Reunision Day proclamation

[Þon Txoteu É. Davinescu, O.SPM]

The Office of the Prime Minister of Talossa
__________________________

L'Óifisch dal Seneschal del Regipäts Talossa

Proclamation of Celebration

WHEREAS, The National Schism of 2004 ended with the Reunision of the Republic ten years ago tomorrow;

WHEREAS celebrations are something that Talossa does pretty well;

WHEREAS, any reason to celebrate is a good thing and Reunision is a pretty good reason to celebrate;

THEREFORE,

A period of national celebration is declared, lasting from 12:00 am to 12:00 pm on April 20, 2022, Reunision Day.

I  wish to convey on behalf of His Majesty's Government and the citizens  of the Kingdom, my congratulations and best wishes to all those who made Reunision a reality and to those who keep the Republican traditions  alive.

Done under my hand and seal, as from Kenwood House, this  day the 19th day of April, in the Year of Our Lord 2022, of the  independence of Talossa the forty-third, and the sixteenth in the reign  of our gracious Sovereign John.

Senator Txoteu Davinescù
Seneschal

[Miestră Schivă, UrN]

So, ten years ago today, we did the deal.

Honestly, there are so few people still around (by which I mean active) who did the deal. Of the Republican side, only GV and myself, it seems. Many of the people who were so active in the Republic accepted the intellectual case for Reunision - that the Republic was becoming increasingly irrelevant as new citizens opted for the Royalist cultural experience - but have not been able to find it within themselves to participate. One told me "I'll become active again once Talossa is a Republic again". Maybe one day we'll deliver that.

The notorious Armenian mystic and rogue G. I. Gurdjieff argued that the most effective road to spiritual development was "to bear the manifestations of others who displease you". That is, the more the people around you get on your last nerve and provoke negative reactions from within you, the better for your soul, as it were.

If this is the case, Reunision is a massive spiritual success! And on both sides!

To paraphrase the notorious Dorset mystic and rogue guitarist R. Fripp, when we are Talossan, all Talossans are our friends. Even the ones we don't know. Especially the ones we don't like, or who don't like us. A bigger Talossan experience is a better experience.

I'll be blunt and perhaps reveal a few secrets here. Over the years, a few Talossans in my political camp - and interestingly, it's those who joined after Reunision - have come to me after what we consider another gesture of contempt by the King, or another provocation by conservative politicos, and said: "Hútsch-o. We don't need this. Let's start a new micronation, inhabited only by people who don't make our fists itch."

And I say: yeah, I've done that. Twice. And both times we found out that the logic of "purging people who annoy you" is very difficult to break out of. Really long-time Talossans will know that after 2000, when King Robert I had purged all his political opponents, he turned on his own party to create more, and worse, political opponents. Partisanship is a helluva drug.

Mystics and psychologists know that "shadow conflicts" occur when A and B look at each other, and both see something in the other which reminds them of something they don't like when they look in the mirror. If a political opponent of mine appears - for example - to be absolutely cynical in telling any lie to gain power, to glorify in needless personal attacks and trolling, or to be allowing personal resentments to override their good judgements, then I might benefit from turning around and wondering whether that is precisely how they see me. And if so, whether it's a fair cop.

I've often wondered whether most of the nastiest Talossan political debates couldn't be summed up in the notorious Two Spidermen meme, or my personal favourite from Futurama:



But whether we believe in the idea that Talossa is an opportunity for (painful! and annoying!) spiritual growth or not, it is clearly something worth fighting for. "Talossan patriotism is summed up in three words: Talossa must continue" - KR1. We may debate among ourselves about what exactly about Talossa must continue. I will never cease to believe that monarchical power corrupts and a life-term monarchy is either a way for an unaccountable jerk to ruin other people's fun, or a waste of time whereby an absentee grants his powers to sycophants. But even with all the monarchist capering and grovelling I find "cringe", Talossa is worth fighting for.

