Director Arwen Yoon is a danger to MUNUM

By: Adi Balaji

It seems as though the pirate council has unraveled, with director Arwen Yoon being the center of chaos. Upon receiving an anonymous note that called Ms. Yoon “Most likely to play League of Legends”, she went on a rampage calling League of Legends players the scum of the Earth, and that PC players are inferior to console players. This exposes Ms. Yoon’s ‘console-ist’ rhetoric, and should be grounds for demotion, or being fired from the MUNUM staff. She also insulted Genshin Impact and said that she’s a Minecraft girl. This is interesting information considering that the developer of Minecraft, Mojang, has ties to North Korean money laundering syndicates. Is Ms. Yoon secretly a North Korean mafia boss wiring money to the elite of Pyongyang? 

When asked about Ms. Yoon’s opinions about popular refreshing beverage ‘Coconut Water’, water taken from the nut of the coco, Christopher Robin lookalike, Chauncey Seeger, details that Ms. Yoon believes that Coconut Water is an abhorrent, nasty drink that she would never touch. Please note that Indonesia is the world’s leading producer and exporter of coconuts. Remembering that Ms. Yoon has ties to North Korean crime syndicates and that Indonesia’s relations with North Korea have slowly been declining, and that Ms. Yoon has a raging hatred for coconut water, putting two-and-two together, it is safe to say that Arwen Yoon is plotting a nuclear strike on Jakarta, Indonesia, which will be triggering the start of the dreaded World War 3.

As of now it is unknown how much danger Arwen Yoon poses, and the United States CIA and British Scotland Yard are starting a thorough investigation into her family and her activities as MUNUM staff. Delegates, please be aware that she was caught harassing League of Legends players, and caught adding an unknown white powder, suspected to be Anthrax, into many delegates’ coconut water in an effort to curb coconut water sales. Please exercise caution in her presence as she has shown intent to harm. 

Virtual Cafeteria

By: Elina Palapattu

As we all know, meals during a typical MUNUM conference are a highlight of the day! We all look forward to the large selection of restaurants, stores and coffee we are fortunate to have at the conference. Some of my favorite MUN memories were during the lunch session, talking with other delegates, and bonding over our love for all the food that the cafeteria has to offer. Food and lunches are obviously something that we can't fully recreate in the virtual setting, so I decided to ask delegates what they ate for lunch. I interviewed people from my own committee (IPC) as well as some DISEC members on what they chose to eat for lunch. To my surprise, many people got very creative with our lunch break! Many of the people I talked to ordered out for lunch or made a cool dish, so I hope that reading this article inspires you to try something new for lunch- whether it’s recreating our usual delicious MUNUM cafeteria at home, or trying a restaurant recommended in the article:)

From sandwiches to sushi, the delegates at this conference had a variety of different foods. Out of all the people I talked to, 68% of them ate out for lunch. Philippines from DISEC had a veggie sandwich with hummus and pickles, from a restaurant in Dixboro. The restaurant is called Moonwinks, and the delegate absolutely recommends this restaurant and sandwich for anyone nearby. Jimmy Johns was another popular option- three people chose their classic sandwiches. The delegate from Spain stated that he was very hungry, having a “jimmy johns sub, with loaded baked potato soup, vanilla and strawberry ice cream, and pizza rolls.” One of my IPC committee members had sushi from Godaiko (restaurant in Ann Arbor), which she recommended and loved. Restaurants other delegates ate at include: Panera, Subway, Chick fil A. Three of my other IPC members ate pizza and two others ordered chinese food and ramen. I hope this long list and varieties of food gives you an idea of something new to try- and if not keep reading for some options you can have at home!

Although the majority of delegates chose to eat out for lunch, some decided to make something at home- and some even had breakfast. I interviewed two delegates from California (DISEC), and both had breakfast during our break due to the time difference. The Netherlands had an egg sandwich and tea for breakfast, while Germany had a spinach omelet. Both sound delicious! A rapateuor from DISEC ate in her dorm, and had cottage cheese, grapes and takis. Other foods people ate at home include a soft butter croissant and tacos. Although we are in the middle of a crazy time right now, it was so interesting to hear what people ate during our virtual conference; and I can’t wait for future years where we can all gather in the cafeteria and share MUN stories again!

A New South Africa

By: Tananya Prankprakma

It is 1994, and the citizens of South Africa have participated in a groundbreaking election. This marked the first election in which non-white citizens were able to vote, a huge step to end the era of Apartheid. 

The African National Congress (ANC) was founded in 1912, and for several decades, this political party has led the fight against apartheid in South Africa. In recent years, the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (NECANC) has worked tirelessly on their campaign in order to win the presidency and seats in the National Assembly. In this monumental election, they had to ensure that they could gain the support of the newly franchised voters. 

Not long before the election, poll results showed that the ANC had 53% of the people’s support, losing much of their support to the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), whose platform heavily emphasized self-governance. The amount of support that the IFP was able to garner was expected—many people in South Africa had not had their voices heard for entire lifetimes, and they were eager for control.  This support was especially prevalent from the Bantustans, the 10 regions to which black South Africans were forced to relocate if they did not have the permission to work in white-only South Africa. 

However, the NECANC emphasized in a directive the faults of the IFP’s plan for self-governing structure, calling out the potential for bureaucratic inefficiency, regional instability, and significant lack of socioeconomic mobility, among several other harms. 

Beyond pointing out the IFP’s shortcomings, the directive passed by the NECANC took measures to ensure that Zulu Bantustans would be well represented in ANC decision-making and declared plans for development in the Zulu region. In other Bantustan regions, the NECANC emphasized the slogan “We Stand With the People” and stressed the policies they would put in place to improve infrastructure, invigorate the economy, and prioritize education. 

All in all, the NECANC took thorough care to ensure the success of the election. In the week leading up to the election, the NECANC passed another directive to organize rallies, showcases, Q&As, and many other regional events to push them to victory. 

In the end, the ANC won the presidency with Nelson Mandela along with a majority of the seats in the National Assembly, though not enough that instating their policies will be easy. The road ahead for the ANC is rocky, but the results of this election have given hope to South Africans that have not seen it for years. 

