On behalf of candidate Francis Collins, Humanity First spokeswoman Dianna Marshall Faulkner is now accepting questions from future constituents. In the interest of maintaining their safety in the wake of the recent attack in Dockside, Mister Collins has requested all questions be directed to PO Box 492, Rhydin Post Office Main Station, or can be phoned in anonymously by calling or texting 777-COL-LINS.



((Feel free to submit your questions via PM or shoot me an IM if I'm signed in! Be sure to note if you'd like it kept anonymous or if you want a name attached. Merry questioning!))

1. Another candidate running for governor claims Humanity First did the recent bombing themselves. What is your repose to this" I saw on the news that a few of the higher ups in your party suffered injury, so I'm curious as to why any of you would risk your own lives if this conspiracy theory is to be taken seriously.

A: That someone would even try to make light of this situation and turn it into anything but the tragedy that it is, is nothing short of appalling. For a fellow candidate in the gubernatorial race to cast unwarranted suspicion upon the very people that they seek to represent in the election should speak volumes about their fitness as a public leader. I encourage those who spew aspersions without recourse to visit those impacted. Look into the eyes of the injured and grieving and tell us that we did this to ourselves. Differing opinions in ideology aside, casting aside this tragedy under the auspices of skepticism may very well be a folly on par with the initial attack itself. 2. Do you consider Jesus Christ to be undead (which is a blasphemous statement, but it's not a question of mine own choosing), and if so, would you discriminate against him' A secondary question to this is what exactly is your parties stance on the undead"

A: Faith in a power higher than oneself is a virtue that Humanity First will never condemn. Whether that power is Jesus, Yahweh, Allah, Buddha, Chthulhu, or even faith in humanity itself, Francis Collins and the rest of Humanity First knows it is a cornerstone for strong communities and stronger families.

To answer your second question, we prefer not to issue wide sweeping judgments upon any who might wish to contribute to the cause. Even those with distant ties to humanity may have a place if they are willing to do the work. 3. You list half-humans as second class citizens. What do you exactly mean by this, and what would come of this if your candidate becomes governor?

A: To tie in to what I said in response to your previous question, I'd like to reiterate that while our priority lies in elevating the status of humanity, no one will be forgotten. All talents and contributions are weighed in the grand scope of society. Hard work and a desire to improve society are greatly rewarded even for those of non-human status. 4. Are you for the killing of other species that are not human' It seems people believe that you advocate the total destruction of anything and anyone who is not human.

A: No. Plain and simple, no. Those that believe such a thing are encouraged to do research into exactly what Humanity First stands for instead of letting confirmation bias drive their hatred.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to answer your questions today.

A few questions for Candidate Francis Collins -

What, in your opinion, makes Rhy'Din great"

A: The list is extensive, but the highest reasons include the strength of the communities within the city and how readily available the opportunities are for making a life of your own.

As governor, how would you choose to deal with racial discrimination and violence"

A: Violence against others for racial reasons is abhorrent and should be treated as a particularly heinous crime. Since Rhydin City as a whole is a lawless city and the local Watch has no true authority, we encourage communities to take charge of their protection and to take care of one another.

Which is more important to you - justice or vengeance"

A: Justice above all.

What do you see as your greatest challenge as governor"

A: The governor's seat has no power. That question is better suited to the multiple community leaders that strive to help and protect their small pockets of influence throughout the city. Mister Collins' greatest challenge would be to do away with the idea that the governor has any say compared to these authority figures.

Which is more important to you - justice or vengeance"

A: Justice above all.

In light of this response, how do you justify the actions taken by Francis Collins and the Humanity First movement following the attack on your rally"

A: Loaded question aside, a full investigation was conducted and the guilty parties were isolated, arrested, and prosecuted by those that the community attending the rally trust to hold their best interests in mind. Is that not justice?

At the recent debate, Mr. Collins had to leave to see his daughter. He made assurances that questions directed to him would be answered. by him The following are my observations and questions that were partly inspired by the discussion at the debate this past Friday.

Mr. Collins,

Those of us that were at the debate learned that you are not a native of Rhydin and came here as a refugee. What qualifies you to decide what is best for those that have lived here in a peaceable manner with multiple races long before you arrived"

Anyone familiar with Rhydin's history would have expected an adverse reaction up to and including a deadly one when confronted with putting any race above another. The problem, Mr. Collins, is not the Humanity First party and its policies. The problem is, as I learned in science class, that for every action there's an equal and opposite reaction. I don't think you were prepared for it. Short version, when you push people, they will push back and they won't worry about being polite if they are scared out of their head. If you are the one doing the pushing, you're a catalyst and part of the problem.

