The Finest Talossan Speeches/Writing

[Eiric S. Bornatfiglheu]

Every nation has its major speeches.  Those addresses that help to define or redirect a culture.  The US might have the Eulogy for the Crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger from Reagan, The Four Freedoms by Roosevelt, and I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King.  Or perhaps the Cornerstone Speech by Alexander Stephens or the Mission Accomplished Speech of Bush.

What are these speeches for Talossa?  Given the great majority of our interchange is written on fora, that would extend to writing, I imagine.

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

Probably His Majesty's speech of 6 December 2011, apologizing to everyone in the Republic (and dal Nava in particular) on behalf of the throne and the country for what so many of them had to endure under Robert I, plus vowing to ensure that legislation would wipe out any possibility of prosecution for anything from that time.

ROYAL PROCLAMATION

I John, King of Talossa, speaking for myself and on behalf of my Crown and my Kingdom, hereby apologise most sincerely for the unconscionable acts and writings of Robert I, my predecessor on the Talossan throne, which he committed against all the citizens of Talossa, thereby staining the honour of the Kingdom and of his Crown, and causing many faithful citizens to feel impelled to rebel against the Kingdom and, renouncing their citizenship, to establish the Talossan Republic. Most especially are apologies due, and I therefore most especially and most sincerely apologise, to Sir Chirisch Caveir (known recently as Sir Tamoran Curt Gödafrïeusefiglheu dal Nava) for the gross slanders, lies, and abuse so unjustly, crassly, and dishonourably heaped upon him by the malice of the former King.

Furthermore, I hereby promise as King of Talossa to introduce in the Ziu, and to work energetically for the earliest possible passage of, an Act of Oblivion, forbidding the Talossan judicial system from taking any notice of any allegedly criminal act taking place in or before the year 2004 and connected to or stemming from the rebellion of that year or the establishment of the Talossan Republic. And should the Prime Minister issue a similar act of immunity or oblivion in the form of a Prime Dictate, I will ratify it.

And lastly, I hereby promise on my honour as King of Talossa, that if – notwithstanding these barriers to prosecution, and the Statute of Limitations enacted into Talossan criminal law by 42RZ11, etc. – anyone should ever be convicted of any offense for his participation in, or activity stemming from, the rebellion of 2004, I will issue him a full and free pardon; at the same time stating that I feel quite sure that no such pardon will prove necessary.

These apologies and promises I make freely, and post simultaneously on the forums of the Kingdom of Talossa and the Talossan Republic, in the pursuit of simple justice, and in the hope of promoting goodwill among all Talossans.

Done under Our hand royal, this 6th day of December being the Feast of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker of Myra, in the year of salvation 2011, of the independence of Talossa the 32nd, and of Our reign the 5th.

– John Regeu

Ian Tamoran's "stop the pettiness" post during the Cabinet Crisis was excellent.

Children, children!

I thought Talossa was above all this name-calling and stamping of little infant feet?

It really does not matter - and I mean really does not matter - whether this person or that person has the same opinion as you have.
It really does not matter that some person has called you names you don't like, either now or in the past.
It really does not matter that this or that person has changed their viewpoint, or done something that you consider to be treacherous to your view of "how things ought to be" (i.e. how you want them to be).
It really does not matter, children.

We live in a world - the real world outside of Talossa (other countries exist, you know) - in which there is poverty, starvation, oppression, suppression, limitations of freedom, denial of free speech, corruption, disease, natural disasters, religious intolerance ... this could be (is!) a long list.
Arguments within Talossa are petty - drop them!

We are here to build a nation, not to create more tension. We are here to build something worthwhile - like a language, or a system of non-oppresive government, or an eccentric legal system, or a unique cuisine, or poems and operas and translations of humorous and lighthearted feel.
As I say, we are not here to create more tension.
We are here to be friends.

So, children, "kiss and make up" - that's the only adult way.

I'll see if I can remember any others that stick out to me.

