Letters from Penguinea, Talossa, discuss differences

Article (1 January): "... while Talossan-Penguinean relations head for the deep freeze"

Just a few points I'd like to make:

a) The important thing to realise about "distinct Pengopats culture" is that in my initial conversations with Madison he was all in favour of the idea. I still have an email in which he tells me that "Talossa needs its equivalent of the Basques!" I'm still not sure how and why he changed his mind, but I think it was when he realised that Evan Gallagher, the only real threat to his continued total domination, had gained an ally. That's what *really* pissed Bobby off, I think - Evan having a friend.

b) Have you read the Talossan-era _SoCro_'s? They're generally pro-PC for the first few issues, on the ground that the opposition were a bunch of headless chickens (an opinion I still hold, sorry guys). It's only when Ben started saying things like "the high opposition vote proves we're letting in the wrong sort of people", "heterodox opinions are only tolerable as long as they're held by a small minority" and swearing an oath to run Ian Kabell out for having the temerity to criticise Bobby's Spanish-Inquisition-style editorial policies, that I began to realise we were dealing with a bona fide nutcase, or a bona fide fascist. I'm still not sure which one.

c) Evan is not a "Lord Protector". No Lords here.

Very good article! Here's the errors I found:

1. Evan and Anthony were creating Penginijtung and getting Pengöpäts set up, with the occasional assistance of Albrec'ht Stolfi. Albrec'ht backed out of being involved in Pengöpäts by July or so; if I remember right, it was mainly because he was very rarely able to get online at the time.

2. Pengöpäts autonomy had been going on for a month or two before Anthony was rejected for citizenship, and in fact Anthony's participation in it was one of the reasons he was rejected for citizenship.

3. Evan's title was never "Lord Protector"; it was simply "Protector".

4. Because I was Talossan Deputy Prime Minister at the time when Dan left Talossa, Dan mailed me the two printed copies of the treaty. As soon as everyone had given their OK, which I think was April or May (although I'm not sure -- I think it was before I left Talossa for good), I mailed both copies of the treaty to Chris Gruber in Florida for him to sign. I think it was specified in the treaty itself that one copy was to go to Ben for the Talossan archives, and the other was to go to Evan for the Penguinean archives. Evan had not received the signed copy of the treaty (despite apparently contacting Chris several times via e-mail), which led to his opinion that the treaty was not in force.

I think the whole exercise is pointless. Ben et consortes (sic) do not wish Penguinea and Talossato be friends whatever happens. The only thing that would ever appease them is if Penguinea dissolved itself or applied to join Talossa again. They see Penguinea and all other micronations as competition, and thus anti-Talossan as such. This is the basic crux which will never go away, so even though I occasionally combat the worst stupidities on both sides, I have effectively given up.

There will never be an official friendship between Penguinea and Talossa, and I'm not bothered any more. I will continue to develop personal friendships, like I do with people in all hobbies, in all fora. As a micronationally active Talossan, Penguinea no longer exists to me. As a private macronational person, individual Penguineans exist very much.

And that's it. No use scratching at scabs which never will heal.

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