You say you are concerned for your half-human daughter's safety. Other parents are equally concerned about their own children, regardless of race. I regularly visit children confined to hospitals. Some of those kids have suffered horrific injuries and are being treating for various diseases. I had the opportunity to visit some of the victims of rally bombing and their families. I must ask: did you take your child's safety and that of others into consideration before strongly declaring that humans come before everyone else?

You have accused the Watch of being vigilantes. Mr. Collins, how is your party any less a vigilante group when they or just you have acted as judge and jury regarding the accused Rally Bomber" I say accused, because the general public has only been able to see video of the conviction and not the trial where evidence would have been presented. I'm not saying bombing people is right. I'm saying if you disapprove of the Watch being, in your words, vigilantes, then why do you feel that acting in a similar manner is acceptable for you and your party"

Sincerely,

Mairead E. Harker

Mr Collins,

I have noticed that you lay a great deal of stress on what you seem to believe is the necessity of separating races and cultures into their own communities. I do not deny that this is a strategy that does seem to have worked on a planet that is not Rhy'Din.

My question, however, is of a more personal nature.

Mr Collins, I am part elf, and was born with innate magical ability. I was considered impossible to adopt until my parents - one human, one meta-human - took me in and made me a part of their family. They have also adopted two other children - both human, though enhanced without their consent by humans - and gave us a baby sister, who will likely be recognized as a meta-human herself. We are close to another family who, though mostly human, have a Fae as one of their children.

My question is this ....if you had the power to segregate our city into these separate communities seemly based upon race, where would you put me? I am not the same race as my family, but they are my family. I don't think I'm alone in being afraid of what could happen to me, personally, should what seems to be your political message be embraced by those who have power and authority over us.

In concern, Felicity Storm

A: The governor's seat has no power. That question is better suited to the multiple community leaders that strive to help and protect their small pockets of influence throughout the city. Mister Collins' greatest challenge would be to do away with the idea that the governor has any say compared to these authority figures.

Just a follow-up question for Mr. Collins regarding the above statement, if I may.

If, as you claim, the governor's seat has no power, what is your reason for wanting to run for governor and what do you hope to accomplish as such?

If, as you claim, the governor's seat has no power, what is your reason for wanting to run for governor and what do you hope to accomplish as such"

To spread the message of the Humanity First platform and bring focus to the mistreatment of humanity, our brothers and sisters, within this realm.

If I may continue, the following is a quote from your party's political platform:

Only by rising above and ruling over the lesser species will humanity gain peace and prosperity. How exactly do you intend to accomplish this"

Mr. Collins,

Allow to me to respond to your questions regarding my inquiries. While I have been called a prodigy, except for math that's my brother's area, I am still ten years old and prone to asking what is on my mind to get a better insight into people's thought processes. If we do not question, we do not learn. Tact is not something I am good at, yet. What you call loaded questions, I call honest and straight forward questions. As a parent, I would think you have been in the position of having been asked awkward or uncomfortable questions. If your daughter is too young to have asked them, yet, they're coming. According to my mother, "Why is the sky blue" and "How did that baby get in there" turned out to be easy compared to others.

What qualifies you to decide what is best for those that have lived here in a peaceable manner with multiple races long before you arrived" Are Ms. Spiritor and Ms. Batten both born in Rhydin" Must one be a Rhydinian native to serve the city as governor" Is Governor Ilnaren a native of the city' No' So I fail to see why such qualifications are imposed upon or questioned of for one candidate but not others in the role or running. As a concerned citizen and occupant of this city, I'd say that makes me just as qualified as anyone else from the street. Add to that my success in past political endeavors (quite akin to that of Ms. Spiritor with Den City) and you'll find my experience more than makes up for my non-native status. Not all of us are so blessed as you to have been born here. Before I get to the rest of your questions, I must ask, are these actual questions or an excuse to spout off about your grievances with my platform' Disguise it how you wish, it's fairly transparent to see the motives of your loaded questions.

Ms. Spiritor and Ms. Batten have been known to me for some time. While I don't know Ms. Spiritor as well as I should like at present, Ms. Batten has been a family friend for several years. I know that both of them have worked with the community on several projects to benefit Rhydin as a whole. No matter their origins, they have found their path in a multi-racial society without making demands that their own should come first. I don't know if Ms. Batten is only human or some other race mixed in. However, Ms. Spiritor is obviously not human and of a Lupine type race.

I never heard of you, Mr. Collins, until this election. That is why I asked what qualifies you to decide such things. Had you been involved in any city wide projects or even been mentioned at all, I might not have asked. There are plenty of small communities within the city like Little Elfhame. I am familiar with many of their leaders or benefactors at least by name. To my knowledge, your name has never been mentioned by any news outlets prior to you running for Governor this year. Like Mr. Drumpf, you seemed to appear out of thin air just to run for election. Had he made it through to the general election, I would be asking him the same question. I might have asked the same of Mr. Somnia, however, he did not present anything in his platform that I found questionable.