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

That time in 2012 when XPB announced that the party he led, VCC-CRO, was changing its name to the Reunision Party and becoming exclusively a vehicle to welcome former Republicans into Kingdom politics:

As it appears that votes of confidence in the current Clark have sufficient tally in favor, thus eliminating the opportunity to throw ourselves out of office:

The Viensità Ciumisâ Cézembre VCC-CRO The Cézembre Reunification Organization -- as of Reunision Day which is still temporally present in the Mountain Time Zone, announces to our Monarch, John by the Grace of God, King of Talossa and of all its Realms and Regions, King of Cézembre, Sovereign Lord and Protector of Pengöpäts and the New Falklands, Defender of the Faith, Leader of the Armed Forces, Viceroy of Hoxha and Vicar of Atatürk and to all ministerial positions that:

1. Our party name has now changed to the REUNISION PARTY
2. Our party will exist only until the time of the next general election
3. Our party offers, to the best of our abilty, to all those who have recently made statements of Returniture/Reunision Oathings that have interest, a seat representing the Reunision Party in what is hoped to be the final Clark of the current formation of the Ziu. Since we only have 13 seats to allocate, as well as needing the assent of Ián Tamorán and Eoin Ursüm in order to reallocate certain seats at their own volition, there may come a point where requests would be made beyond the ability of our party to fulfill. It is hoped that other parties will consider offering seats those beyond our capacity to accommodate.

Long live the King, and we look forward to the future of our great realm.

XPB

GV's speech on ten years since the founding of the Republic: https://soundcloud.com/jeffrags/bisquinc-ars/s-QoECT  (actual audio!)

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

Dal Nava's gracious and thoughtful speech about how he just didn't think he'd have much time for Talossa in the future:

I come here today to tell you, my dear fellow Talossans, that, due to other aspects of my life having taken my attention away, I am unable to fulfill my duties as a member of the College of Arms or as a member of the Uppermost Côrt. As such, I hereby formally submit my resignation from each office, publicly, and effective upon acknowledgment of the appropriate parties.

Secondly, let me plainly and openly state: I love Talossa deeply and truly, and I sincerely wish I had the time and vigor to shift my focus back towards her, but, the conditions being what they are, I simply cannot. I am confident more than a few of you have observed I am too often absent even from the nominal activity of which a citizen would be expected to be a part, and this is certainly an expansion of that same behaviour: my thrill of being active in Talossa is no longer stronger than the pull of the rest of my life. To be sure, I am not dying of a disease, angry at the Kingdom, harbouring any antipathy towards any specific Talossan, nor am I completely disinterested. Nor have I grown out of Talossa, become bored, or anything other notion that I would never return to the Kingdom nor anticipate having any issue with Talossa now or in the future.

Thirdly, I readily concede that I have done essentially nothing material in either office (as the Lookout Fellow in el Coletx d'Armeux and as Senior Justice of the Côrt Pü Inalt), and having acknowledged that truth, I feel I have let you down as a nationette. For that I apologize. It is partially out of this that I feel the need to step aside and allow those with more enthusiasm to take over.

I turned forty a few months ago and, in a lot of ways, I feel it — and this is not a problem! I have indeed enjoyed being an adult, and as a slightly older adult (cue the moaning from the Hoary Ancient Elders of Denver about "you don't know about being old!" ;-D ), I've found my appreciation of various free (as opposed to work or home) activities has changed somewhat. My fervor is no longer as loud, even if it runs as deeply as ever. This includes my enthusiasm for Talossa. And, as an individual who lives with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), my enthusiasms and free activities come in waves — maybe a few of you can understand. I will add that this is a legitimate diagnosis, as opposed to those which are so often self-diagnosed or the social, casual flippant use of the term. What this essentially means is I have to make a lot of adjustments most people don't have to, often just to function in similar ways. On the one hand, ADHD allows me to think ahead or outside regular parameters; on the other hand, I unable to consciously determine how focused or attendant I am in the moment (certainly not without effort, a little medication, and some understanding on the part of those around me). A combination of getting older and being stuck with a disorder that makes long-term (and often, short-term) obligations difficult to maintain ends up weighing harshly, especially given that the Kingdom of Talossa deserves the industry of her people as much as the faculty of her people. And, as such, I am finding myself less than able to provide that industry.

