Lorne - handler, Dreamers of Gaia

On Guilt Repressed

Relay of The Society of Free Colonists - Your musings are not rational nor are they objective. You seem to be convinced you know about the rings of the tower, and know all there is to know about The Horizon - enough to judge them like this. It is the height of arrogance, and your post will just amount to one more in the long line of anti-TH posts made by people who should know better. Instead of any reflection into whether what your own ringmembers did might not have been much worse, you focus exclusively on The Horizon - a good tactic if you wish to muddy the floatbed, although not a very likable one. 

What do you know of The Horizon? Have you talked with them? Asked them about their motives? Ever met just one of their members enough to judge that person? Or the whole? Do you know how much good they do for the tower? How much bad? Have you analyzed pro's and con's rationally and fairly before arriving at your conclusion?

No, you have not. Instead you think you can just conclude whatever you like in the spur of the moment, without regard for how it will be used politically. And that is not considering whether you are not having ulterior motives, as most who critizise the bigger rings have. One such motive could very well be to deflect attention from your own ring and their doings. Your ring members tried to aid Lurkers. Terrorists who have killed innocents. And now you wish our sympathy for the criminals who have been apprehended? Now you wish to tell us that those who captured your ring members on behalf of the tower are the real problem? Come on!

I am not saying The Horizon are perfect, not at all, but in this particular case, this is a classic example of painting white black and black white. Yes, the Lurker Investigation Project, which was not even started by The Horizon, used non-lethal weapons. These weapons were sanctioned by the other ringleaders. You use the word deceptive, but where are they really deceiving us? They captured 4 of YOUR ringmembers who have admitted to aiding the Lurkers. According to their own words, they (still) think this was the right thing to do. This is directly against what the tower has decided. It is also incredibly dangerous to the stability of the tower, whether they did so based on misguided morals or sinister intent.

If someone thinks something that has been agreed upon is wrong, he or she goes to his ringleader, who can then work to get this decision changed together with the other ringleaders, while explaining the argument to the entire tower. This is how our tower democracy works. This is what your ringmembers, your entire ring, decided they were above because it did not suit them to follow these decisions.

Instead of complying with tower decisions, they secretly aided a group who seem to wish to kill us all off. I find this to be an act so enourmously more serious than what you accuse The Horizon of, that it seems to me only people with already established agendas would disagree. Your ring willingly, knowingly, completely and indeed still unrepentingly went against a clear, democratic tower decision. Consider this for a moment. Consider the implications. Your ring kept secrets and opposed democracy. Now think about what you think The Horizon did. Do you see the similarities? But The Horizon has been open about this, whereas your ring has not. Can you see why I think it is amazing you have the sheer audacity to write as you do?

If The Horizon were so deceptive, secretive, dangerous and closed about this, I find it strange that they have not only presented all of this to the tower, but have also admitted going too far in their interrogation methods. All of this is just an invitation to any anti-TH'er to bash them, instead of focusing on the real issues. They are honest and open about this, taking a risk to their standing. Doesn't that show you something?

You complain about big rings having secrets? How hypocritical do you think you are allowed to be? The Horizon are open with us, while YOUR ring has tried to keep the Lurker meeting a secret to the rest of the tower. YOUR ring has shielded those of its members who wished to aid the Lurkers. YOUR ring members knowingly went against tower law, trying their best to keep their actions a secret.

How can you possibly get yourself to write as you do, with a clear conscience? Are you really this blind?

Is it only I who see this enourmous case of arrogant hypocrisy? And this is not all it is. It is incredibly dangerous as well, more dangerous than The Lurker Investigation Project using weapons sanctioned by the tower, infiltrating criminal groups with deception, or admitting in public to somewhat harsh interrogations methods and standing up to face punishment for it:

I think that what your ring has done jeopardizes the very existence of the tower. Perhaps (luckily) not in this case, but sooner or later, when your members continue to meddle in things that can be harmful to the tower, without adhering to the democratic rules set out,  you might just tip the very fragile balance we have. All this, and no repentance or even the slightest bit of self-reflection. It is truly amazing to behold.

How can you ignore the democracy we have? How can you ignore what your ring members did? Is it because you know that if you admit that your ring members place themselves above democracy, it will sound bad? That it will sound like what you basically accuse The Horizon of wishing they could do? Or will you argue your ring members did not put themselves above a clear vote by the tower, while even those who did not directly aid Lurkers, still kept their mouth shut about others from their ring doing so? I think not.

To sum it up, I am appalled at your gall in critizising The Horizon for their actions, considering what your ring has been part of. Yes, The Horizon has its secrets and probably also its malfunctioning ASU's as we say, but so does every other ring. If you took your time to actually study what The Horizon has done for the tower, how their actions have helped save the tower on several occasions - within the rules we have in place I might add - or how their members help out those they meet individually and as a group, perhaps then you might think before you post the next time?

I am saddened that it has come to this, that there is no objectivity nor rationality in our views anymore. Can't you see that what your ring members did was wrong? Can you look into yourself and honestly say they acted rightly? If so, you are not only beyond a rational discussion, you are also part of a group of people who believe their own opinions supercede democracy. Look around - you will find plenty of other groups who share this view. One such group are the Lurkers.