2009-01-03 - GNN The Fury of the Working Man

Submitted by Akurel
The following vid is distributed across Republican space, penetrating the public sphere with unbridled swiftness. As so many things often do, it finds its way onto GNN. On it, Chairman Akurel Durandal of the People's Leadership Council, addresses his concern with recent events, and proposes a swift and powerful response.
“It occurs to me as we face the new day that perhaps I now spend a great deal of time on matters of the cloth. In these still uncertain times, my faith has been a great comfort for me, and it was my hope that the simultaneous action of faith and labor would be able to incite great change in the galaxy. In this instance however, I come to you as one who has fought on the picket lines with you, who has raised his fist against injustice, and a concerned sentient of the Galaxy.”
“There is no secret in the fact that I take grave exception to policies within the Black Imperium, exceptions which I am left to feel the Republic feels no urge or has no capacity to address. On Vanix, I tried to raise the point of hypocrisy in the continued use of clones as soldiers and laborers within the Imperium…a slave class by virtue of their creation. I expected the Lady Bellamy to dismiss me out of hand; I expected her callous dismissal of anyone who might question her right to do as she pleased and then dictate the labor policy of the galaxy. What I did not expect was that no Republican in the room felt this was something worth fighting for…indeed, they could not run to the Lady Mediators boots fast enough.”
“Are these your elected leaders, brothers and sisters? Are these the same sanctimonious figures that tell you day to day how you should live? Apparently, if you wish to own slaves, it is simply a matter of breeding enough and giving them teeth and claws.”
“This concern was magnified the previous day, when a known fugitive was allowed to walk away simply because he is/was a butcher for the Lady Bellamy. Again, I expected the Lady Bellamy to flaunt the law, because it is her nature. What I did NOT expect was the refusal or incapacity of the Republican presence on the scene to take this criminal into custody. Apparently, if said fugitive is a practitioner of dark arts and carries a lightsaber, and have the protection of a powerful patron, the law does not apply and they are allowed to gallivant as they please.”
“Are these your noble champions, who can decide at a whim who go free and who are punished? Are your warriors only brave when it is a faceless monster in the dark, and fold under political pressure? You, my friends, you supply their paychecks, so you should have the final say.”
“Since we cannot punish the Imperium for their flagrant transgressions, we must bring the hammer of our displeasure to the institutions that apparently have forgotten for whom it is they work for. Therefore, we will punish both the leaders who disregard our voice, and the military of the Republic, which has no right to resources that it will not use in the defense of the Republic or in the enforcement of its laws. Therefore, we resolve the following, and urge our brothers and sisters in the struggle to do the same.”
1) The Republic will not employ its soldiers to apprehend a known fugitive. We would like to insure that this is because the Command Council cannot find the manpower to do so. Therefore, we encourage our membership to strongly discourage family members from joining the Republican Armed Forces. For those of our member’s currently valiant defenders of the Republic, we urge that you request leave for the duration of this dispute. If leave is refused, POLITELY AND NONVIOLENTLY express your displeasure. Reenlistment should be deferred, if not refused outright. While we would hope that these actions would not result in a discharge, the PLC will go to the utmost to find employment for our membership.
Projections: 32% drop in new enlistments, 27% loss in reenlistments. Unknown loss due to attrition
2) The Republic believes its munitions inferior to the task of apprehending the fugitive in question. Again, it is the hope of the PLC that it is because of a lack of materials for the task. We urge our membership in the defense industries and sister industries (With the exception of vital needs such as food and medicine) to begin walkouts and strikes as possible. Any attempt to break these strikes will be considered a breach of good faith.
Projections: Unknown, most severe in ground based weapons systems, small arms production, support services, and moderate losses to military shipyards.
3) The Republic must know for our displeasure. Thus, we call for coordinated demonstrations across the Republic, at dates to be determined.
Projections: Unknown, little economic impact. Possible political fallout as leaders weigh the impact.
“I have been accused several times of being fond of my own voice. It is true…I prefer to speak loudly, and not brandish the big stick. In my hope to not cause unnecessary strife I have held my tongue many times, in the hopes that elected leaders would remember that theirs is a public trust. We are the People, and we shall not be ignored!”
Category: January 09 GNN Posts