The Make the Bosporus Great Again Act

[Magniloqueu Épiqeu da Lhiun]

WHEREAS the Boss from Bosporus, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is one of the most annoying, despicable, and ridiculous political figures of our time, and
WHEREAS the Boss from Bosporus has done many an illegal thing, one of which was to build a Presidential Palace with 1000 rooms with a converted value of roughly 203 million Louise (~305 million USD) in a nature reserve, and
WHEREAS the Boss from Bosporus has defied orders from Turkey's courts, including the highest court, forbidding him to continue building his Presidential Palace, and
WHEREAS recently, the Boss from Bosporus has, with disesteem to diplomatic decorum, summoned the German ambassador to Turkey to appear before the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs due to a satirical video published in Germany criticising his person, and
WHEREAS apparently criticism of his person seems to make the Madman from Bosporus even madder, and
WHEREAS democracy is something he wants to do away with, and
WHEREAS we never want political satire to be something journalists could get incarcerated for in Talossa, now

THEREFORE resolve the Ziu to add following new section 35 to Title F. Culture of the Organic Law, after section 34:

35. Every Talossan shall be encouraged to exercise freedom of speech, and voice his or her criticism of any public, or political figure, within the limits of law. The Ziu especially encourages the citizens of our Kingdom to generate many so-called memes to draw attention to unjust, undemocratic, or illiberal heads of state with tendencies towards megalomania, despotism, fascism, or radical nationalism, be they within or without Talossa.

The subsequent sections in Title F shall be renumbered accordingly to fit this new section in.

FURTHERMORE the Ziu condemns the erratic actions of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and reminds him, and the People of the Republic of Turkey of the importance of democracy, freedom of speech, and rule of law.

Urámeux q'estadra så,

– Magniloqueu Épiqeu Ac'hlerglünä da Lhiun (Senator-MRPT to Maritiimi-Maxhestic)
– D:r Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, Esq. (MC-FreeDems)

[Ian Plätschisch]

I'm not really sure about the purpose of this law. It is to remind people that they have rights? I don't think that is necessary, and it is generally not good to make laws that only suggest something, rather than actually enforce or establish something. If the purpose is to protect people who use their rights, the Covenants already do that.

[Magniloqueu Épiqeu da Lhiun]

Mar 29, 2016 18:02:27 GMT -6 Ian Plätschisch said:

I'm not really sure about the purpose of this law. It is to remind people that they have rights? I don't think that is necessary, and it is generally not good to make laws that only suggest something, rather than actually enforce or establish something. If the purpose is to protect people who use their rights, the Covenants already do that.

Laws suggesting people to do something have a very long history in Talossan legislation. Cf. Lexh.H:13., Lexh.F:30., Lexh.F:33., arguably Lexh.F:34., Lexh.I:1.2.2. and many more.

[Ian Plätschisch]

H.13 and I.1.2.2 should be modified so that they are not suggestions
F.30 and F.33 should just establish those things as the official Talossan [blank]
F.34 clearly establishes something

So, just because Talossa has a long history of something, doesn't mean I necessarily think it is good.

[Magniloqueu Épiqeu da Lhiun]

Doesn't mean you should go about changing it, either. No harm in affirming a citizen's rights with a bit of suggestive legislation. Our Talossan forefathers have done it, and so shall we.

[Ian Plätschisch]

Mar 29, 2016 18:30:27 GMT -6 Magniloqueu Épiqeu da Lhiun said:

Doesn't mean you should go about changing it, either. No harm in affirming a citizen's rights with a bit of suggestive legislation. Our Talossan forefathers have done it, and so shall we.

el Lexhatx already has enough provisions in it; we don't have a need of adding more legislation that will have no effect, because

a) The Covenants already protect freedom of speech, freedom of the press, etc.

b) Talossa already has many cartoonists

c) Few people (I think?  Maybe I'm wrong) actually read el Lexhatx, so the chances of someone reading an obscure provision in the law and then being inspired to make memes is rather unlikely.

[Dr. Txec dal Nordselvă]

While I also dislike Erdogan's actions, I see no reason to enshrine this in our laws.

[Magniloqueu Épiqeu da Lhiun]

You guys are boring!

[Magniloqueu Épiqeu da Lhiun]

See, you guys, the fact is that this extra law is another thing that Talossans can use against a possible despot, and say: Ha, look! We can make fun of you as much as we want!

It shall just reflect the spirit of this nation's democracy, the core upon which all Talossan life is founded.

[Ián B. Anglatzarâ]

You have my support, Magniloqueu Épiqeu da Lhiun.

[Ian Plätschisch]

Mar 30, 2016 4:05:10 GMT -6 Magniloqueu Épiqeu da Lhiun said:

See, you guys, the fact is that this extra law is another thing that Talossans can use against a possible despot, and say: Ha, look! We can make fun of you as much as we want!

It shall just reflect the spirit of this nation's democracy, the core upon which all Talossan life is founded.

The First Covenant already does that!

First Covenant

No law shall exist abridging the freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication except in case of public order or morals. Censorship shall never exist in Talossa; every person may freely speak, write and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the libelous abuse of that right.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

Maybe a way to meet Ian's objections would be to change this bill, slightly... why not encourage the Minister of Culture to, in turn, encourage the people of Talossa to engage in mockery of authoritarians?

[Dr. Txec dal Nordselvă]

Mar 30, 2016 4:05:10 GMT -6 Magniloqueu Épiqeu da Lhiun said:

See, you guys, the fact is that this extra law is another thing that Talossans can use against a possible despot, and say: Ha, look! We can make fun of you as much as we want!

It shall just reflect the spirit of this nation's democracy, the core upon which all Talossan life is founded.

Ok, this convinced me. You have my support and I would even ask you to allow me to co-sponsor.

[Magniloqueu Épiqeu da Lhiun]

Mar 30, 2016 10:41:18 GMT -6 Dr. Txec dal Nordselvă said:

Mar 30, 2016 4:05:10 GMT -6 Magniloqueu Épiqeu da Lhiun said:

See, you guys, the fact is that this extra law is another thing that Talossans can use against a possible despot, and say: Ha, look! We can make fun of you as much as we want!

It shall just reflect the spirit of this nation's democracy, the core upon which all Talossan life is founded.

Ok, this convinced me. You have my support and I would even ask you to allow me to co-sponsor.

Done! Please check that I've written everything correctly!

Anyone else want to co-sponsor?

Do we take Sir Alexandreu Davinescu seriously? I would not object to it.

[Sir C. M. Siervicül]

The first sentence of the new section strikes me as a little overbroad. It sounds like we'd be encouraging citizens to criticize all public or political figures just for the sake of being critical.