This Week in eBelgium, Day 1031

Day 1,031, 12:27 • Published in Belgium USA • by MaryamQ

Edit: As has been pointed out below, I was mistaken. Kylero is actually the new Party President for BCP. Congratulations to him, and my apologies to him and Critically.

Gentle readers,

It has been an eventful 12 days since my last issue, and there has been much that has been happening that it is important for all of us to understand. I apologize for my silence during this time, but must plead real life issues, including a major religious holiday and significant work and family matters, as well as honest distress over things that have been transpiring in our beloved eBelgium, and not really knowing what to think about them myself.

To start with, of course, we had our presidential election. A belated congratulations to Theneka, who certainly has earned the right to try leading this sometimes difficult nation. Unfortunately, although he made a valiant start at addressing issues of concern to all of us, his task was immediately made nearly impossible by escalating hostilities between members of his already small cabinet, resulting in the abrupt resignation of Habraka Abrivianius as Minister of Foreign Affairs, member of Congress and Res Belgica Party President, and his immediate removal to ePakistan just before the Party President elections. I want to state here, that I consider both Habraka and A Vegan as friends, I have defeneded both in past discussions on the forums, and I am deeply disappointed by the behavior of both in this situation. In our present situation, with our population so small and economy weak, personal attacks and undermining of each other's work between two of our leaders are the last things we need. That, I hope, is all I will have to say about that.

The party presidential elections caught many of us sleeping, apparently. The Free Belgium Party was taken over by a seeming Turkish immigrant, who was not admitted to citizenship by any of the present members of Congress, and the party name has been changed to Socialist Party of Belgium. Belgium for Belgians nearly suffered a similar fate, although it now appears that the administrators have disallowed votes, and Velitia will remain as their PP. Res Belgica also had a Turkish candidate, unknown to any of us, although he was indeed admitted to eBelgian citizenship by a member of the BCP and received no votes. Since Res Belgica leadership noticed this and put up opposition, Mike Wooldridge, a long-time known citizen of eBelgium is the new PP despite the upheaval caused by Habraka's sudden departure. The only parties that seemed to escape the notice of these apparent PTO attempts were the Belgian Communist Party and the newly formed United Belgian Independents. Critically won a 3-way contest among known eBelgians in the BCP, and M. Leviathin was unopposed in the UBIP. Congratulations to both of them.

The question remains, what is going on here? Have we become so immersed in petty squabbling that we fail to see imminent danger to our country? Who are these people, why did they come, and why now? And what can or should we do about it? Velitia has made a proposal for emergency measures to take against PTO, and this has been under due consideration in Congress. Although the immediate danger seems to have been averted, we need to be vigilant and have a plan, and most of all we need to be unified. If you have any interest in preserving eBelgium as you know it, please, be active in the national and party forums, the media and IRC, or at least one of the above. We need strong active citizens to survive, and this means we need YOU. As long-time players continue to drop out and the game administrators continue to tinker and change features we are just starting to become comfortable with, everyone counts, and every voice needs to be heard. If you want there to be an eBelgium for Aldous to return to, get involved, and do it now!