Pandemic Populism: A Conversation with UM Professors

By: Piper Davenport

Chaired by Professor Charlotte Cavaille, the Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the Ford School of Public Policy, the conference's presentation offered both MUNUM staffers and participants an opportunity to broaden their horizons on modern political scapes as they relate to the Covid-19 pandemic. With a special focus on the United States, China, and France, the specializations of the three professors, they contrasted the ways the pandemic has been handled, and how concepts of trust have innately impacted the efficacy of policy throughout the world. 

Presenters

Professor Joshua Cole - UM history professor specializing in the topic of Colonial Violence especially as it relates to France, Germany, and Algeria

Professor Mary Gallagher - UM political science professor with a focus area in Chinese politics, law, and human rights

Professor Dan Slater - UM political science professor specializing in the current and historical nature of maintained dictatorships and new democracies, with an expertise on Southeast Asia

Facts and Features relating Covid to your area of expertise.

Beginning the discussion Professor Cole spoke first examining the US and France specifically highlighting the similar origins of their current governments out of revolution. Within this comparison he also noted that issues of race and national belonging had reached crisis levels before the pandemic which they served to exacerbate them. He explained that as the international health crisis progressed “political entrepreneurs” sought to take advantage of their divisions and that it is “hard to address the covid crisis when many people do not feel like they are part of a recognised collective,”.

Professor Gallagher followed up through further comparison of governments and their success in slowing the progression of Covid-19. She noted the ability of China to effectively eradicated it with brutal efficiency because of their authoritarian control. However she countered the message the Chinese government has often projected that authoritarianism is the only effective solution by bringing up Taiwan, who, as a nation is culturally very similar, but maintains a democracy was also very successful. The conclusion that she came to was that, what makes a country successful in the face of crisis is a sense of social cooperation, or in China’s case compliancy, which the US simply lacks.

Serving as a summary of sorts of this topic, Professor Slater explained that Covid has not directly  triggered a “political backsliding”, though it has been used by certain people as justification for the repression of some rights. Most significantly he noted the silencing of critical press. While the actions of these individuals are as accurate as they are regrettable Slater also emphasized that the government “Doesn’t just repress, it also regulates and redistributes,”.

How has your work with the rest of the world helped you understand what we are experiencing in the United States? 

This topic maintained a focus on polarization to which Professor Cole explained that, “[what is] interesting about moments of polarization is that they are a departure from the system of broad coalitions; the people who remain in the polarized parties are the extreme perspective on policy,”. As it relates to the question the presenters expressed that it is absolutely imperative to draw connections between history and modern politics as well as across national borders. Professor Cole emphasized this sentiment by briefly explaining the situation in France with the Yellow Vest movement. He explained that social movements in any nation can rarely ever be reduced to one factor, but rather are usually based on years of growing dissent from different perspectives.

What are the social determinants of trust and how do you accumulate more of it?

Professor Caville introduced this topic and categorized trust as “the dark matter of politics” because it is at once fickle and the cornerstone of every social contract. Professor Slater discusses the idea of trust as it relates to intergenerational politics. He explained that younger people are more open towards multiculturalism, perhaps due to their extreme exposure through the media, while older people have a higher tendency towards tribalism. This mentality of “othering” can be felt within all issues from race to the political polarization of the United States. Contextualizing the polarization of US politics Professor Gallagher noted the bipartisan support of globalization in the 1980s, under President Reagan, and the shock that followed from the effects.

On a different note, Gallagher also explained the hierarchical trust dynamic in China in which the citizenry view the central government as benevolent and the local government as corrupt and inefficient. It is interesting to understand this in comparison to the US where the majority of people, on both ends of the political spectrum, believe the direct opposite. Professor Cole then cited the weakened state, and eventual collapse, of the Soviet Union after Chernobyl, and noted how interesting it is that the Chinese government has been able to maintain control in the face of international crisis while usually authoritarian regimes suffer. 

What would you suggest to young people?

To conclude the presentation the professors offered words of advice to the young people that were able to join. Slater simply stated that it is often those that are older that are learning from the young, but that they must always fight to avoid hatred and progress the understandings of other peoples. Professors Cole and Gallagher used their last minutes to emphasize the necessity of comprehensive research and consuming media at sustainable rates. To conclude the discussion Gallagher reminded the participants once more that “you can always find something on the internet that confirms your bias, the struggle is to not do it,”.

The Heart and Soul of U of M

By: Adi Balaji

The Working Paper interviewed various members of the MUNUM staff to gain insight into life at the University of Michigan. We wished to connect with the members at a personal level to understand the draw of U of M, its special quirks unique to it, and the individual experiences of students studying here. We were happy to receive a huge amount of input on why this university has so much charm to it, and why the students enjoy their lives here. Here is a transcript of the interview that details Umich students’ favorite things at the school, about Ann Arbor, and more! Please note that the interview questions were addressed to the room as a whole.

WP: Hello and good morning! Thank you very much for having me here to interview you guys! Jumping straight into it, my first question to you is, out of the hundreds of amazing schools throughout the United States, why choose U of M?

Anna Recknagel, Deputy Secretary General of Internal Affairs: I chose Michigan for a plethora of reasons. I chose it since it’s close to home, which is nice. But I also because it had all the programs that I wanted in a school: I wanted science programs, a strong arts program, a strong history department, and I got to have all 3, which is great. I also wanted a big school: I wanted the football games, the basketball games and the school spirit. I really like Ann Arbor as a city, and I really like Michigan as a school for this.

Drew Stark, Secretary of Publicity: I was looking for a school that had a lot of opportunities in the sciences, as that was something I wanted to do continue from high school. The university having its own hospital and many research opportunities was a really big draw for me. One big reason I ended up here is because most of my extended family are Spartans, and really pushed for me to go to Michigan State. I just wanted to rumble some feathers in the family. So here I am.

WP: So you’ve got the house divided thing going on at home. Pretty interesting. While we’re on the topic of big school culture, football games and schools spirit, my next question to you is, how would you describe the social life at U of M? What do you and other students do for fun around here?

Eric Payerle, USG for Crisis Committees: That’s an excellent question. You mentioned football games, so I’m in the marching band of U of M, and most of my spare time goes into marching band activities, especially during the fall. Fall in Ann Arbor is especially special because a lot of the students can enjoy the atmosphere, and go around to nearby cider mills. Going to the Arb in the winter (Nicholas Arboretum) is especially fun because you get to trudge through the snow, it’s a nice trip to make. 

