Topic: Response to Vanion Shadowcast's Public Speech

Goldglo

Date: 2009-12-19 19:28 EST
Later in the afternoon, on the same day he initially spoke about the Benson Boulevard Initative, Governor Simon addressed the press again. This time, his speech, followed by a question-and-answer session, dealt with recent statements and accusations levied by Vanion Shadowcast.

Citizens of Rhydin,

I wish to put to a quick end the fear-mongering and falsehoods being spread by Vanion Shadowcast, current Baron of Dockside. The Baron made a recent address to a large group of citizens and spoke many half-truths and ill assumptions.

I wish to set the record straight.

Mr. Shadowcast, unfortunately, seeks to raise a dead issue " that of Proposition Thirty-Seven. That measure, not supported by myself or my administration, was soundly defeated in a recent vote. Still, Mr. Shadowcast speaks as if the measure is still active and as if a vote is mere minutes away. He speaks as if I am doing everything in my power to support the proposal and its backers. I made my feelings on Proposition Thirty-Seven clear numerous times prior to the vote. While there are those who do support it and will likely attempt to revive the measure on future ballots, I cannot and will not endorse or support it if and when it does make a return. Mr. Shadowcast, perhaps, has forgotten the violence, the negativity, and the unnecessary bloodshed wrought during the recent campaign by supporters and detractors of Proposition Thirty-Seven. Do not let his effort to revive such feelings and actions meet with success. I do not, nor does this administration, 'seek to oppress freedoms" of magic users nor anyone else. Mr. Shadowcast asserts an effort, perhaps on my behalf for he did not mention a specific group or person, to turn Rhydin into a police state " nothing could be further from the truth. I have confidence that you can see such baseless accusations for what they are, as lies designed to arouse panic and alarm where none need be.

Mr. Shadowcast speaks of the recent disease that has struck the Dockside district. He claims that I, and others, have not acted and do not care about those affected by this disease; worse, he accuses me of ignoring it outright. Those claims are unfounded and false. Mr. Shadowcast asserts that he wishes to eradicate the disease and, in this, I applaud and fully support him for that goal is one that I, and many others both in and out of my administration, share. He would have you believe that the disease, or at least the lack of a cure or vaccine, is a conspiracy against the populace of Dockside, against magic users. He claims that those with money care nothing for the citizens of Dockside. I must ask, what would such a conspiracy gain? What benefits are there in allowing people to suffer, to die" While some might seek personal gain from such horrible events, I am certainly not one of them. I will also point out that efforts like the Benson Boulevard Initiative, an idea created and launched by several of the city's wealthy citizens, directly contrasts with Mr. Shadowcast's contentions. About the disease and the search for a cure and vaccine - I am no doctor. I leave the research and hunt for a cure in the hands of experts in that field and have tasked those experts with quickly creating or discovering a cure or vaccine. I welcome any assistance in that endeavor, including Mr. Shadowcast's. Our research, thus far, does not support Mr. Shadowcast's claims of a bioengineered weapon. Although the possibility cannot be dismissed or eliminated at this early stage, it would be reckless to assume any answer is the correct one. Mr. Shadowcast, by his own admission, relies on early research results in making such claims. I also question his allegation that the disease doesn't act as one arriving from a distant land. I would ask to see the basis for such a statement " what research has Mr. Shadowcast or the Clergy of Mry"Khul done on foreign diseases" If research has been done, upon what evidence does it rely' Mr. Shadowcast, much like those who did support Proposition Thirty-Seven, make proclamations unfounded in fact " they accuse without showing any basis, authentication, or corroboration. Do not allow words designed solely to illicit fear and antipathy grow roots and fester; dismiss them for what they are unless, and until, they come with solid measures of proof.

