opnet [OpNet] Michaelites.

[Wakinyan]

Hi.

I guess some of you might have seen the news about me having the little falling out with some Michaelites. It didn't end well but I am healed up, more or less.

I am wondering if any of you have had issues with them yourselves and if so how do/did you deal with them? I think they have singled me out for my obvious looks and the fact I am not hiding or on the move like others. I may have to go into hiding soon in order to protect my family but I can't decide if me being here to protect them is a better idea.

How come I feel more helpless now than I did when I was just.... Human?

[Sakurako Hino]

Yeah, I heard.

By you posting, I know you're alright physically, but I have to worry about your mental and spiritual wellbeing. As you obviously stated, you're feeling vulnerible. Hurt.

Don't let these... terrorists... get to you. You start losing faith in yourself, you start giving them a victory.

Religious zealots are quite high on my black-list. I can bet even odds they're on yours as well.

Now, I know the Michaelites are somehow occasionally getting snippets of what we say here. So, digest this.

"Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone."

Isn't Wrath a sin?

[Neil Preston]

Totem, they came after me, too. It has nothing to do with your looks, but their fear. They turned my own mother against me, had her lure me out to the countryside, and damn near killed me. My Mom was under the delusion that they were going to "cure" me of my novadom, had a complete nervous breakdown when she learned they were only going to "save my soul, not my corrupt flesh". They would have done it, too, if my Dad and his friends hadn't showed up.

Luckily for both of us, we are really hard to kill. Too bad, their ringleader got away, but I haven't forgotten his face, or his signature. When the time comes, I plan to do some "cleansing" of my own.

Wrath of the Irish, {deleted}.

Captain, I believe God allows you to defend your own.

[Sakurako Hino]

Yeah, but what are they defending but their own closed-mindedness and their blind hatred.

We, on the otherhand can defend ourselves.

I do not hate them, only pity them.

Just be careful not to fall into their hole when you chase them.

[Wakinyan]

I heard there is a compound over in Montana...

Part of me wants to go pay it a visit.

I don't like what they are making me.

[Neil Preston]

Captain, I was saying that I feel God would forgive us for killing their hate-filled asses in self-defense.

you = nova

your own = your fellow novas

Totem, while it would be trespassing to go upon their private property, or up to 300m(?) above it, the surroundings are a different story. The airspace above them is also public domain.

If you chose to check them out (from a safe and legal distance ), drop me a private line.

I admit it. I don't like them on principle, but there is one in particular who as earned my wrath.

Killing me for being me? I don't think so. That's why I take martial arts. The Hell's Angels "Take No Prisoners" variety.

Once again, Thank you Bill.

[Sakurako Hino]

Whoops, that point got under my radar. I was busy calibrating some electro-magnetic culminators on my defense grid. Stun weaponry. More humane than what those radicals deserve.

Anyways, what's this about a Montana Rocky Mountain High you guys are talking about? After all, this isn't the channel to be using for trip planning. (Wink Wink, Nudge Nudge)

[Miss Baby]

Humane?Endeavor, humane is something this zealots do not understand.A few months ago I was shot by a sniper using an air plan gun.The type made for cracking tanks.The thing fired 30 MM rounds of depleted Uranium.

I was shot more than once nearly broke my head off.So, don't talk humane.You may wish to deal with them legally, but never humanely.

[Sakurako Hino]

Yes, but if I outright start killing them, it would make me no better than them.

[Ghostwriter]

I could easily track down every compound of Michaelites in the world and kill them, or have others kill them, but you know why I won't?

Because I don't believe in senseless violence. Self-defence, yes. Pre-emptive strikes, no.

I'm not even going into all of the publicity I'd get as a member of T2M.

[Sakurako Hino]

No kidding.... Hold up a sec...

[transmission interruption...]

[transmission resumed...]

Bloody hell. You spend 5 seconds on camera and those Michaelites are hitting my public e-mail.

Thank my lucky stars my private account is practically unknown except to a few friends here.

:roll eyes:

How freaking annoying.

[H. 'Machine' Mann]

It might provide food for thought to take a moment to consider the source motivations of the so-called Michealites. To dismiss them as hate mongers and/or uneducated is simplistic in the extreme and indicates more about the person making such an assessment than it does about the Church of Micheal Archangel.

[Sakurako Hino]

Is there any under-estimation in my voice?

Doubtful.