Shannon Hickey, Secretary of Programming: A good thing to do for fun in U of M is joining a lot of clubs and organizations here. I figure skate with the club team, I’m in a sorority and MUNUM, of course, and so finding those communities where you can really bond with people is really helpful and is a big part of my social life.
Anna Recknagel: I definitely agree with being more involved with clubs and organizations. I found communities in MUNUM and the musical theater organization, which are both really fun. For me and my friends, we just try to find fun things to do around campus whether it’s football games, restaurants here, which are really fun, the arts events, and more. The performing arts events often have really big names come in, and it can be very entertaining.

WP: While we’re on the topic of restaurants and downtown Ann Arbor, what’s your favorite place to eat at Ann Arbor?

Ryan Jansen, Deputy Secretary General of External Affairs: For me it’s undoubtedly Baba Dari, since I absolutely love mediterranean and middle eastern food. You really can’t beat a chicken shawarma and hummus.

Celince, Secretary of Training: I also really love mediterranean options, so my favorite restaurant is Jerusalem Garden. It’s got really amazing variety!

WP: Absolutely, it’s got a really amazing environment, especially in the summer when you can sit outside. 

Hannah Albee, USG to Specialized Committees: The Tomukun Korean BBQ place is just, chef’s kiss! 

The entire room also agreed that Zingerman’s is an amazing place to get food and coffee, but only if you’re with your parents, and when they’re paying for all of it.

Drew Stark: Mani Osteria is the absolute best place to go for their Pizza and Arancini, but once again only if you’re with your parents as they drain your pockets a little bit.

WP: Of course we can’t forget to talk about ice cream, and I see in the chat that everyone agrees that Blank Slate is one of the best places to get ice cream in Ann Arbor.
Drew Stark: As someone who works in Blank Slate, my totally unbiased opinion is that Blank Slate is THE best ice cream place in Ann Arbor.

Ryan Jansen: There’s just a freshness to Blank Slate’s ice cream, and the diversity of flavors- I think there’s a caramel latte flavor- is what makes it worth it.

WP: My next question is, what’s one unique, quirky or fun thing about U of M that makes it worth coming here?

Zaid Haque, Secretary of Tech: One unique thing is that you won’t find a man in a wolf costume playing the violin on the corner of State street anywhere else. You won’t find it at any other university. 

Anna Recknagel: There’s also Reggie B. Reggie B is the love of my life. I have a pretty strong obsession with him.

WP: Thank you for your input! That sounds hilarious! My last question to you guys is, how has COVID affected life at Umich, other than distanced learning?

Ryan Jansen: Well I’ve been at home for both semesters, so not just distanced learning, but also distance from everything else: the community and friends, and trying to overcome that was pretty tough. We have to be creative and take advantage of zoom, and this kind of teaches us to appreciate people more. 

Shannon Hickey: I think the social aspect of college was the most challenging with distance learning. Staying away from friends and nice interactions in general can create anxiety, and all of us are trying to adapt to that and trying to get used to incorporating people outside our bubble.

WP: Well, that’s all the questions I have for you today. I cannot thank you enough for your time today. Thank you very much for organizing this conference for us. I really appreciate your input on life at U of M and your personal experiences being here.

If you are interested in what makes U of M special and want to ask your own questions to Michigan students log onto the staff panel tonight at 5:30 PM. Find the link at https://www.munum.org/student-panel.

Starting Model UN Through A Computer Screen

By: Sophia Rich

Every year, high-school aged delegates from all over the country come to Ann Arbor to attend the annual Model United Nations conference at the University of Michigan. MUNUM takes place at the beginning of the high school conference season and tends to set the tone for the rest of the year’s conferences. This weekend is notably memorable for first year delegates, primarily freshmen. In addition to all the skills and experiences these first-year delegates pick up in committee, participation in naturally occurring, unscripted events allow for these delegates to get a good understanding of the MUNUM culture! Due to Covid-19, the 2021 MUNUM conference has been moved completely online. Although everyone leading the conference this year has done a great job, this year’s conference is inevitably different than years in the past. For this column, I wanted to take a deeper dive into what it’s like to go through your first real Model UN conference virtually!

For all delegates, your first Model UN conference can be extremely overwhelming. Now imagine going through this brand new experience in a virtual setting, as much as we try to lessen the tension, these digital interactions often feel forced and robotic. I had the opportunity to talk to a few first-time MUNUM delegates and get a glimpse into their experience in committee this year. I started off by asking these delegates about their level of comfort speaking and participating in their committee. I got a wide range of answers but most delegates found that their first time speaking was the hardest bit it kind of took off from there. Alexandre Morrison, a first year delegate in UNGASS, shared with me that, “It’s hard to start speaking in a committee, but once I first spoke, it became easier. One time kind of builds momentum and helps me gain confidence while doing it.” A lot of delegates I chatted with also expressed some level of difficulty trying to remember parliamentary procedure, they said that sometimes they hesitate to speak up in committee because they don’t always know exactly how to phrase it. When reflecting on these answers from a personal perspective, I found that this specific piece of MUN doesn’t really differ from in-person conferences to virtual conferences. I encouraged these delegates to just go for it! I reassured them that their chairs are always supporting them and would be willing to help remind them of proper parliamentary procedure.

The area in which these freshman delegates expressed their feelings of missing out was the recreational side of MUN. When asked if they made friends or reached out to other delegates, a lot of them hesitated, they told me that the recreational moments felt awkward and they had trouble connecting with other delegates. Parini Rao, a freshman delegate from Greenhills School, told me that, “It’s weird having to start Model UN online. I’ve never done it before, so it’s also been hard to really understand what it is like solely through zoom. Since we are online I feel like we’re missing out on other team bonding moments and being involved.” I think Parini summed up the freshman experience pretty well. Although a lot of these first-time delegates felt a little unsure at first they are all extremely thankful for the MUNUM staff for putting this conference together! Yes, MUNUM feels different this year but everyone I talked to still had a great weekend and can’t wait to come back next year!

Quadfecta of Doom

by Elena Lu

It’s the summer of 1813, and the British Canada Cabinet is dreaming up some new battle strategies. According to a new directive sponsored by William Dummer Powell and Sir Isaac Brock, the “Quadfecta of Doom” is definitely happening, which lays out a plan for four simultaneous attacks on Fort Niagara from different directions. “We’re Canada, we got this,” Sir George Prevost stated confidently. “We are united, compared to the United States with […] the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans that are fighting against each other about whether this war should exist. We know this war shouldn’t exist.”

