by Max Barry

Latest Forum Topics

Advertisement

5

DispatchBulletinPolicy

by The Holy Christian Empire of Dominant Oppressors. . 89 reads.

Regional Laws - U.C.E.O.T.W.

The following are the laws which all member nations of the United Christian Empires of the West must enforce in their countries. New laws must be voted on in a poll and require a majority of the vote to be passed, laws may also be removed this way. If you have a proposal for a law or to remove one, leave it in the regional message boards and a poll will be held after the current one is completed if no other polls are deemed more important. Any member state may submit a proposal. Proposals may only be submitted twice with at least 3 months between each identical proposal:

1) The national religion must be Christianity. (Law Creator: Dominant Oppressors)

2) Abortion is illegal. Member states are only permitted abortions within a 30-day period for exceptional cases such as rape. (Original Proposal: Blue carnation, Official Proposal: Dominant Oppressors, Final Wording and Refinement: Blue carnation).

3) Member nations may only have 1 secondary account here along with their primary and must state if they have one and which nation it is. If you have tertiary or other accounts but still want them to be apart of our coalition they may be ‘stored’ in our sister-region: The United Christian Empires of the East. Member-nations of this region must serve in the Holy Imperial Armies. (Law Creator: Dominant Oppressors)

4) All eligible member-nations must endorse the current WA delegate. No other nation should have more endorsements than the WA Delegate. (Original Proposal: Falmards, Official Introduction: Dominant Oppressors)

5) All member-nations must read the pinned dispatches. (Law Creator: Dominant Oppressors)

6) All member-nations must follow the laws and respect the command-structure. (Law Creator: Dominant Oppressors)

7) Citizens of member-nations may move between other member-nations with lessened restrictions. (Law Creator: Dominant Oppressors).

8) Emergency Powers Act:

In case of a crisis situation certain certain member-nations may be given certain privileges to help them battle the crisis. Once the crisis has abated, that member nation must give up the Emergency Powers given to them, if they do not or are proven to have misused their emergency powers, they will be stripped of their position and may, depending on the severity of the offence, even be exiled and excommunicated from our confederacy, this however is only for the most extreme offenders. If a situation is deemed a crisis, the relevant nations will be offered their emergency powers or may ask for them, depending on the severity of the crisis, these may be granted based on a vote or at the discretion of the Imperator. These emergency powers are the 'potential privileges' for the Imperial Councillors and the 'Executive' Privilege for the WA Delegate, however in order for the WA delegate to receive the 'Executive' privilege as an emergency power both the Imperator and the Imperial Grand Councillor must agree to it. The WA delegate may also ask for the other privileges if they are needed.
Read dispatch

9) 25% of all money received from income taxes must go to the Christian Church [Those citizens who cannot afford to pay for this are exempt] (Official Proposal: Dominant Oppressors; Refinement/Additional Clauses: Falmards)

10) No Harassment Or Bullying Of Any Kind (Also Please Try To Keep Messages PG-13 If Possible, Thank You) (Please read the following dispatch [not written by us] as a guideline, Thank You And May God Bless You Always!:)

***NOTE: I had it pointed out to me, and I thought I should make it abundantly clear that in all cases of harassment - especially where on-site evidence is available - your first line of support should be the NS Moderators, via a Game Help Request.***

As a peer of someone who is, or you think is being harassed:

If you are suspicious that a peer of yours may be being harassed by another NationStates player, be this emotionally, sexually or otherwise, the first thing you should do is have a calm conversation with your peer about the matter. Do not confront the suspected harasser first. You should listen to your peer carefully about the matter - if it is clear that they are distressed by the actions of another on the site, you should take further action. If you do not think this person would be comfortable talking to you about this topic, try directing a closer peer to do the same. If possible, you should attempt to collect any sort of evidence available that this harassment is occurring, in order to make it easier for action to be taken.

If you have come to the conclusion that it is likely this person is being harassed, do the following: In the event that the off-site actions can be linked to a person's on-site account, or even occurred on-site, contact NationStates moderation immediately. In the meantime or if this is not an option, approach a regional official who can appropriately manage this matter, inform them of the situation and present any evidence you may have, if you see it as appropriate to/if the victim is comfortable with you doing so. In the event that someone in a position of responsibility is the harasser in this situation, it is essential you contact senior officials to them, or an outside source. If you do not think your regional officials are taking enough action over the situation, or even if they've brushed it aside completely, consider contacting an outside source or even direct the victim to an external resource; Linkclick here for a list.