Although, the unknown factor they have annoys me to no end.

[Jager]

Don't miss the fire for the smoke, folks. There are whole governments out there that despise novas. Michaelites are a fringe group. Dangerous, but not all that well loved in the countries they operate in.

Countries that make nova-hate a part of their policy also worry me. After all, how do you "legally" deal with them?

[Lemmy Chillmeister]

Well Bubba, the deck is stacked against us I think. I was in a hotel room during this last tour and I got jumped by a busboy with a knife. Big fucking knife too. He stuck me, but seemed kind of suprised that it didn't do much damage at all. I freaked out, reacted, and long story short, he ends up with a flash frozen arm that is crystalized up to the elbow.

Now, I had witnesses, a hotel maid, and some of my people, that said in deposition that the fucker attacked me. I still ended up having to kick out a high six figure sum to the bastard for making him lose his arm. So, like I said, the deck is stacked against us.

[Mister]

Novas are a shock to the world. And for a long time to come many people will refuse to accept Novas. People even in this enlighten age people still judge people on gender, skin, sexuality and religion.

The way to answer this is through understanding and occasionally a firm hand.

We need understanding because in many cases the people who hold these views are just as much victims of their hate as we are. A good person who has been brought up to believe that Novadom is evil will treat novas as evil. It is easy to forget how easy to instil the code of hatred in people and how hard it to remove once it is there.

We need a firm hand because we have a right to self expression and a life free from hatred. We need a firm hand because if hatred is given enough freedom it will breed more hatred and we have to do what we not to fall into that trap.

[H. 'Machine' Mann]

Look among you and take stock of the abilities found in this, an infinitesimally small group of novas. With his talons one can rend the mightiest machine of war ever created more easily than a human opens a can of tuna. Another can influence the behavior of machines thousands of miles away with her thoughts. The next can heal in a manner normally reserved by agents of god. Others kill with a voice, ignore the laws of thermodynamics or do as they please while thumbing their noses at any and all that might gainsay their actions and goals.

Look among you with clear eyes and see as they see. The hatred and fear is a reaction, not a cause. If you see nothing more than that you might as well kill them all now because you have no hope of ever changing the situation except through blind luck.

[Mister]

Humanity has always found reason to fear one another. Nova are not unique in that respect. Perhaps reasons for fearing Novas are more clearly seen. There belief that Novas are evil is wrong. Utopia is but one example of the wonderful work done by Nova for the betterment of all.

I did call for understanding H. Mann, I didn't explain what we needed to understand because that would be fit for another topic. I feel that you are simply trying to pick holes for the sake of it.

We are aware of what we are. Most of us still believe we are part of the human race and not devils sent to destroy the world.

[H. 'Machine' Mann]

Then please continue with your weighty discourse minus my "hole picking" inputs.

[Jager]

Hate ...

It's a universal constant.

We are hated for being different. Nothing new there.

I'm hated by one man, and its annoying.

I'm hated by a thousand, and I'm mildly amused.

I hate one man, and he can just go away.

Think about it.

[Sakurako Hino]

Too damn true there, Jager.

Especially the last line. "I hate one man, and he can just go away."

[Jager]

*sigh*

As my mentor told me:

Killing is easy. Learning not to kill; that is the hard part.

The longer I live, the more true that becomes to me.

[DigiGeist]

Opening up a Dojo, Mister Miyagi?

Mr. J, this is a side of you I've never seen. I'm impressed.

[Blue Cherry]

Jager, how do you legally deal with nova hating governments? Make it so they can't get what they need.Stop trading with them.Making it clear to other countries, that novas can save costs,labor and time on trade goods. i if I wanted to, could mine enough of some metals to make it profitable for The US to stop trading with some countries.

Nations, as a whole are greedy.If the US see it can gain more from me, than say Iran.WHo do you think the US will side with?

[Jager]

Iran.

Nations aren't greedy, Blue Cherry. They are self-interested. There is a difference. With Utopia, the UN, and the World Bank siting firmly down against unrestricted nova involvement, there actually isn't too much (short term) you can do.

What you would accomplish by waging a one-woman war against a soveriegn nation would be to bring in Utopia ... against you. If you were a citizen, you would be extradited for all kinds of criminal charges against the host country. Good luck getting a fair trial.

Or, you could become a fugitive.