Both the Americans and the British Canadians have been working hard. The U.S. Cabinet has been busy introducing directives such as “Drafty Boi,” “Maple Syrup,” and “Man in Black,” while Sir Herbert Sawyer of the British Canada Cabinet is in the process of training carrier pigeons. Prevost gave a statement of approval for Sawyer’s work and suggested that “the power of Canada will make [the pigeons] want to do even better.”

The British Canadians have been indulging in humorous discussions of possible war plans. They briefly considered masquerading as Americans and attempting to casually march through several states to D.C. on the Fourth of July. “We’re not burning your resources, it’s just fireworks,” Sir John Coape Sherbrooke joked. Later, Prevost proposed that they should “steal the ancestors to Lin Manuel Miranda and make them perform for us at York,” leading the Cabinet into a brief conversation about kidnapping various musicians and entertainers to boost morale in New York. On a more serious note, Prevost has been urging his fellow delegates to speak up: “As we learned from Charles Douglas Smith, may he rest in horrible, horrible fashion, […] when somebody is very quiet in this council, we can suspect that they are working with the Americans.” Smith himself has dropped all pretense of being quiet and is now very active in the U.S. Cabinet as Return Jonathon Meigs Jr.

Tensions are running high as the war continues. “This war is so pointless! What are we even trying to do?” Daniel Webster exclaimed in frustration this morning during a U.S. Cabinet session. Webster proceeded to send a message to British Canada Cabinet member George Stracey Smyth about potentially finding an end to the war. Daniel Webster’s intentions are still uncertain, but Smyth has requested proof of loyalty.

This afternoon, we received news that the British Canadians have now taken Boston, thanks to the sacrifice of a small force that diverted the U.S. troops right before the city’s capture. At the same time, an article was published in the Boston Gazette criticizing the U.S. government’s actions, including implementing the draft and nationalizing resources, as tyrannical. The general sentiment in Boston now seems to be that citizens resent being under British rule again but blame the U.S. government for the war. The British Canada Cabinet has commenced strategizing ways to end the war through negotiations as the U.S. Cabinet plans to retake Boston.

No heart in the campaign

By: Ash K. Srivastava [xe/xyr]

Pandemonium erupted today in the Committee to Protect the Panthers when two influential members, Emory Douglas and Ossie Davis, were imprisoned by Oakland Police for sedition. The two blocs quickly split off to approach the situation in radically different ways. The bloc that Douglas and Davis were part of quickly worked to free them and were successful. The other bloc decided they weren’t going to attempt to free them, with one highly influential member saying, “they can kinda just stay in there.” Another member said that they did not intend to vote for a measure to help release the imprisoned delegates. Meanwhile, the imprisoned delegates were left mostly in the dark, wondering if the other delegates would fight for their release. 

The main session, which debated the best method to ensure the release of the imprisoned delegates, however Richard Aoki did not attend. Aoki, who has been placed under investigation by many delegates, had no comment as to why he was absent. One delegate said that they “wanted to say that they were surprised, but [they weren’t] really.” Another said that their best guess is that “he doesn’t really have his heart in the campaign.”

However  through obtaining legal access to confidential crisis notes, the Working Paper  found that Richard Aoki was personally contacted by J. Edgar Hoover, the director of the FBI. However, he declined the offer, so Hoover reached out to another member, who agreed and has been in close contact with Hoover. The other member is a part of the larger bloc that fought for the freeing of the imprisoned delegates and is a trusted member who has been involved with directives. This breaking news will likely upend the committee’s deliberations and cause a renewed witch hunt for the informant. We will keep you updated.

Three Working Papers: Is it Enough?

By Edison Park

The UNGASS convened today to discuss three working papers on the topic of solving economic corruption. Each resolution paper focused on different aspects of the crisis, resulting in debate and a sense of confusion in the committee.

The first working paper that was presented was the Anti-Corruption Courts Resolution (ACC), which emphasized the importance of not only responding to the corruption in the situation with the First Russian Czech Bank (FRCB), but also working towards long term goals in fighting corruption as a whole. The resolution consists of multiple strong clauses, including the creation of a three court system that consists of an international level, United Nations level, and a national level. The resolution, if voted favorably upon, would use funds from the United Nations General Fund and the World Bank to educate leaders on corruption and also establish programs to encourage further transparency in bank actions.

The Accountability and Prevention Against Corruption Resolution (APAC) instead focused on economic and political stability. In an attempt to protect the legitimacy of democratic practices, this working paper presents a resolution that specifically denounces foreign involvement entirely in elections. The paper also includes the creation of a new United Nations committee which would oversee bank and government interactions.

The final working paper was the Corruption Accountability and Prevention Resolution (CAP), which centered on researching into the reasoning behind corrupt practices. This working paper introduces the establishment of the International Organization of Corruption Identification and Correction (IOCIC), which would review financial interactions and conduct audits on corrupt actors. 

Disputes broke out following the presentations of the papers, as delegates made it clear that collaborating and combining resolutions would be dissatisfactory. The delegation of Tanzania made this sentiment clear when stating that the ACC Resolution is the “superior resolution” and dismissed the APAC Resolution as mere “suggestions.” However, the delegation of Jordan stated that the APAC Resolution offered “multiple solutions”, and that it is the most “solid plan”. In addition to this, the chair spoke on the legitimacy of specific clauses in the working papers. The chair clarified that loans are a government regulated and transparent action already, and that the creation of courts on corruption would be extremely difficult to pass. As these concerns relate to all the papers, delegates have debated continuously on the effectiveness of each resolution plan.

As debate continues, it is unclear if the true resolution to corruption is one of these working papers, a combination of them, or not any of them. The decision is expected to be made by the end of the day. 

The Journey to South American Independence

By: Elina Palapattu

This morning, debate is heated in the South American Independence Committee. This committee is tasked with defeating Spanish powers in South America so that it may  exist without a large colonial power. Things are moving fast as multiple directives are introduced and the delegation of Britain drops in with surprising news. 