Mr. Shadowcast claims that Rhydin is a city "corrupted with violence, churning in conflict, and sorrowed by tragedy after tragedy". Looking at things from one perspective, yes, perhaps he's right. We, like most other cities, have violence take place within our walls. Some, be they merchants, city guardsman, or business owners, are corrupt and sacrifice the well-being of others for personal gain. Can we seek to limit those things" Of course. Do we seek to limit those things" Most definitely. But violence and corruption are not what define us as Mr. Shadowcast may have you believe. Looking at our city, and the events that transpire here as a whole, casts Rhydin and its populace in an entirely different light " a light that Mr. Shadowcast would rather not discuss. Yes, terrible things, such as the recent storm, Sanyumato have happened to this city and to you, its residents, both in the far and recent past. But many positive things have happened as well, sometimes as a result of those tragedies. How we choose to respond to these events is what defines us. How we respond affects our morale, how we perceive one another, and how other municipals, trade partners, and visitors, view us. We could, if we so choose, elect to become victims of these events, to pity ourselves, to wallow in misery and shake our fists at the heavens. Or, we can do what we almost always do; we can refuse to let these events defeat us. The Marketplace bombings, the Proposition Thirty-Seven violence, Sanyumato - all horrible events I wish had not taken place because of the suffering they caused, but events that proved, over and over again in our response to them, our mettle, our inherent goodness, and our ability to rise above and conquer circumstances that would otherwise have us defeated, crushed, and miserable.

We can, as programs like the Benson Boulevard Initiative and the Sanyumato Relief Fun show, opt to find the proverbial silver lining, to turn negative into positive. Mr. Shadowcast would have you forget that, he would have you believe that we are pacified victims, doomed to our lot in life, to suffer the whims of the events that take place around us and to us. No, I say. No! We are more than what he would have you believe! We have proven him wrong time and time again. To persevere is sometimes difficult and requires a great deal of effort; it's much easier to focus on the negative, to play the victim's role. To do those things leads us nowhere. To overcome, to remain confident, constructive and helpful " that is our legacy. That should be our focus. Mr. Shadowcast would rather we remain fearful and distrusting; he plants seeds of doubt, pessimism, and gloom. He speaks of my lack of concern for this city and for you, its people. Mr. Shadowcast is mistaken. He calls me enigmatic and two-faced. He has not come through my doors, as many of you have, and spoken with me face to face. He makes his accusations from afar, again with no true foundation.

He speaks of an intention to run for Governor; because of our system of government, he is entirely free to do so which would not be the case were Rhydin becoming a police state or if my administration were attempting to horde power. Mr. Shadowcast maintains that he desires to "offer freedom to those who seek it". He offers what you already have as if you do not already have it, perhaps hoping you will forget or even deny your freedom in the confusing information he attempts to pass as fact. We must question his both his motives and his tactics.

Mr. Shadowcast speaks of wanting Dockside to become the most enterprising and successful of all the districts. We are all one city and we succeed, fail, suffer, and rejoice together, as one. The districts each have their own uniqueness, they are each special, but they are not in direct competition with each other nor do they individually vie for governmental favor. Rhydin is Rhydin; I choose not to view us as separate districts, but as one city, one populace. Mr. Shadowcast would divide you, have you believe that one district plots against another, that those from one district purposely oppress those from another. Mr. Shadowcast wants to "give Dockside back to the people". Who, I ask, has taken it from them' Corporations" No. Politicians" No. Me" No.

And after making all these claims, after throwing out wild accusations, Mr. Shadowcast then asks you to isolate yourselves. To, as he said, "keep yourselves private as much as possible?. Perhaps he says such things because of the disease, in the hopes that isolation will limit the spread. Such caution may be warranted, although it has yet to be fully determined exactly how the disease spreads, whether by air or physical contact. If, as Mr. Shadowcast claims, the disease is genetically engineered, then isolation will likely do little good. No, it is my belief that Mr. Shadowcast, in the guise of pretending to worry over people's best interests and using the disease as an excuse, would rather people isolate themselves to worry and fret over his unsubstantiated charges; alone with your thoughts, you might find yourself falling into his trap, believing his words. The wisdom Mr. Shadowcast speaks of comes in looking past his claims and into the truth. If we stand together and unified, if we discuss and debate the merits of Mr. Shadowcast's claims, his words have much less chance to corrupt and twist reality. His assertations and allegations will have less effect and are unlikely to spread the dread and trepidation for which they are designed. I urge you all to think for yourselves, not to simply listen to him, or me, or anyone, and accept our words as gospel, as infallible. Neither myself, nor Mr. Shadowcast, have all the answers; we cannot solve all of your individual problems, or all the city's, by ourselves. We would be fools to try. But instead of attempting to engage you, to make you part of the solution, Mr. Shadowcast would rather make you afraid, angry, and despondent. Do not let him succeed.

Thank you, I am happy to take your questions.