As a victim of harassment:

Whether the situation you're in is ongoing or happened in the past, there is no question that you should speak out. If there is any on-site evidence or even on-site harassment, the very first thing you should do is make a report to NationStates moderation. If this is not an option for whatever reason, contact a responsible official within your region (or elsewhere), or a peer you feel comfortable talking to. You should gather as much evidence of the incident that you have, even tiny occurrences can mean a lot in this situation, so don't question what you should and should not include. You, or a peer, should ensure that any and all evidence reaches someone who can do something about it. If you have contacted a responsible official, and you do not feel as though they are taking sufficient action, the best thing you can do is try someone else - including those outside of your region if you feel that it is appropriate.

If the harassment has made an emotional impact upon you, please, Linkreach out to external resources. You can always find someone who will listen to you, you are never, ever alone in your experiences. If real-life threats have been made to you by the harasser, or anyone else, you should consider contacting law enforcement - it is a serious matter which should not go unpunished.

As an administrator of a region in which a harassment allegation has been made:

If a member of your region has come to you with an allegation of harassment, it is never something you should immediately dismiss. Listen to the full report of events, collect and carefully review any evidence that may be presented. If the accuser(s) has/have not collected any evidence, it is essential you encourage them to do so - it should be kept in mind that not every single person who is accused of harassment is guilty. If you feel as though there is sufficient evidence or a substantial chance that the person in question poses a threat to your region's members, they should be banned from the region and all off-site hubs immediately. On the matter of evidence publication, if it is sensitive, it should be kept between responsible officials and those who need to know - out of respect for the privacy of the victim(s). In no circumstances should second chances be given to a harasser.

If the harassment can be linked to someone's NationStates account, or even occurred on-site, make a report to NationStates moderation if no-one else has done so. You may offer resources, or encourage others to support the victim(s) involved.

Preventing harassment from occuring as a regional official:

There is a real lot you can do to prevent harassment from happening within your region. For starters, you can pin this dispatch beneath your World Factbook Entry to offer advice to victims and others. Other things you can do include pinning or displaying harassment resources in your Discord server or forum, making it clear to your members that harassing other members will hold severe consequences (and ensure you properly define harassment) and immediately reprimanding anyone who you think may be making another member of your region uncomfortable in any way. The absolute worst thing you can do is ignore the issue. You must nip this thing in its bud.

Defining Harassment

Harassment can take many forms, none of which should be disregarded. The most basic definition of harassment is when a person subjects another to unwarranted conduct which has the purpose or effect of (a) violating that other's dignity; or (b) creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that other. The following are some specific types of harassment:

  • Sexual - Harassment of a sexual nature is common, and is not acceptable in any form. Any sort of sexualised comments or imagery, especially when repeated over time may amount to sexual harassment. Examples of sexual harassment may include:

    • unwarranted suggestive comments;

    • publishing, circulating or displaying pornographic or sexually suggestive images without consent;

    • pressuring another into sending or receiving sexually explicit images or videos, or into other sexual acts;

    • any kind of sexual advances made by an adult upon a minor.

  • Discriminatory - Harassment on grounds of sex, race, religion or belief, disability, sexual orientation, and/or age may amount to unlawful discrimination in some jurisdictions. Examples of discrimination may include:

    • derogatory name calling;

    • display of offensive material and abusive language;

    • exclusion from events or activities others are involved in;

    • assumptions regarding the individual's ability to learn or perform.

  • Bullying - Bullying may be characterised by offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient. It may or may not be based on a specific personal characteristic (e.g. disability, gender, race). Examples of bullying may include:

    • intimidation, such as threats or derisory remarks;

    • persistent unjustified criticism;

    • public humiliation;

    • abuse of power or authority, aimed towards a particular person or group.

  • Victimisation - This occurs when a person is treated less favourably or is harassed further as a result of reporting harassment or assisting an investigation into such. This should be treated no less seriously than any other form of harassment. Examples of victimisation may include:

    • threats made in relation to the victim, or the distribution of evidence;

    • defending the harasser, or accusing the victim(s) of slander etc.;

    • exclusion from activities or groups without justification;

    • collecting information about or blackmailing the victim.

