The VCC revisited

[Malliki Tosha]

Some of you know that I once upon a time was President of the Virtual Commonwealth of Cyberia. I am now giving serious thought to resurrecting Cyberia.

What do you guys think?

[Ryan]

The horror! The horror!

[Malliki Tosha]

Haha screw you.

[Harvey Steffke]

UNSPEAKABLE horror!

[Malliki Tosha]

That is a Straylight sanct, yes.

[Harvey Steffke]

And now the origin of its name finally comes to light!

[Ari Rahikkala]

It's been a sanct since forever. I named it after a poster on CivFanatics and Apolyton because I loved his avatar at that time... which incidentally was Haruhi Suzumiya. This was far before I'd even heard of the name of the series or the character. I suppose the brief years I spent as an animephile left me with an appreciation for good stuff.

[Malliki Tosha]

Reading some posts in the old forums. Came across this gem by Peter Hickey:

Mr. Santucci:

I wish to re-establish my citizenship in a nation where I was a citizen a long time before anyone ever heard of the current Chief Justice. I contend that the Chief Justice was acting ultra vires in directing Dep. Catchpole to withdraw his remarks. 310.4 states clearly that "[t]he Chief Justice must preside at any election for speaker." The Chief Justice acted after the Assembly rejected Dep. Fors' bid to serve as Speaker. The election was over with. The Chief Justice himself stated he'd recall nominations when the Assembly was "prepared to exercise [its] constitutional
functions by actually voting for a speaker and proceeding to make laws." The Honorable Grieve thus had no authority to act as presiding officer of the Assembly. I believe all of these facts indicate that the Chief Justice was not discharging his duties in a proper and impartial fashion. An investigation of whether or not he is capable of doing so is thus in order and whether he should be removed is of course dependent on the results of that investigation.

I hardly expected support for my application from you, Dep. Fors or the Chief Justice. I know fully well that the junta doesn't wish to see me return to Cyberia. Fortunately for me, you aren't in the positions of power you formerly occupied. I will leave it to the citizens of Cyberia as a whole to decide whether there is room for a dissenting voice in a nation that claims to be a liberal democracy.

Peter S. Hickey
President
Free Republic of Rocentia

And Alan Grieve:

(1) The charge is legal nonsense. No deputy has contested my ruling and Dep Fors complied with a similar ruling on a related matter.

Dep Catchpole alleged negligence. The allegations rule bans allegations of negligence without a motion that allows the assembly to determine the issue. Dep Catchpole has not withdrawn the remark or attempted to contest my ruling.

This is the third time (not counting impeachment attempts and claims of legislative contempt too numerous to mention) that Peter Hickey or one of his allies has attempted to prosecute me for offences that are unknown to the law. No Hickey prosecution against me, or anyone else, has ever succeeded in the courts. The only 'exception' was Commonwealth v Rosario where Hickey, as prosecutor, submitted to an inexperienced and untrained judge that he could convict the accused even though the jury had acquitted.

(2) The charge will be vigourously defended if any inquiry is called.

(3) Contrary to Jack Santucci's claim, the National Assembly can only be recalled as a whole, not deputy by deputy. Because deputies are elected by proportional representation, allowing a single deputy to be removed would allow the majority to dismiss minority deputies at will. EC Graham ruled against Hickey's petition the last time Hickey was a citizen and attempted to recall me from the National Assembly.

(4) Community flows from respecting the dignity and individual rights of other citizens. It does not flow from disregarding those rights in the interest of short-term political convenience. That was true when Commonwealth v Rosario happened and it is true now.

Alan Grieve
Chief Justice

Yeah. Why I chose not to invite those two back is a real mystery.