I must ask: did you take your child's safety and that of others into consideration before strongly declaring that humans come before everyone else? You seem to think that believing that her human side should be given respect too is the same as declaring it superior. Humans are arguably some of the most vulnerable populations in this city due to their lack of special abilities in a per capita ratio when compared to other groups. Speaking out with an opposing viewpoint does not give anyone the right to silence them with violence. You may not like what we have to say, but our lives are important too. How dare you imply we deserved this for having the audacity to speak up. When people spoke up in opposition to the Mage Registration Act and their children were attacked, did they deserve that for speaking up" Think long and hard about that, Miss Harker.

I don't disagree that humans are vulnerable in some circumstances. I must admit to being disappointed to the fact that you, like others, have apparently allowed my age and size to blind you to my words. I have been promoting equality among the races of Rhydin for some time. It was even in my campaign platform. I also agree that people should not be silenced by violence over differing opinions. I am, however, advocating preparedness for such reactions based on past history and the apparent lack of it at your rally.

Your party, Mr. Collins, is not called Equality for Humans, your party is called Humanity First. Your entire platform speaks of humans conquering others. That is not equality, Mr. Collins. That is called, I am told, conquering by attrition.

I quote this from your initial campaign information: "Multispecism is a flaw. The enemy of humanity is the xeno, the fae, the elf, the demon, the dragon. Humanity risks extinction by allowing ourselves to collude with lesser species as if they are our equals. Only by rising above and ruling over the lesser species will humanity gain peace and prosperity." You call other races lesser species and the enemy of humanity, but deny that's a declaration of humans being superior" You also declared other species to be the enemies of humans. Please clarify these things as they are not translating well to my polyglottic mind. Which is it that you advocate, equality of races or the superiority of the human one"

It is possible that your opinion has changed some since you originally made those remarks" I hope it has.

As for the Mage Registration Act, which time" Proposition 37 happened when I was three, I don't remember it, but I have read about it. There was another one in 2013. Despite having been a few days from my seventh birthday, I remember that one very well. My best friend and I were the intended victims of some young men that wanted to teach the freaky magic kids a lesson. Three adults came to help us, but had we not been able to defend ourselves, we might well have been severely wounded or dead before that help arrived. That, Mr. Collins, is why I advocate people, especially children, learning to defend themselves. I have walked in those shoes.

You have accused the Watch of being vigilantes. Mr. Collins, how is your party any less a vigilante group when they or just you have acted as judge and jury regarding the accused Rally Bomber" This is hardly a matter of vigilantism. The Watch is an unsanctioned group that has no consistency in training, prosecution, or morals and as such, is hardly looked to by the community as a legitimate source of law enforcement. Never will the overall community that is the city be united in believing they are either. Humanity First believes that the city's communities should protect their own and if that means punishing those who violate their internal laws, then so be it. Where is the outrage when Little Elfhame or Rookery Row or Little Korea (just to name a few of the more well known named physically tangible communities) handles their own problems internally?

I was unaware that you were the leader of one of the many areas in Rhydin and that banishment is among the punishments for violating a law there. As I said, Mr. Collins, I had never seen your name in the news, etc. until you chose to run for Governor. I do not know nor do I pretend to know everything; this is why I ask questions.

I never asked what you advocated, Mairead, I asked if children deserve to be attacked for differences in opinion. You seem to think so with your implication that merely voicing a difference in opinion means we brought it upon ourselves when our rally was targeted. Clearly you thought neither long nor hard on my question. So let me put it frankly: Did you and your friend deserve to be attacked for being different and misunderstood by your assailants? Because I sure don't think so.

Mr. Collins, children are people, are they not' You have accused me of not thinking long and hard about your question, yet, you seem to have missed that my answer was already given.

I don't disagree that humans are vulnerable in some circumstances. I must admit to being disappointed to the fact that you, like others, have apparently allowed my age and size to blind you to my words. I have been promoting equality among the races of Rhydin for some time. It was even in my campaign platform. I also agree that people should not be silenced by violence over differing opinions. I am, however, advocating preparedness for such reactions based on past history and the apparent lack of it at your rally.

I never said that anyone deserves to be attacked. I have, however, said exactly the opposite. Just because a suggestion is made that a public figure, especially one with a controversial opinion, should be prepared for potential violence does not mean anyone deserves to be harmed in any manner. I hope that we have finally come to an understanding on that matter.