The day started off with a directive idea from Bernard O'higgins and Jose Felix Ribas: The directive on Porto Cabello and Coastal Venezuela. The directive proposes an attack on Porto Cabello (to retake the city) and cut off spanish supplies. This directive earned support from Simon Bolivar immediately. Manuel Belgrano also agreed, but says that in order for this to work a strong military is needed. 

Debate was suddenly interrupted as the delegation of Britain entered the room and offered support. However, all delegates were concerned by the terms. Britain offered their help and coordination in return for control on carribean islands and ports. The delegation of Britain also requested total economic control. This news left delegates shocked and suspicious. José Antonio Páez pointed out that this situation sounds identical to the situation Latin America was just in with Spain, and the situation they are fighting to get out of. Many delegates agreed that giving Britain economic power is a bad idea, however delegates disagree on whether to negotiate with Britain, or flat out decline their support. José Antonio Páez, Jose Felix Rebas, and Simon Bolivar believe that there is no harm in negotiating, but Bernard O’Higgins does not want to engage with Britain at all (at first). However, consensus among all delegates is that they cannot accept the Britain offer as is.

Two new directives are now in the works: Retreating Troops from Caracas and Spread the Propaganda Directive. The Retreating Troops from Caracas directive recognizes that the battle is no longer top priority, and the Propaganda directive spreads information about the Spanish that will instill fear among common people. These directives will continue to develop as time goes on!

More secret information was revealed as Manuela Saenz received a message that a sewer pipe is open, and this could lead to the Spanish to invading Porto Cabello. After debate between Saenz and Belgrano, delegates decided this information is not top priority, and instead introduced the Porto Cabello directive, which passed. Recently the Crisis Backroom came with more information: Latin America took a win against the Spanish in Porto Cabello, but now the Spanish are looking for a forced battle to take another port. The delegates are now preparing for battle.

If the pirates have no rum, let them eat cake!

By: Adi Balaji

In a crisis that leaves the council members dumbfounded and worried, local pirate bars and taverns shut down due to a scandal involving an inside saboteur that threatens to out the pirate council to the British Crown. Bars are not allowed to reopen until the scandal is solved. This closing of bars and taverns is very alarming to all council members mainly due to the fact that this means no more rum! The absence of a place to socialize and drink alcohol to boost their crews’ morale poses a serious threat to the stability of a pirate ship’s crew, however, pirates Mary Read and Josiah Burgess have a trick up their sleeves. 

Mary Read quickly introduced the idea of opening a secret speakeasy nearby to offer a place for pirates to socialize, drink and wind down even if bars and taverns are closed. In response to Read’s proposal, Burgess supported her initiative by volunteering his own resources. 

With that, they have launched an exciting new initiative called the “Let Them Eat Cake” directive that creates a speakeasy for the pirates that runs out of “The Jolly Pirate,” owned by a friend of Josiah Burgess, secretly serving pirate crew members rum, snacks and their brand new signature Salted Caramel Rum Cake. According to the directive, sale will be supported by the cakeria “Sweet Home Rum Cakes” and will be advertised with the help of the speakeasy’s mascot: Pretzel the Parrot. Read and Burgess’ rationale behind opening this illegal tavern is to help boost the pirates’ morale before their impending battle with the British Royal Navy. A reason for continuing alcohol sale illicitly, Burgess mentions, is to ensure that pirates who are “unhappy due to a lack of rum and their favorite pastimes” don’t go rogue and out the crew to the British Crown. 

Mary Read mentions that the main driving reason for opening her speakeasy is that “alcohol and rum cakes are a quintessential part of Pirate culture, and the whole point of [the meeting] is to preserve that culture for future generations of drunken scallywags.” Read’s words echoed throughout the entire council, allowing them to pass the “Let Them Eat Cake” directive with an outstanding 100% support. The event highlights the strength and deep roots of the pirate community. Perhaps the preservation of this deep bond and culture does indeed justify opening an illegal bar for pirates to enjoy themselves in. After all, what’s a pirate without his yo ho ho bottle of rum?

Natural Progressions of Politics: Monarchy, Republic, Socialism, Anarchy

By: Piper Davenport

Following the Spanish loss of territories to the United States in the Spanish American War, ending in 1898, the Spanish citizenry experienced a wave of nationalist perspectives. The subsequent years saw divisions form between the right and left winged parties. In 1923 Miguel Primo de Rivera established a conservative Catholic Nationalist state whose rule returned the working class to practices aligned with the feudalism of the Dark Ages. The year 1931 saw Rivera’s overthrow at the hands of the centrist, anti-monarchy, Second Spanish Republic. Despite the power shift instability maintained its reign.

In order to address the drought they are experiencing, the government of the Republic established a working paper on Land & Agrarian Reform. Though it finds its bones in liberal policy, the paper’s comprehensive solutions are a result of the cooperation between the opposing parties. The main tenets of this paper are as follows: a land ceiling above which landowners would be forced to pay exorbitant taxes to retain the land, regulations on working conditions, and agrarian reform that allows the working class equitable access to property. To fund the implementation of these reforms the committee proposed a graduated property and income tax.

Concerns were certainly raised by the conservative bloc, many of whom were frustrated by the overall centrist nature of the paper. The most significant issue subjected to debate was a clause regarding an eight hour work day that allowed for laborers to work overtime on their own volition. Conservatives worried that “this would effectively force people to work overtime at the risk of either losing their jobs or not being harder,”; this concern was furthered by the continued lack of anti-descrimination provisions. Additionally, concerning a clause establishing different levels of taxation based on region, conservatives worried that people would just migrate to regions of lower taxes. A co-sponsor of the paper, Manuel Muino, clarified that, “Any lower taxation in regions will be coupled with lower minimum wage,”. However, this does not fully address the concern of large companies taking advantage of this law. Despite continued debate over the aforementioned issues, concessions were certainly made by the liberals. The two most significant were exemption of the church from the proposed tax and the complete removal of a proposed stimulus package.

Nearing the end of the session it was announced to the committee that a mob, incited by Manuel Muino in an attempt to force through the paper, had descended upon Madrid. Committee session four came to its conclusion with conservative delegates scrambling to address the deficiencies of the proposed paper, while the liberal delegates threatened to allow the mob into the building. The conservative bloc maintained their focus on material change throughout the crisis acknowledging that, “Whoever lets the mob in will undoubtedly be prosecuted and must live with the repercussions of their actions,” (Jaume Aiguader). One question remains to be seen: will law truly rule the day or will violence at the hands of the opposing factions lead to bloodshed?

