I Am Sorry
Thore Thoreson
I am sorry.
I am sorry that I want to help build a Belgium we can ALL be proud of.
I am sorry that I have done nothing but that since the day I became a Belgian Citizen. Yes, I was in the eUS military when I became a Citizen, but I was not ordered to become a Citizen, I volunteered. I volunteered because I saw a chance to help create a society that was built on the ideals of freedom and respect, not greed and elitism.
I am sorry that some people can not get over the old Phoenix/EDEN way of thinking. Both alliances have their good points and both have their bad points. But, we are not in either alliance. We need to stop judging people based on where they came from, but judge them based on what they have done since they got here.
I am sorry that people are judged based on where they live in RL. I am so sick of hearing about "I am RL Belgian", or "the americans in Belgium". RL location makes no difference in this game, nor should it. So why do some people keep bringing it up?
I am sorry that I speak up and ask questions when I see what appears to be favoritism, cronyism or hypocrisy.
I am sorry that I want a government that is completely transparent to it's Citizens.
I have tried to build trust in our Country and our government. I have told both PHX and Brolliance trolls to stay out of our country and our media. I was one of the first to speak in favor of joining ENTENTE and not joining Brolliance or SOL. I am not afraid to state what I think is the best for Belgium, even if in doing so am called a "Old PTO'er", (but only as a joke, of course). I also consider the source: a person who came to Belgium with the stated purpose of bringing it back to into the UNL.
I am sorry if I want Belgium to remain free, independent and proud.
On Second Thought,
NO I AM NOT!
Comments
Nice article. Belgium is "a land lost in the past and in the political turmoils" that plagued a lot of countries before mechanics came to be more recognized. However, the hate that sometimes rears its ugly face is slowly fading away, though. I mean, my friends and I migrated from eUSA to eBelgium to try a hand in the politics here haven't really faced any bias. In fact, there has been little to no negative judgment from the Belgians that started out here toward our small group. I don't know how it's been for you recently, but the biased articles that separated one group of citizens from another are quickly disappearing; only reappearing when an outsider tries to sway our minds. However, this is from my view point; a former American one at that. 🙂
And i'm sorry if you declined to be Minister, the best position to change the things, a position where you would be able to act for Belgium, and to work on the differents things you would like to be imrpoved.
But opposition and screaming is indeed more easy, and maybe a more funny position, as it remains a game.
The difference between you and the real belgians is not the possible desire to improve eBelgium, but the fact that for us, we have no where else to go if something fail or if something don't happen like we wanted. And we won't want to move if it was the case. This is our country, our land. Medrolke didn't like the eLife in eBelgium anymore, he just left our country, even if he was congressman, who received votes to be congressmember for a whole term. But it wasn't important. Same thing for Rod Damon : he made a war trip to fight with USA/China : it was apparently more important than his Congress duty. Maybe you will be the next ?
If i can make a remark, for you and your party, Free Belgium (of Belgians ?), it's not easy to get credibility when you have decided to refused to enter in the Government and to provide some Ministers. Doors were open.
eBelgium is not a toy !
I'm tired of the constant BfB vs FB fight. Yes, it's time to move on and start judging people by what they have done and not from where they came from and what party they align to. As for the government's transparency - I am doing my best to provide almost daily updates about the military. If that isn't transparent I don't know what is. Boycotting the government will not get you anywhere and won't make your arguments credible. I respect many people from Free Belgium as they are active and contribute to eBelgium. However it's not by making more of these articles of back and forth fighting that eBelgium will progress and transcend into a golden age.
Let's find a common ground and agree on something. The black and white "Real Belgian" and "American PTOer" tags must go away. We're all eBelgians, let's act like ones.
Thore, I think that you find being "opposition" a little too seriously. I rarely see you opening debates to do something useful for Belgium; most of your comments are to criticize what other people have done, or want to do.
I welcome anyone who is here to make Belgium a better place. In Belgium we don't enforce any votes by party - everyone just votes according to his conscience. So there is no need for "BfB versus FB", nor even any need for an official opposition party. I would love to see you champion some ideas for change, instead of writing articles about how under-appreciated you are.
