INS blog:

Calm down.

Will wasn´t trying to attack Pandora. In fact, I don´t think there´s anything that could be even possibly construed as a direct attack on her in this whole article. He was just trying to point out that this whole situation was really, really weird. Which it is.

There isn´t always a person to blame in every f**kup. Some of the early Shirerithians wrote a law that included something about "pillaging of fields and ravishing of women", which I think comes from a Genghis Khan quote and which is understandable. Pandora misunderstood it and thought it meant "ravaging", which is understandable. Will, wf his time in micronations very different from Shireroth, saw that there was a law in the Landsraad about gender-neutral ravishing, which is really weird, and published a news article about it, which is understandable. Pandora realized the real meaning of the word, realized it looked like she supported something she actually didn't, and got very upset, which is understandable. When Will learned that was the problem, he offered to remove the article, which was the classy thing to do.

Now everyone needs to just calm down, smile sheepishly, and hide all evidence that any of this ever happened.

By the way, no need to worry about Google searches or job interviews; Pandora had the good sense not to post her real name.

[hypatias mom]

Scott--

Thank you for being the voice of reason. I am afraid I am very sensitive when one of my own is hurt by something thoughtless which is posted. The fact, though, that it reached out beyond this forum, brings the entire situation into a different realm, and is likely to be believed at face value by the micronational world at large. I appreciate Will's ability to finally understand the situation, but just to expunge the offending article(s) will not repair the emotional damage done here. As a new micronationalist, Pandora is still feeling her way here, and is still feeling vulnerable.

[Malliki]

I don't think this is anything for the Judex. Jurisdiction is just one of many problems. If this is to be handled officially at all, I would suggest the Kaiser. But I think that all of us supporting Pandora is the right way to go. I hope she comes back in a couple of days. I want nudists on the other side of the border.

[hypatias mom]

Thanks, Mike. Thanks to all of you who have shown such support.

[Harald of Froyalan]

Referring to Pandora with an extremely disrespectful term as "this particular pleb" does constitute a direct attack on her and a quite vicious one too. I do hope that time will ease her pain, however, and that she will return to Shireroth one day.

[Prodigy Almighty]

You are quite right about Shireroth being fantasy - some people might not agree, but they are definately in a minority.

How could they NOT agree with me around? I'm a dragon-riding cyborg with magic powers and super-soldier bear people! What the hell ELSE would it be?

[Christopher I]

Pandora and Shirerithians,

I am so sorry for the fact that the article has caused so many problems for all of you. I honestly hate to see that you have renounced your citizenship and I ask that you return to Shireroth. I know that Will is a good person...and he would never hurt someone like this on purpose.

I am sure that a formal apology will be issued through the INS soon...and if it is not, I give you my personal apology for this all. I am taking down the article, at least for now, and I will be working to make sure that nothing like this happens again.

Yours Sincerely,
Christopher Collins
Chief Visionary Officer and Board Member
Intermicronational News Service

[hypatias mom]

Your Majesty--

I really do appreciate your concern for the feelings of the objecrs of articles of this type, and assure you I will communicate yoiur concerns and apology and the support of those of the rest of those posting counter assertions. It is a difficult thing to find oneself the object of unwanted and unexpected intermicronational scutiny, especialy when it is not tempered by either wisdom or understanding.

I appreciate you sensitrivity in this situatiion.

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Referring to Pandora with an extremely disrespectful term as "this particular pleb" does constitute a direct attack on her and a quite vicious o too. I do hope that time will ease her pain, however, and that she will return to Shireroth one day.

Um, Harald, no it doesn't. "Pleb" is short for "plebian", which means a person who is not a noble. As a countess, Pandora is not a noble. I see it commonly used in articles in newspaper and stuff, usually in a tongue-in-cheek manner to refer to people who aren't members of the political elite. For example, "The political elite of Europe support the Lisbon treaty, but the plebs are skeptical."

I think this is a misunderstanding that can be resolved, but only as long as people try not to look for extra reasons to be offended.

[Andreas the Wise]

http://mnins.dr-spangle.com/wordpress/?p=300

Will's being very gentlemanly about the whole thing. I hope Pandora accepts this.

[Harald of Froyalan]

Referring to Pandora with an extremely disrespectful term as "this particular pleb" does constitute a direct attack on her and a quite vicious one too. I do hope that time will ease her pain, however, and that she will return to Shireroth one day.

Um, Harald, no it doesn't. "Pleb" is short for "plebian", which means a person who is not a noble. As a countess, Pandora is not a noble. I see it commonly used in articles in newspaper and stuff, usually in a tongue-in-cheek manner to refer to people who aren't members of the political elite. For example, "The political elite of Europe support the Lisbon treaty, but the plebs are skeptical."

I think this is a misunderstanding that can be resolved, but only as long as people try not to look for extra reasons to be offended.

It actually does, Scott. It is also a very derogatory term for someone inferior, vulgar or ignorant, who may be described as being a pleb, plebby or a plebhead. I, however, commend you for your efforts to throw oil on the waves.

[Erik Mortis]

Personally.. I like to go with the "Screw em" mentality when it comes to outsiders. Most people don't understand the absurdest humor and culture of Shireroth. So it fits that many of our laws are absurd at time. If outsiders can't understand this, "screw em!"

[Jonas]

Personally.. I like to go with the "Screw em" mentality when it comes to outsiders. Most people don't understand the absurdest humor and culture of Shireroth. So it fits that many of our laws are absurd at time. If outsiders can't understand this, "screw em!"

That makes Shireroth the best!

[b3n|<3r|\|]

That's a bit harsh Erik. Not all of us started in Shireroth. I was hanging around Shireroth for months before I could qualify as a citizen (*shakes fist at tri-cit rule*), and I found Shirerithians on the whole to be kind and quirky and not as excluding as you would have them. No one screwed me, and if they had, I might not be here.