“Terrible Communists”

By: Ash K. Srivastava [xe/xyr]

After passing its fifth directive in just three and a half committee sessions, the Committee to Defend the Panthers determinedly continued to work to solve their plethora of crises. Not only are they currently attempting to agree on the best method to free Huey Newton, they are also trying to find the author of a scathing New York Times article that is hiding among them. On top of those two large crises, they are attempting to understand the death of Bobby Hutton and recovering from the assasination of MLK. Many are worried about being surveilled by the FBI and losing public support.

Atticus Radley powerfully brought up another issue: youth involvement. “What we’re forgetting about is the youth...how are we aiding the youth in our fight for freedom?” This powerful sentiment was left for delegates to ponder during a five-minute break. When they returned, they were faced with yet another issue: Huey Newton’s trial beginning. They quickly moved to introduce a directive drafted earlier in the morning about registering Black Panther members to protect their public image in the case of outside forces attempting to radicalize their events. Shortly after, in a speech about another directive, Stokely Carmichael proposed they set up a fake Black Panther Party meeting to root out whoever is surveilling them. The bloc of delegates currently working on this draft is “confident that it will pass.” Those two directives are a small portion of a myriad of directives actively being drafted. 

In addition, there seem to be ongoing tensions between two main players in the Committee: Dr. J Herman Blake and Stokely Carmichael. One of the two noted that their professional relationship is “not very strong,” while the other expressed a similar sentiment. Most recently, J Edgar Hoover was broadcast to the Committee and declared that “terrible Communists” are attempting to influence them. Delegates seemed skeptical, with one delegate noting that they “would need to see evidence” and another saying that “Hoover is trying to spread fear and make us look the part of forign (sic) terroist (sic) that will take there (sic) freedom.” Obviously, there is a lot going on in the committee and we will keep you updated.

Poetry for Peace

By: Tananya Prankprakma

In an unforgiving, quickly paced invasion, the Uyghurs began occupying land in the northern regions of the Tang Dynasty after some violent disputes about trading along the border. Although the council of the Tang Dynasty was initially willing to try and make peace with the Uyghur Khaganate, the situation turned quickly in the other direction. 

A directive passed by the council earlier led a significant amount of troops to the northern border to address the initial invasion. It wasn’t all of them, but it was enough to leave much of the rest of the empire in danger. The Uyghurs then took advantage of the Tang’s defensive holes and have now fully taken the capital and even a few key provinces. The Tang Dynasty has been left in two pieces after the Uyghurs’ continued invasion. The council is on the same page about this situation--taking back this province is imperative to the future of the dynasty. Without it, the Tang’s future will be extremely unstable. 

Council members agree that it is imperative to not neglect Tang citizens in these trying times. Tang citizens may feel unmotivated in times of war, and the army needs help. As such, Master Li, a literary genius and great poet known across the Tang Dynasty, composed the following poem:

To all of Tang’s Citizens: We are at war! It is as if the mist is like the earth’s desire, it always hides the sun for whom she cries. At this point, efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction. Please sign up for defending our territory in GLORY! Long live the Tang Dynasty!

This composition was then distributed widely across the Tang lands. While the future of the Tang Dynasty is still unclear, Master Li’s literary prowess ensures that the Tang people will be uplifted and motivated in these times of war. 

A Conundrum in Kansas City

By: Brady Noble

Kansas City is a sprawling metropolis of half a million people, located roughly in the center of the United States. The city is known for barbeque, jazz and giving us the 33rd President of the United States Harry S. Truman. However, the city is extremely vulnerable to the effects of  climate change. With two major rivers running through the city, Kansas City is highly susceptible to drought. Additionally, rising sea levels affect inland ports, such as Kansas City, as most rivers are inter-connected with the oceans. Kansas City has already seen some of the effects of climate change. Since the 1970s, the average temperature has continued to rise about one degree every thirty years. Additionally, rainfall has been increasing by roughly half an inch every ten years. However, the worst is yet to come. Scientists predict that the temperature will increase a further four degrees by the year 2060.

Given the current and impending problems with climate change, and the city’s vulnerable geography, Mayor Quinton Lucas (D) has made environmental policy a priority. Last night the Mayor’s Office commissioned several of the greatest minds in environmental policy to assist the city. Each group was given one hour to come up with a policy solution to the problem. 

Almost every group recognized the need to reduce the use of fossil fuels and emphasize renewable energy. However, each delegation proposed their own unique solution to the problem. The delegation from Gull Lake High School proposed the expansion of public transit systems. They contended that public transit uses less fossil fuel on a per-person basis. Further, they emphasized that the city works to build electric car chargers around the city. On the other hand, the delegation from Columbia High School highlighted water consumption in their proposal. They proposed that grass in public parks be removed, and replaced with artificial grass, noting the amount of water that would be saved. Most all delegations proposed that funding for their projects come from either non-profits, non-governmental associations or the State of Missouri.

A Cooperative Committee

By: Sophia Rich

This morning starting off with a huge shock for delegates in the 2011 Japanese Reconstruction Agency, a local news channel alerted the committee that another Tsunami had just hit Japan causing a critical dent in Japan’s food supply and leaving many Japanese people in search of their next meal. In response to this drop, delegates were given two options: To try and alleviate Japan's agricultural problems or to move forward and deal with long term solutions, after a unanimous decision, the delegates from the Japanese Reconstruction Agency set out a plan to spend the rest of this committee session on working towards long term solutions!

After spending no more than 5 minutes in this committee, it was immensely clear that this was a group of like-minded delegates working towards a reasonable and ethical solution. The Tohoku earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster had left a lasting effect on all of the delegate’s people whom they represent and it was abundantly obvious that this was a united committee in which the primary focus was the people of Japan. Ideas arose quickly after this news drop, delegates decided to focus on two pillars of stability: How to shift towards a cleaner energy system (long-term) and how to mitigate this social and economic damage (short-term).