This is all a long-winded way of saying: I can no longer maintain the façade of being fully present and active in the Kingdom of Talossa, but I hope to have more free time (and more of a desire) to return to more active participation in the future. And I hope you understand. I anticipate I will reëmerge occasionally and continue to be a part of discussions, so this isn't a good-bye, as much as an acknowledgment of what is by now apparent fact.

I thank you for your time and attention. And may the best of happiness, honour, and fortune keep with each one of you and the Kingdom of Talossa.

tl;dr: I resign from the College of Arms and the Uppermost Côrt. I acknowledge I am not very active and this situation is unlikely to change for some time.

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

I'm sure more will occur to me, and I have a lot of them in my book notes already.  But I don't want to just spam this thread, so I'll shut up for a bit and let others contribute :)

[GV]

AD loooves this speech.  It really is his favorite.  ;-)

The new Proclamation of Independence of Talossa.

In Unity, hereby dedicated and signed 1 June 2004
The unanimous Declaration of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Talossa,

Whereas in the history of the sovereign nationette of Talossa we have long endured the foibles of our royal family, from quirky ancient histories to multiple miniature "revolutions", through Gloria Estefan revivals and street­naming, one thing has gone long untouched, unseen, unspoken: the King is incapable of allowing true alternate opinions from forming and taking shape within Talossa's borders, both physical and electronic. It is the right of Talossans everywhere to keep and preserve their peace, their liberty, their freedom, and, as such, we Talossans hereby stand together as one, united in our assertion that Talossa is a great community, much greater than the sum of its parts; a community wrought not by one man, but by all Talossans everywhere, throughout her history; a community that will survive on the blood, sweat, and tears of her people for­ever.

When we cast a glance upon our beloved nationette, where fair freedom we have long enjoyed, sorrow fills our hearts to behold her struggling under the heavy load of oppression and tyranny. But when we extend our sight a little farther, and view the iron hand that is lifted against us, behold it is our King; he who, by his oath and station, is bound to support and defend us in the quiet enjoyment of all our glorious rights as free Talossans. We Talossans hereby declare that we are a free people and a free community and, above all, a free nation dedicated to Talossan ideals through actual freedom, not a form of bound and restricted freedom maintained by a tyrant. We cry 'Tyrant!', for the king has acted most unjust in his own manner, seeking to harm those with whom he is in disagreement.

In the pursuit of a singular agenda to drive out all who oppose him in any strong fashion, the King has, especially recently, decided to circumvent every law and tradition Talossa has ever had concerning the safety and welfare of Talossan citizens.

A few years ago, the question of independence from the monarchy would have put us into a surprise, and, we apprehend, would have been treated with the utmost contempt. We then looked on ourselves happy in being subjects of the king of Talossa. We have always looked upon it as our duty, as well as our interest to defend and support the honour of the crown of Talossa, and we have always done it, counting ourselves happy when in the strictest union and connection with our monarchy. However, in all provinces, existing by compact, protection and allegiance are reciprocal; the latter being only due in consequence of the former. The history of the present king of Talossa is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these provinces. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

Whereas, Robert Rouergue, King of Talossa, in violation of the principles of the Talossan Organic Law, and of the laws of justice and humanity, has, by an accumulation of oppression unparalleled in our history, excluded the inhabitants of Wittenberg from his protection;

