[ Standard citizenry. That statement just grated on Raina's nerves. So as soon as Mitch stepped back, Raina was the one to walk forward. Mitch had done so well as a politician to bolster up the three ambassadors and here came Raina to rain on that parade... ]
To echo what Ambassador Hundred said, there is a great deal more consistency in our community than it may seem. Many people since I've arrived have celebrated a year in this world. Come April, it will be my anniversary along with Mr. Winger's as we both arrived around the same time. It doesn't compare to Ambassador Hundred's seven year span, but nine months in this world is enough time to see that less and less people are being ported out permanently and instead our numbers are on the rise every month when the porter activates. This has provided us with several new faces on top of a core base. And it is the core who have helped the new arrivals integrate and understand this world.
Now, as for the ambassadors themselves and their role in the community -- I'm not certain if you are aware, but I, myself, ran for ambassador of Nonah when Ambassador Gamagori was sent home. Ever since I came to this world, I had wanted the opportunity to be a voice for the people like me and to impact the world in a positive manner. I believe the role of the ambassadors is to bridge the gap between imPort and native population in each of their respective cities -- to integrate our communities and to have a positive impact on their country at large. For example, there are problems we could fix very easily with a few volunteers and our powers. Building and sustaining homeless shelters, for instance, would be a simple matter in any of these places. Using our powers of healing, would also benefit not only this country but the world at large. And it is the ambassadors' jobs to promote the ways we can help and make positive changes as well as to protect their communities.
I believe Ambassador Hundred and Ambassador Revan are absolutely the right choices for their jobs. They understand what it is to not only lead and speak for their people, but they know what it is to listen. And that becomes the biggest importance when you are representing the imPort community. After my close race against Ambassador Urquhart, I had a conversation with him where he brushed my ideas under the rug and refused to even understand my point of view. And I am not the only imPort who has had this experience with the man. If you cannot listen to your people, then you cannot lead them. To that end, the ambassador system is not without its flaws.
And once they're voted in, I don't believe there's a set time limit on the duration of their run -- no opportunity for a re-election. This simply seems to be the way it is, and probably will continue to be unless us imPorts speak out about our displeasure. But in the cases of imPorts who are doing incredible things for this world...that is fine. I feel confident having Ambassador Hundred in charge, knowing his lengthy history and his unlikelihood to be ported out. I feel confident in Ambassador Revan, who has been here for quite some time as well and proven he has the means to protect the citizens of Maurtia Falls. I do not feel confident in Ambassador Urquhart, believing his manner with people will be more hurtful than helpful in the long run. Considering there are so few of us, the voices we need are the right ones. I may not have been the right voice for the job in Nonah either, but there could come a time when someone may port in who is. And without a steady election system, we are forced to keep the choices other imPorts, who may not even be in this world any longer, have made.
But these are simply my opinions as a member of the standard citizenry. I live in Heropa and we are, unfortunately, without an ambassador. I believe this should change as well. We aren't the largest city, but our imPort population is the largest. Who becomes our voice, then? It seems to be a lot of us shouting into the dark or taking our concerns to the other imPort ambassadors from cities apart from our own.
I don't wish to come across as ungrateful for all of their hard work. They have taken on a monumental task -- all three of them have. And that deserves respect. But I'm afraid I cannot and will not lie to you all when it comes to the things with which I am dissatisfied. I cannot pretend the entire system is perfect when it's not.
[ She wasn't an ambassador, so she had nothing to lose in speaking her mind. A glance spared toward Jeff afterward -- Raina stepped back to allow him the chance to talk. ]
no subject
To echo what Ambassador Hundred said, there is a great deal more consistency in our community than it may seem. Many people since I've arrived have celebrated a year in this world. Come April, it will be my anniversary along with Mr. Winger's as we both arrived around the same time. It doesn't compare to Ambassador Hundred's seven year span, but nine months in this world is enough time to see that less and less people are being ported out permanently and instead our numbers are on the rise every month when the porter activates. This has provided us with several new faces on top of a core base. And it is the core who have helped the new arrivals integrate and understand this world.
Now, as for the ambassadors themselves and their role in the community -- I'm not certain if you are aware, but I, myself, ran for ambassador of Nonah when Ambassador Gamagori was sent home. Ever since I came to this world, I had wanted the opportunity to be a voice for the people like me and to impact the world in a positive manner. I believe the role of the ambassadors is to bridge the gap between imPort and native population in each of their respective cities -- to integrate our communities and to have a positive impact on their country at large. For example, there are problems we could fix very easily with a few volunteers and our powers. Building and sustaining homeless shelters, for instance, would be a simple matter in any of these places. Using our powers of healing, would also benefit not only this country but the world at large. And it is the ambassadors' jobs to promote the ways we can help and make positive changes as well as to protect their communities.
I believe Ambassador Hundred and Ambassador Revan are absolutely the right choices for their jobs. They understand what it is to not only lead and speak for their people, but they know what it is to listen. And that becomes the biggest importance when you are representing the imPort community. After my close race against Ambassador Urquhart, I had a conversation with him where he brushed my ideas under the rug and refused to even understand my point of view. And I am not the only imPort who has had this experience with the man. If you cannot listen to your people, then you cannot lead them. To that end, the ambassador system is not without its flaws.
And once they're voted in, I don't believe there's a set time limit on the duration of their run -- no opportunity for a re-election. This simply seems to be the way it is, and probably will continue to be unless us imPorts speak out about our displeasure. But in the cases of imPorts who are doing incredible things for this world...that is fine. I feel confident having Ambassador Hundred in charge, knowing his lengthy history and his unlikelihood to be ported out. I feel confident in Ambassador Revan, who has been here for quite some time as well and proven he has the means to protect the citizens of Maurtia Falls. I do not feel confident in Ambassador Urquhart, believing his manner with people will be more hurtful than helpful in the long run. Considering there are so few of us, the voices we need are the right ones. I may not have been the right voice for the job in Nonah either, but there could come a time when someone may port in who is. And without a steady election system, we are forced to keep the choices other imPorts, who may not even be in this world any longer, have made.
But these are simply my opinions as a member of the standard citizenry. I live in Heropa and we are, unfortunately, without an ambassador. I believe this should change as well. We aren't the largest city, but our imPort population is the largest. Who becomes our voice, then? It seems to be a lot of us shouting into the dark or taking our concerns to the other imPort ambassadors from cities apart from our own.
I don't wish to come across as ungrateful for all of their hard work. They have taken on a monumental task -- all three of them have. And that deserves respect. But I'm afraid I cannot and will not lie to you all when it comes to the things with which I am dissatisfied. I cannot pretend the entire system is perfect when it's not.
[ She wasn't an ambassador, so she had nothing to lose in speaking her mind. A glance spared toward Jeff afterward -- Raina stepped back to allow him the chance to talk. ]