In terms of shifting towards a cleaner energy system, delegates immediately began to brainstorm, and new proposals flooded the discussion room. It was in unanimous agreement that nuclear energy was no longer an effective option for the nation of Japan to rely on. Delegate Mizuho Fukushima suggested that this committee focus on wind energy as it is applicable to Japan’s environment and  wind speeds near water are reliably successful and fast. Modern solutions such as geothermal and hydroelectric power were also brought up in committee but were only explored on the surface level. It is agreed upon in committee that nuclear energy was a direct cause of this explosion and it must be eliminated in some form. A gradual decrease of nuclear energy use was also proposed in committee and was well received by most delegates. 

Delegates also felt it was necessary to address some of the more urgent damage that needed to be taken care of. Japanese working class people, primarily people working in Agriculture have been put out of work and these delegated are determined to find short-term solutions that can relieve some of this economic uncertainty. An extremely innovative idea brought up by multiple delegates was to give people who had lost their jobs new jobs in areas of reconstruction and damage control, this would allow for short-term relief while also working towards long-term solutions! 

The Japanese Reconstruction Agency is filled with innovative delegates seeking an ethical approach to these issues, as the day passes this committee will surely pass effective resolutions and address these urgent environmental issues!

Mind Games and Mistrust

by Elena Lu

Divisions are growing in the United States Cabinet as it works to mobilize its troops for war and simultaneously pull itself together. In the words of Daniel Webster, “We’re deadzo.” All hope is not lost, though. A large number of U.S. troops are in place, and James Monroe thinks that it’s time to “seize the initiative.” The U.S. is sending 30,000 troops to attack Detroit, and the Cabinet doesn’t care if the city is burned to the ground as long as the British are forced to retreat. The British Canadians will have to respond quickly in order to maintain their hold over the key city, so the current plan is to “play mind games” with the U.S.

However, mind games may not be necessary when spies could be anywhere. Hull and Armstrong spent several minutes privately debating who in the U.S. Cabinet might be a spy for the British Canadians. Armstrong, suspicious of Lewis Cass, commented, “We’re in his territory, and he hasn’t said anything.” The two decided to keep a close eye on Cass and Monroe. Despite his mistrust of his fellow Cabinet members, Hull agrees with Webster that the U.S. can’t afford to fight itself, and needs to instead focus on “our real enemy: the British” (Webster).

On the British Canadian side, things are just as interesting. “If you’re trying to strip me of my power, I don’t have any!” Charles Douglas Smith announced to Sir George Prevost this afternoon. Yet that’s exactly what happened. After discovering that Smith was actually an American spy, the British Canada Cabinet has stripped him of all his powers.

Battle updates and strategies are flying around each Zoom room. When asked about the most important part of the U.S. strategy, Daniel Webster cited “troop movements, nationalization of the militias, and the actual fact that we don’t have troops.” James Monroe added, “I think the most important goal of the US is to win a rapid, decisive victory in Canada, taking York and Montreal. This would put immense pressure on the British, and allow us to win a rapid victory. Fast movement is key.” Similarly, Charles Douglas Smith says that attacking hard and fast is a key part of the British Canada Cabinet’s war strategy. “I believe we must be proactive, and that peace is no longer an option,” Smith wrote decisively. With both countries going on the offense, it’s bound to be an interesting weekend.

Japanese Reconstruction Agency: Nuclear Fallout in Policy?

By Edison Park

Protesters in Tokyo today left the Japanese Reconstruction agency paralyzed. The protestors demanded better transparency from the government, and have shown dissatisfaction with the directives that have been passed, namely the Evacuation 101 & Nuclear Stabilization Directive and the Rescue, Evacuation, and Supply 2.0 Directive. In response to this, new directives have been proposed.

Directive 3.0 was presented at approximately 4:10 PM, and was sponsored by Shingo Ura, Yuichiro Hata, Renho Saito, and Shigeru Sugawara. The first clause of the directive immediately raised controversy, as it demands “conducting scheduled blackouts in low-demand hours” and “restricting energy usage during daylight hours.” These are actions to be taken in order to alleviate the power outages throughout the nation. Confusion arose within the committee; Mayor Masanori Yamamoto questioned, “How does making more people suffer help those who are already suffering?” He adds, “If the power lines are destroyed, then causing blackouts just causes more suffering and confusion.” The protestors’ demands were met later in the directive through a proposal of Quasi Autonomous Non-Governmental Organizations publish detailed reports of government actions and also calls for a media team to be created for greater transparency. These clauses have not been problematic.

Another directive that was presented was the Medicine Distribution and Communications Restoration Directive, sponsored by Osamu Fujimura, Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, and Masanori Yamamoto. This directive focused on the distribution of information and medicine to the Japanese people. The first clause allocates 2 billion yen to provide radios for the purpose of communication, while also mandating a press conference every hour and looking to reconstruct cell phone towers. However, this idea of reconstruction of cell phone towers raised questions within the agency, as many delegates felt the need to look for more instant action, rather than committing to the reconstruction at the current moment. The second clause allocates 200 billion yen to provide anti-radiation medicine to the people. Some delegates also found this clause to not be an immediate solution to the problems at hand; Representative Tatsuo Hirano explicitly asked, “How is this plan an immediate solution?” Economist Sakiko Fukuda-Parr responded by stating that even a plan that takes months is still an immediate solution. 

The final directive presented during this committee session was the Prioritizing the People Directive, which focused on restoring stability, reinforcing communication, and providing resources. The first clause of this directive focused on establishing a strong communication system, suggesting that a stronger weather system prediction be made, more public newspapers be published, and that hospital resources be used efficiently by relocating medical professionals to danger hotspots. This clause was disputed, again, due to the necessity of urgent action; delegates such as Fukuda-Parr felt that establishing a stronger weather prediction would take too long to be effective in resolving the current crisis. The other clauses urged relocations to the more established cities of Aizuwakamatsu and Iwaki, as well as supplying more care packages for the victims and developing radiation testing for residents. 

The committee has suspended debate, and will vote on these directives today. The people of Japan await their decisions.

Fish, Guerillas, and English, Oh My!

By: Piper Davenport

Beginning in 1919, one year following the end of the Great War, the Irish Republican Army declared war on Great Britain seeking its independence and sparking the Anglo-Irish War. The Irish Revolutionary Dáil works as a small collective to support the war efforts in the face of food shortages and impending British attacks. What is most striking about these individuals is their single minded motivation to gain independence which allows them to pass multiple different directives simultaneously. Their plans are enhanced through mutual collaboration and open minded debate. When disagreement arises it is handled with efficiency, a cornerstone of their conversations as though they fear that disaster is imminent.