Because it was worth fighting for in 2004 when Talossa was much worse than it is now. It was a full-blown cult, or multi-person emotionally abusive relationship if you prefer. It is said that the Higher Reality chooses incredibly unlikely instruments to make something worthy happen in this world. That's KR1 right there. Maybe it's every one of us, too.

In conclusion, please rise for the Anthem of the Talossan Republic. I think every patriotic Talossan can appreciate this.

Talossa, Be Free!

by Dieter N. Vercaria

Talossa, be free
in your peculiarity!
You may not command mountains,
you may not rule the sea;
but in the hearts of your people
you're a great small country.

Talossa, be free
you beacon of liberty!
You defeated a tyrant,
fought for democracy.
So in the hearts of your people
you're a brave small country.

[King John]

Tenth Anniversary of Reunision

Talossa is a nation; and more than that, a dream, a dream that belongs to no one person.

The dream and the nation were born in the heart of a boy in America's Milwaukee, long ago, but from the moment it left him and began to spread, that dream belonged to the world.  It belongs to friends of that boy, and those who have never known him.  It belongs to active and eager citizens, and former citizens who have drifted away.  It belongs to the friends of the throne, and those who oppose it.  Talossa is a dream of what the world could be, and that dream belongs to everyone who is Talossan in their heart.

At one time in our history, the reckless pride of a poor leader drove out from our body politic a great body of worthy citizens.  In the ensuing years, the Kingdom of Talossa and the Republic of Talossa lived mostly as strangers, or worse, as enemies.  Our hearts were cold toward each other; it took far too long for that chill to end.

Today, we celebrate ten years since Reunision, one of the greatest days in Talossan history.  It is a day on which we celebrate the dream of Talossa, and a unified spirit in service to that dream.  We celebrate the fact that no one owns this dream.  It lives in your heart.  And if you are ever away from your people, know that Talossa is still within you.

In the parable of the prodigal son, a boy leaves his father and travels far abroad.  He has great cheer in his travels, but soon finds himself miserable.  He resolves to return to his father, to grovel and beg forgiveness.  "I will arise and go to my father," the boy says to himself, "and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son."

The boy returns home, determined to abase himself.  But to his astonishment, as soon as he comes within sight of his home, "when he was yet a long way off", his father rushes to him with compassion and joy, covers him with kisses, and commands a feast.  When the boy's elder brother complains and wants to scorn the returning prodigal, the father says with a smile, "Thy brother was dead, and is alive again.  He was lost, and is found."

Reunision was the return to each other of all our prodigals.  The Republic returned to the Kingdom, and in the same measure the Kingdom returned to the Republic.  Let us remember the important thing: "Thy brother was dead, and is alive again.  He was lost, and is found."

Qe vivadra Talossa!

              —  John Regeu

[Breneir Tzaracomprada]

Tenth Anniversary of Reunision

Talossa is a nation; and more than that, a dream, a dream that belongs to no one person.

The dream and the nation were born in the heart of a boy in America's Milwaukee, long ago, but from the moment it left him and began to spread, that dream belonged to the world.  It belongs to friends of that boy, and those who have never known him.  It belongs to active and eager citizens, and former citizens who have drifted away.  It belongs to the friends of the throne, and those who oppose it.  Talossa is a dream of what the world could be, and that dream belongs to everyone who is Talossan in their heart.

At one time in our history, the reckless pride of a poor leader drove out from our body politic a great body of worthy citizens.  In the ensuing years, the Kingdom of Talossa and the Republic of Talossa lived mostly as strangers, or worse, as enemies.  Our hearts were cold toward each other; it took far too long for that chill to end.

Today, we celebrate ten years since Reunision, one of the greatest days in Talossan history.  It is a day on which we celebrate the dream of Talossa, and a unified spirit in service to that dream.  We celebrate the fact that no one owns this dream.  It lives in your heart.  And if you are ever away from your people, know that Talossa is still within you.

Very well said. Thank you for delivering the message of unity any commemoration of this day deserves.

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

Qe vivadra Talossa!