>>And i'm sorry if you declined to be Minister, the best position to change the things, a position where you would be able to act for Belgium, and to work on the differents things you would like to be imrpoved.
I must respectfully disagree. Being a minister means you work for the president and are expected to carry out his policy whether you like it or not. There is some wiggle room for disagreement and initiative, of course, but the president always has the final word on important policy. Only congress members are truly free to promote meaningful change and oppose poor policy without fear of reprisal.
>>This is our country, our land.
Again, am forced to disagree. Game mechanics and rules say absolutely nothing about real life nationality. When you are playing other games like Risk or Axis and Allies or Command and Conquer you don't always choose to play your own nationality and it makes no difference whatsoever. Why do you continue to insist that it does in THIS game? Or is the argument that this is "just a game" only valid when it works in your favor?
The fact is that we are ALL eBelgians. When the economy sucks, we all suffer. When we go to war, we all fight. When our reputation suffers, we all suffer. This country belongs to ALL of us. Don't ever forget that.
>> Medrolke didn't like the eLife in eBelgium anymore, he just left our country
Medrolke moved because he could not access the forums on his computer. The boredom he talked about in his farewell article was because of this technical problem and the fact that it cut him off from eBelgian social life. He left on good terms and with good wishes from the eBelgian community. Either way this should not be used against Thor or any other non-RL Belgian. We are all individuals who have our own motivations and make our own decisions.
I for one am glad you are here, thore.
You are one of our most active congressmen and a real pillar for the community.
Thore Thoreson, you have find a nice way to bring this FB - BfB feud back in the spotlight and making you look like victim at the same time. You say "I am sorry that some people can not get over the old Phoenix/EDEN way of thinking" but it is you that brings it up again. Has the congress campaigning started or what?
And this feud is not about Rl nationalities, it's about foreign soldiers actively involved in our politics. It might seem like the division from eUNL is ancient history, but it's not. Look at the congress elections for instance: both BfB and FB receive more votes than they should. There are still a lot of Phoenix and (even more) Eden soldiers holding on to their eBelgian nationality and voting for our congress.
We still do not have fair elections. The representation of FB and BfB in congress is bigger than it should be. Seats that should have gone to other parties.
+1
I am sorry that Thore Thoreson does not want to discuss any more with "foreigners" like me. He made himself a victim, poor lad...
History is what made eBelgium in eRepublik. History cannot be forgotten. Some people who are in the service of eUS (or are eUS supporters) wants that history to be only in the past. That is impossible, people would not be eBelgian in that case but would go to nations with higher wages and a lot of high raws.
As for eBelgium politics I would like to see more people active on the eBelgian forum. There they can judge who is making a war and who contributes a lot: http://ebelgium.forumotion.net/forum.htm">http://ebelgium.forumotion.net/forum.htm
Speaking of the forum... why was the navigation tool below the page header removed??? Negotiating the site is certainly more difficult now.
Thore, just be glad no one can hear your accent or they would ship you out for shore.
@Thomas
My choosing to take a sabbatical is the same as anyone else who left office to move for a battle. Olv007 left office and is still in France. I decided to take part in what should have been one of the largest battles in game history. Forgive me for indulging the need to have some fun, it is a game after all. In all my time of service, which included a month of no battles what so ever, I have stayed put and contributed.
It is an unfortunate aspect of the game, that prevents congress from travelings abroad. That does not prevent my giving input on any other matter.
And I will agree that eBelgium is not a toy. A playground for a select few people, perhaps, but not a toy.
@Perry
No one wants to hear about foreign voters, that has been proven by the lack of support my effort to getting all sides to reduce generated.
The population of foreign voters will reduce in Belgium the same way that the rest of the population is, by boredom. Eden, US, & Phoenix will all reduce cause there is no reason for anyone to stay, same as most of the population feels.
@Niemand
"I would like to see more people active on the eBelgian forum. There they can judge who is making a war and who contributes a lot:"
Niemand
Forum Newbie
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Thore Thoreson
Forum Hero
Posts: 371
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Join date: 2010-04-20
How shallow-minded.