To solve the issue of food shortages the committee unanimously passed a directive entitled: Fishy Business. This directive allocated £33,300,000 to build 333 new fisheries, each being allotted 500 acres. The Ministry of Fisheries set aside 150,000,000 pounds of fish per year to be bought and consumed by the Irish people and left the remaining 6/7 to be used for trade. The following year, 1920, Sean Etchinham proposed, and again passed unanimously, a follow up directive which moved the profits of the new fisheries to other branches of government as needed to support the war effort. This directive renames the Ministry of Fisheries to include “Food Trade”; the last clause also empowers Etchingham to control the new body. There was relatively little debate on the passing of either directive though another delegate made a friendly amendment which denationalized the fisheries after the war, thus stimulating the new economy and ending the government monopoly over fishing.

Another directive passed concurrently with Fishy Business +, the second iteration of the aforementioned directive, was the Directive for Local Government. A short directive that passed unanimously, Local Government empowered town leaders to decide certain aspects of the domestic economy, subsequently relieving the IRA of a significant portion of its workload.

 A busy year for the revolution, 1920, the committee was made aware of a failed assasination attempt on the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Recognising their delicate position with Northern Ireland the Dáil decided it was pertinent that they release a press statement clarifying that though they can understand the passions of their citizens the attack was in no way condoned by the Irish government. In the statement penned by Laurnece Ginnell the Dáil made their position clear, both on the British and violence of the assassins clear, stating that, “We are above the petty squabbles of the British-- the politicking, the obscenity, and the complete incompetence of their parliamentary process-- as well as their prolificacy of their political terror regime,” (Press Release #3). 

The looming threat of an attack of the British Navy, notably one of the strongest in the world, colored much of the debate of committee sessions. The conclusion arrived at by the delegates can be summarized by George Plunketts ironic rhyme that “‘We are never going to win this war outright, we just need to wear down their resources so that they are unable to justify the cost of the fight’”. To follow through on this plan the delegates resolved to invest in a Navy composed of majority small fast ships to protect the fisheries, and quickly move people around the island, as well as some coastal batteries. Both will be used for solely defensive maneuvers as the Irish forces move their characteristic guerrilla warfare onto the open water. In addition to naval maneuvers there was expressed interest, and debate over, investing in either submarines or land artillery which has been a proven success. The war is quickly changing and in their typical fashion the Dáil must work with efficiency to outlast the British forces.

BREAKING: Tragic attempt on Phineas Bunce’s life

By: Adi Balaji

Last night at 11.53 PM there was an attempted murder of Phineas Bunce after the Blackbeard Pirate Council’s first session. Sources say that Bunce was harmed by an unidentified subject while he was having a drink at a bar near the location of the committee meeting. Taking into consideration that no one except the members of the council knew the location of the committee meetings, it is safe to assume that the attempt on Bunce’s life was made by a member of the council itself, and that this crime was politically motivated.

During the first session of the council, Phineas Bunce’s ideas seemed to be incredibly controversial among the members as it involved creating a centralized pirate body that would oversee wealth exchange between the pirates, essentially taking away some of the freedoms offered by piratism for the greater good of pirates and their lifestyle. This initiative was heavily contested by an anti-centralist bloc that formed consisting of renowned pirates such as Mary Read, Josiah Burgess, Black Bart, and Charles Vane. They strongly opposed Bunce’s original idea for a central pirate bank claiming that creating a central body such as that would create a “big pirate nation” that they did not want, and that creating a public body such as this would be “painting a target on [their] back” for the British and Spanish Navy. This forced Bunce to make changes to his initiative to accommodate the committee’s wishes of piracy to remain loosely overseen. Even still, Bunce’s directive was passed by a very narrow majority. 

The news of the attempted murder and the suspicion of an inside saboteur was delivered to the council the next morning during the second session; members had mixed reactions. Josiah Burgess, one of the pirates that strongly disagreed with Bunce’s centralist initiative, reassured the committee that he would never have committed the crime because he considers Bunce an ally, even if they have opposing ideas.

The Working Paper: “Captain Burgess, you experienced disagreements with Bunce last session. Is there a statement you would like to make regarding the attempted murder of Phineas Bunce?”

Josiah Burgess: “Bunce is a good man, great pirate, and even better friend”

The member who raised perhaps the most suspicion for this attempted murder is Charles Vane, one of the leaders of the Republic of Pirates in Nassau. Vane was one of the members that expressed strong dissent against Phineas Bunce’s ideas and did not support the formation of the Memento Mori Pirate Reserve. Throughout the second session, Vane consistently repeated that the council should not be trying to find the criminal as that is not the reason the council has gathered, and repeatedly deferred the discussion topic away from discussing the attempt of Bunce’s life. Unlike many other members, Vane refused to properly sympathize with Bunce and voice solidarity in finding the killer with him. 

WP: “Charles Vane, you experienced strong disagreements with Bunce last session. Do you have a statement to make regarding the attempted murder of Phineas Bunce?”

Charles Vane: “Bunce is a pirate of honor and he can defend himself, that is all.”

Upon additional investigation, The Working Paper found that Charles Vane has had a history of violence towards other pirates, and harsh rules on his own crew. This violence includes torture, maiming and murder of prisoners. This information definitely puts Charles Vane under the spotlight for the attempted murder of Phineas Bunce. 

As of now, there is no way to tell for certain who was the criminal involved in the attempt on Bunce’s life. The anti-centralism bloc, and Charles Vane in particular, remain under suspicion. The discussion ended on a more positive note when Phineas Bunce made motivational remarks when asked about his feelings towards the killer.

WP: “Do you have anything to say to the criminal that attempted to murder you?”

Phineas Bunce: “While you can try to attack me until the day I die, you can never bring down the pirate community because the pirate community stands strong. Stay away from all of my pirate friends on this council or I will kill you.”

The council keeps all hands on deck to continue to investigate the crime..

Sources cited:

Minster, Christopher. “Biography of Charles Vane, English Pirate.” ThoughtCo, www.thoughtco.com/biography-of-charles-vane-2136363. 

“Famous Pirate: Charles Vane.” Charles Vane - Famous Pirate - The Way of the Pirates, www.thewayofthepirates.com/famous-pirates/charles-vane/.