It has been some time since I've tried my hand at writing legislation, but I have been wanting to propose this particular legislation to the Storting for some time now. We often honour important people who have come and gone as we should, but sometimes I think we forget to also honour the people who have been making an impact for a long time and are still here with us today.
To that end, I propose a commendation of Chanku, someone who has not just been with us for a long time, but was the very first person to become a Citizen here as a new player to NS...in many ways you could say he is Wintreath's most native son. The fact of the matter is, his many contributions to the region and community have been overlooked because many of them have taken place over a long time and are in areas that are outside of the purview of the Monarchy and the ministry/nobility system, such as building a legislative and legal culture. I think it's time to rectify that and honor someone who has been part of the community, contributed and tried out ideas, and made an impact since nearly the very beginning. I hope the next Storting will agree when it assumes office.
I went an additional step and wrote a first draft for a commendation that I hope will do Chanku justice for a first draft, since I've given people shit before for writing inadequate commendations. Part of the draft would confer an honor title to him for his role in defending the region: Champion of the Just. This is a phrase from Dragon Age's Chant of Light from a portion of the chant that I felt was quite fitting for him because of that:
Blessed are they who stand before
The corrupt and the wicked and do not falter.
Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just.
We've never done such a thing before, so I did some research to see if it was appropriate for a legislative body to confer honor titles. I found that there is precedent where it has been done in the real world before, particularly in the Roman Senate, so I believe it is appropriate if the Storting feels the desire to do so. I can't think of anything that would forbid the Storting from doing so, in any case.
Anyways, the draft is below...feel free to post thoughts, ideas, and suggestions, especially if you feel like there's something I missed. I did a good amount of research before writing this, but five years is a long time for one person to recall and research. :)
Title
1) This act shall be cited as the Chanku Commendation Act.
Recognitions
2) The Storting recognizes that Chanku was the first Citizen to make Wintreath her original home, and that she has since been a prominent member of Wintreath's forum and IRC/Discord community, where she has contributed to Wintreath's special and freewheeling culture.
3) The Storting recognizes that Chanku has been an instrumental driver of Wintrean parliamentary and legal culture, particularly through her unparalleled belief in and devotion to the Underhusen as an institution, through such accomplishments as:
a) Having ran as a candidate for Underhusen in every election since the Storting was established, currently a span lasting over five years and growing.
b) Having been elected to 14 Underhusen sessions, where the Underhusen placed its faith in her by selecting her as its Speaker for 7 of those sessions and its Speaker Pro Tempore for another 3 of those sessions.
c) Having represented the Monarchy in parliamentary matters for an additional session as Chairperson of the Overhusen.
d) Having authored, co-authored, or influenced a number of acts that have passed into law, including the Citizenship and Demonym Act, the Code of Criminal Laws, the Default Seats of the Underhusen Act, and the Procedural Rules Speaker and Officers Amendment.
e) Having tested the region's legal system by bringing its first and currently only lawsuit.
4) The Storting recognizes that Chanku has also served in many other government roles, including Jarl of Foreign Affairs and Regional Gameplay Advisor. Additionally, she was involved in our regional military, the Hvitt Riddiral, through most of its entire existance, from being a trainee in its first operations to serving as Jarl of Defense for over a year.
a) In particular, as Jarl of Foreign Affairs, Chanku created the first formal Ministry mandate in Wintreath's history, which reorganized the ministry and in part led to a revival of the ministry and in foreign affairs unseen since the period right after the region was founded.
5) The Storting recognizes Chanku as a stalwart defender of the region, its community, its principles, and its Monarch in cases where it has been the target of untruths and slander, particularly during:
a) The events of July 2015, when several prominent Citizens announced their intent to overthrow the Monarchy. Her defense led her to being inappropriately banned by one of the Citizens involved who was also a chat op.
b) The events of March 2018, when The Versutian Federation closed relations with Wintreath for reasons based on incorrect facts collected through poor research on their part. Her actions, along with those of others, resulted in a restoration of relations.
c) The events of May-July 2018 during the Lazarus Constitutional Convention, where she often sacrificed his own personal standing among the powers that be in that region in fighting untruths leveled against the region and its Monarch. Her actions in part inspired a renewed regional focus on foreign affairs, which included her own appointment as Regional Gameplay Advisor and later her second appointment as Jarl of Foreign Affairs.
Commendation
6) Recognizing these feats as fact, the Storting hereby awards Chanku the Commendation of Wintreath.
7) Recognizing the lengths Chanku has gone to in order to defend the region and its honour, the Storting additionally grants her the honor title of "Champion of the Just".
Oh yeah, I hope that this will also spur more recolonization of others as well...I hardly think Chanku is the only person worthy of more recognition, just the one who is most overdue for it.