To all those that think I am trying to make myself into a victim:
Read the last line.
I will continue to fight for a free and independent Belgium.
I will continue to speak out when I see what appears to be shady deals happening.
I will continue to work with those people that have the same vision for Belgium as I do.
I will continue to be active in Belgian politics, fighting for the rights of the common Citizen, the most important people in our Country.
I will continue to fight to remove all outside influences in our electorate, from both PHX and EDEN.
I will continue to support those ideas and programs that I think will advance Belgium or Belgian interests and fight those that don't.
I will NOT go away.
@Rod (about first comment)
The problem Rod is that people elected you ingame to being a Congressmember ingame at first, which means to be able to vote on the ingame laws. Which you can't do anymore as you resign... So the message you sent to yours electors is : vote for me but i won't care of my duties if i'm bored i won't represent you anymore because my self interest is more important. That's quite sad, because we are almost at the end of the congress term, and waiting 7,8 days more wouldn't have hurt you to choose this "sabbatical". The thing is that this sabbatical have not been decided by you, but by an important war for USA, which remains your first interest, before Belgium who come only in second.
>Medrolke didn't like the eLife in eBelgium anymore, he just left our country
If I didn't like eBelgium, why did I go on the forums earlier today to have some fun and make a suggestion on something? Why do I have a Belgian flag in the corner of my avitar? (which BTW will stay there even if a US Army border is also put on)
I may have left, but I am still proud of what I acheved in Belgium and truly want Belgium to suceed in it's goals.
eBelgium can be proud to have attracted someone who cares as passionately about her as Thore. He may not always be diplomatic, but he certainly stands strongly for what he believes is right and good for eBelgium. We need more like him.
@Ro😛 Sabattical? You mean you wanted to push the fight button several times. If you wanted to go and have a fight, why didn't you go and fight with your allies in Aquitaine?
Also, the ball is in the US' court to reduce numbers, as they are more easily able to let in new voters. I remeber you justifying letting in those 30 Croatians by saying that they were just replacing those voters who had left anyway. Surely that attitude would result in EDEN tactical voters never decreasing, or do you now agree it was wrong to grant them all citizenship?
Thomas, your feelings about eBelgium seem to be changing as it suits you best in different situation - one time it's a patriotical sanctuary we must keep pure at any cost, the other time it's OK to be creative with application of game mechanics and to drop all patriotism.
Thore, I respect you a lot and I consider you as one of the most valuable members of the eBelgian community, but maybe in this case you could have shown to be the better man by ignoring those lame accusations that are sometimes still thrown in your direction or by reacting more apathical to them - people will only respect you more for not stooping to the level of your opponents 😉
ICONS? We don't need no stinkin' icons! The main navigation line was replaced with icons? Who can't read isn't going to post anyway. Nice idea, but a matched set would be better.
*mutters something about progress*
@Thomas
Stop trying to spin BS into any close to being a fact.
Voting on in game laws? Look at the votes that have been called and cast. They are almost entirely bogus votes design to give Congressmen extra experience points. Some how I doubt anyone elected people for that.
But you are right in repeating what I brought forth weeks ago. Boredom is killing this country, so congratulations on having your plan come to fruition.
Going off to fight in LK was a matter of wanting to be involved in a battle that actually might have meant something. Belgium has been stagnating and withering under the mantle of meaningless wars.
@danie
I had been the one pushing for reduction. I was the one that ordered reductions under the BLT agreement. It was Phoenix that did not follow through. Doggett did not want to follow through. Frerk did not want to follow through.
Don't blame me cause Phoenix wanted to maintain its presence
@Rod Damon
Why not don't you choose to follow the Belgian Military Orders so ?
Does helping our allies from the Entente, does helping our neighbour France to recovery it own territory was a meaningless war ?
You followed USA Military orders, and not Belgian Military orders.
What can we conclude of that ?
The same conclusion as in my first comment to you :
USA come first for you, and then, only Belgium.
I repeat myself :
eBelgium is not a toy !
And that's why i'm a proud BfB member, to protect and to really work for Belgium.
^ that
Are you running for congress this month, Rod, or is their an attack on Liaoning this month?