Bills

WHEREAS, many years ago, when Talossa was only in contact with the United States, Talossa adopted the Metric System of weights and measures (SI) as an effort to distinguish ourselves culturally from the all-surrounding Americans; and
WHEREAS, Talossa today has contact with societies and cultures all around the world, most of whom also use the Metric System, thereby making use of the Metric System a not very effective way of marking Talossan cultural distinctiveness; and

WHEREAS, despite the metricization efforts of the RT government, virtually all signs, broadcasts, public notices, and conversation among people living within the boundaries of the Kingdom of Talossa continues to involve the "American" or English System of weights and measures, thus showing that it is in fact the English system of miles, pounds, feet, and so forth, that truly holds the allegiance of those living on and around the Talossan Peninsula;

THEREFORE, the Kingdom of Talossa hereby repeals any and all acts of the Ziu regarding weights and measures and enacts that the sole official system of weights and measures within the Kingdom of Talossa is the so-called "American" or English System.

WHEREAS, the Wittenberg discussion group has served for many years as a censorship-free meeting-place for all Talossans of every political and cultural persuasion, to discuss all aspects of Talossa, whether cultural, religious, linguistic, political, diplomatic, or undiplomatic; and
WHEREAS, in 1997 a rival "culture only" discussion group was created by a group of citizens whose objective was to break up the country, destroy friendships, and form their own pop-off micronation; and

WHEREAS, a certain Talossan or clique of Talossans has recently (December, 1999) created the same kind of "culture only" discussion group with the explicit threat that any posting which did not comport with their arbitrary definition of 'culture' would be deleted; and

WHEREAS, a separatist discussion group inevitably tends to divide Talossans into two distinct communities with more limited social interaction, and enforces a false dichotomy between "cultural" matters and "political" matters, raising the spectre of another "cultural secession" from Talossa, with the heated clashes and breakup of friendships that that would inevitably entail; Therefore, the Ziu hereby:

APPEALS to all Talossan citizens to maintain Wittenberg as the country's traditional discussion group, and to refrain from participation in divisive rival and separatist forums;

DECLARES that no official Government notices of any sort, including from the office of the Secretary of State, may be posted on any discussion group other than Wittenberg without the advance permission of the Prime Minister;

INSTRUCTS that no Government or semi-public website entity, including Talossa.com, shall create any sort of link to the separatist discussion group;

IMPLORES that the separatist discussion group project be abandoned immediately in the interest of national unity;

WARNS that as Scripture enjoins people to "avoid the appearance of evil," this rival discussion group project has an unseemly "appearance."

WHEREAS el Regipäts Talossàn has a proud tradition of freedom of expression. and
WHEREAS most nations have a multitude of fora for discussing issues and for people to meet as citizens. and

WHEREAS Talossa in its nationette-hood has always sought to institute amongst its citizenry such enlightened features of nations around the globe

THEREFORE the Ziu hereby:

ACKNOWLEDGES the attempt by some Talossans to create an outlet for more Talossans to participate more fully in the nationette.

RECOGNISES that this project was begun with a view to binding lapsed Talossans to their country through social interaction and not to create a separatist board.

AFFIRMS that the Cézanne discussion board is an unofficial discussion forum but nonetheless a positive step in giving Talossan citizens another way of interacting peacefully and positively and is open to all citizens.

AFFIRMS that the Cézanne board is open exclusively to citizens and prospective citizens of Talossa.

CONFIRMS that the Wittenberg V increasingly semi-permanent discussion board is the first port of call and main forum for Talossans and should be advertised before all other fora, but not to the exclusion of other fora.

WHEREAS Jules Beulen has fulfilled all the requirements given by the Immigration Ministry; and
WHEREAS the Cort has approved of his application;

THEREFORE the Ziu now votes to naturalise Jules Beulen as a Talossan citizen.