    He has investigated the pasts of various individuals, both citizen and prospective;
    He has accused citizens not only of committing crimes in Talossa, but of committing crimes outside Talossa, including violent crimes and he has offered no evidence to prove such crimes, but seeks to tarnish any reputation each Talossan has earned on their own;
    He has sought to drive citizens out of Talossa;
    He has sought the passage of bills of attainder, specifically targeting Talossans;
    He has instilled a horrid sense of suspicion amongst the Talossan citizens;
    He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good;
    He has conspired to work against other parties while laying accusations of conspiracy against these parties;
    He has refused to appoint a prime minister until installing his own long after the prescribed legal deadline and he has refused to follow the law of the land by announcing the continuation of the incumbent;
    He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his appointment of valid justices;
    He has sought a means by which he may circumvent the proper election laws;
    He has cast aspersions at the characters of democratically elected leaders;
    He has inexorably determined upon the ruin of our liberties;
    He has conspired to oust legitimately placed officials of state;
    He has acted in a manner of inconsistency, claiming illegality of actions he has previously supported;
    He has been complicit in sedition, and did overthrow a legitimate government;
    He has rescinded on promises of appointment to position for citizens;
    He has sought to remove the citizenship of Talossans through every means, including those means extra­Talossan;
    He has committed to the fraud of an electorate by casting illegal votes in the name of others;
    He has sought to harm the binds of friendship between Talossans by scheming to create allegiance to him and his station against all others;
    He has offered only puppets of state in the stead of popularly elected officials;
    He has accused many Talossans of crimes of treason, declaring that we are not Talossan, but traitorous;
    He has made himself unavailable to the officers and affairs of state;
    He has sought to re­write Talossan history by laying claims of illegality and impropriety where none existed;
    He has vowed never to offer reconciliation or to assent to such reconciliations;
    He has threatened the welfare of Talossan citizens, upon the arrival of certain citizens to these shores;
    He has exacerbated our calamities, by declaring that he will show us no mercy until he has reduced us;

A monarch whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. We have sought to end all hostility through civil and determined means, through legal redress, and through simple dialogue, and all avenues before us have been trampled thin with the hostility that has been shown by the crown. He has blatantly refused to co­operate with any Talossan who does not support his agenda of hatred.

As a result of the actions of the king, we are obliged, by necessity, and it becomes our highest duty, to use every means, with which we have been furnished, in support of our invaluable rights and privileges; to oppose that power which is exerted only for our destruction.

Be it enacted by the authority of the people that Robert Rouergue is hereby deposed from the kingly office within this government and absolutely divested of all its rights, powers, and prerogatives; and that he and his descendants and all persons claiming by or through him, and all other purposes whatsoever shall be and for­ever remain incapable of the same; and that the said office shall henceforth cease and nevermore either in name or substance be re­established within this Republic.

We the delegates of the people of Talossa do declare that the King of Talossa has violated his inherent compact with this people, and that they owe no more allegiance to him. The measures still pursued against Talossa leave no room to expect such an interposition from motives of goodness and affection. King Robert the First has manifested deliberate enmity towards us and, under the character of a parent, persists in behaving as a tyrant, and so we renounce allegiance not to Talossa but to him, personally, forever.

We declare the right of the people of Talossa to the ownership of Talossa, and to the unfettered control of Talossan destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible. The long usurpation of that right by a corrupt monarchy has not extinguished the right, nor can it ever be extinguished except by the destruction of the Talossan people. In every generation the Talossan people have asserted their right to national freedom and sovereignty. Standing on that fundamental right and again asserting it in the face of the world, we hereby proclaim the Talossan Republic as a Sovereign Independent State, and we pledge our lives and the lives of our comrades­in­arms to the cause of its freedom, of its welfare, and of its exaltation among the nations.

We, therefore, the representatives of the free provinces of Talossa, in general agreement, assembled, appealing to the will of the people for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these provinces, being Maritiimi­Maxhestic, Cézembre, Maricopa, and Florenciâ, solemnly publish and declare, that this free Talossa is and of right ought to be a free and independent state; that it is absolved from all allegiance to the crown, and that all political connection between it and the House of Rouergue, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as a free and independent state, it may establish a free government, devoid of monarchist trappings, devoid of feudal relationships, devoid of tyranny. And for the support of this declaration, we mutually pledge to each other our time, our effort, and our dedication.

Signed by the representatives of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Talossa,

    Michael P
    C C Gruber
    Andrew L
    Jeffrey R
    Andrea T
    Lisa S
    Gregory T
    Gjermund H
    Jeremiah P
    UC
    Matthias M

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

Seems like the reference to me is a taunt, but I don't quite get about what...?

Not sure I ever read this document in full before.  It's a modified version of the American Declaration of Independence, right?

[GV]

Seems like the reference to me is a taunt, but I don't quite get about what...?

Not sure I ever read this document in full before.  It's a modified version of the American Declaration of Independence, right?

Yes, the verbiage directly mimics the American Declaration of Independence.  And the intended taunt was meant in good fun only.  :-)