How You Can Help This Campaign

If you are a regional administrator, you could help massively by pinning this dispatch to your region's page, and encouraging your members to read and upvote. You can also start the prevention effort in your region now - make an announcement denouncing harassment, outlining what will happen to harassers and encouraging any victims to come forward. You could also try speaking to other members of authority in your region about putting together a specific procedure for handling harassment cases, or maybe review your regional laws surrounding the matter. On that front, it's totally up to you.

If you are a user on NationStates, you can start by upvoting this dispatch, that helps other people to see this and in turn spreads awareness. If you are a victim of harassment, it doesn't even have to be on NationStates, just anywhere on the internet, share your story today, speak out and help others who may be in your situation. If you find that your peer is being harassed, take every necessary effort to help them; this is a really serious matter. Harassment can result in all sorts of things, mental health issues, self-harm, suicidalness even - it does not matter that this is the internet, harassment can be just as damaging here as it is in real life.

No victim of harassment is in it alone. Things always get better. You can always seek help and get support.
Read dispatch

11) Member-nations witch allow non-Christian citizens, must charge those citizens a higher tax rate (Specific percentage increases may by decided at the specific nation’s discretion) (Original idea by Blue carnation, Official Proposal by Dominant Oppressors, refinements by Xukong and Falmards)

12)Anti-Witchcraft Act:

Anti-Witchcraft Act of October 14th, 2019 AD:

Deuteronomy 18:10-12
“For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling or sorcery, or allow them to interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is an object of horror and disgust to the Lord.”


Although, overall, the United Christian Empires of the West allows its member-nations to decide on the religious freedom of their citizens on a national level, there is one ‘religion’ which cannot be allowed any ground in our member-states, and that ‘religion’ is satanism.
It is the antonym to Christianity and definitively evil! All member-nations are to ban it and its practice immediately. This includes any form of devil worship and/or witchcraft as well. The punishment(s) for violators of this law may be determined on a national level. Necromancy, alchemy and any other form of ‘magic’ is also hereby outlawed as it falls under witchcraft. Human-sacrifice and other such practices are also deemed illegal. This is the law put forth on Monday, 14th October, year of our Lord, 2019 and comes into effect immediately.


Ephesians 5:7-12
“Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.”

Read dispatch

13) Member-states may not participate in hostile raiding / raiding as the aggressor, the purpose of the raid must be a pure and just one such as liberation. Approval for participation in a raid must be granted by all three members of the Triumvirate for it to be legal, and this will only be done for extraordinary circumstances. (Proposal by Xukong, Refinement/Additional Clauses by Dominant Oppressors)


P.s. these laws don’t have to be your nation’s policies, they are more for role-playing purposes, etc. , it’s better if they are both but they don’t necessarily have to be, we are quite understanding... The Imperator may grant and revoke this privilege at any time... (only affects certain laws, as deemed by the Imperator)...

The following are the signatures of those rulers who observed the creation and enactment of these laws:

Holy Emperor Adam J. Vader of Dominant Oppressors, Lord Regent of Glorious Ascension, Shadow-Holy Emperor of Submissive Liberators and Tranquil Emancipators, Head of house Vader, Imperator of the United Christian Empires of the West and Shadow-Imperator of the United Christian Empires of the East, Founder of the United Christian Empires of the West and Shadow-founder of the United Christian Empires of the East, Commander-in-chief of the Holy Imperial Armies and Holy Imperial Diplomatic Corps of the United Christian Empires of the West and 2nd WA delegate of the United Christian Empires of the West.

Holy Emperor Fred I of Falmards, Grand Duke of Falmards, Head of House Engen, Grand Master of the Order of Falmardic Knights, Imperial Grand Councillor of the United Christian Empires of the West, Imperial Councillor of Defence and Imperial Councillor of Warfare of the United Christian Empires of the West, 3rd and Current WA Delegate of the United Christian Empires of the West and Governor of the Realm of the United Christian Empires of the West. Positions now taken by his son, Holy Emperor Fred II of Falmards.

Andreas O'Hames, Supreme Priest of the Theocracy of Xukong, Oldest Living Leader of the people of Xukong, Imperial Councillor of Economics of the United Christian Empires of the West and Duke of the United Christian Empires of the West.

Queen Hanna of Blue carnation, daughter of Holy Emperor Fred I of Falmards and Empress Bozhena of Blue carnation former queen of Blue carnation. Imperial Councillor of International Diplomacy of the United Christian Empires of the West and Governor of the Realm of the United Christian Empires of the West.

RawReport