Or, you could renounce your citizenship before launching your crusade. Then your options are Bahrain, or a bounty on your head. Even a small country can post the $10 million or so to have a small cadre of elites heading your way. With no nation to protest, and no one wanting you to hang out in their backyard, you will find yourself with few options.

You see, by declaring war (even economic war) upon any country, you are upping the ante for all novas. You might well be suprised by how many novas that pisses off.

Many novas play within the current system, and they win doing it. Others play totally outside the system, and that's good too. When you try to do it both ways, you can find the world to be a very hostile place.

[Bastian]

Brothers and Sisters, I don't advocate unrestricted violence toward baselines, but attacks against our kind must be met with utter sanction.

The Church of Michael Archangel preaches hate against us. We should answer them in more than kind, but in actions. I intend to become proactive toward this menace.

[Wakinyan]

I have decided I cannot take action against them no matter how much a part of me wishes to do so. Until they come for me. I cannot attack anyone for saying they want me dead. It is their freedom to say whatever they like.

They step anywhere within my people's land looking to hurt my people or myself and they will die. I will give no quarter for I am not being given one. It's all I can do.

[David 'Dr. Troll' Smith]

Quote:

Totem:
...It is their freedom to say whatever they like.

Iffy. All speech isn't free, and they come pretty close to going over banned speech.

If they weren't masquerading as a church I think they would have been punished long ago.

[Jager]

Passingly fine hobbies:

Tipping off the Federal law enforcement types that the local CoMA have themselves a biological agent of some kind. Suddenly, all the 'wink-wink, nudge-nudge' disappears, and the Man comes crashing down. Once they find the assualt weapons and the military hardware, who cares if they didn't find the NBC they were looking for.

Finding their nice little BioLab, making sure its up to specs, and then wrecking the place ... with he baby Doctor Frankies still inside.

Finding out what the preacher is doing with their wives (and children), while they are out soldiering away for their own perverted representation of God. Make sure the DVD's arrive on a Saturday. Label it church material. Sunday becomes so much more interesting for them that way.

[Sakurako Hino]

*grin*

In the shadowy world of chess, no one offers gratitude directly, but it is returned in results.

I am sure the results provide some sort of return. After all, it is in my pleasure to see the truth revealed.

"Open your mind, and the truth will set you free."

[Sakurako Hino]

Quote:

Originally posted by Bastian:
Brothers and Sisters, I don't advocate unrestricted violence toward baselines, but attacks against our kind must be met with utter sanction.

The Church of Michael Archangel preaches hate against us. We should answer them in more than kind, but in actions. I intend to become proactive toward this menace.

Now, I have two distinct thought tracks on this. I spent some time thinking on it, and here's what finally popped out.

Track 1:
CoMA is a Terrorist organization. Therefore, it is perfectly within the rights of the potential target to take whatever measures necessary to protect lives and property from their activities. In other words, taking this mindset with your remark, I would not only have to agree, I would also condone the most direct and final approach to rectifying the threat.

Track 2:
What CoMA does is wrong, no matter what brush you paint it with. Yet, by hunting them, it provides the ammunition they need to continue their operations in a new form. There was a line my father remembered during his training in dealing with terrorist attacks. He drove this into my mind: "A Martyr may be dealt with, but there is always another Martyr waiting in line. Right behind the last one." In other words, the more violent and adamant the group, the more vocal and direct the zealots, and the easier it is for the group to replenish it's numbers.

I cannot provide the answers to this question, but at the very least I'm trying to find a solution mutually benificial to both Human and Nova life on Earth.

[Jager]

Endeavor, that reasoning didn't do the Houston Tornado any good.

CoMA doctrine states that novas are evil and must be eraticated. What choices are left for novas?

It is a war. It doesn't have to be a war of extermination. After all, armed militants are a problem for everyone, nova and baseline alike. If they fire an RPG and miss the nova, it still lands somewhere and explodes, right?

[Sakurako Hino]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jager:
It is a war. It doesn't have to be a war of extermination. After all, armed militants are a problem for everyone, nova and baseline alike. If they fire an RPG and miss the nova, it still lands somewhere and explodes, right?

It does indeed. And alot of "collateral damage" occurrs in the process. Although I highly detest even using that term.

I'll quote a snippet of my last post with emphasis.

Track 1:
CoMA is a Terrorist organization. Therefore, it is perfectly within the rights of the potential target to take whatever measures necessary to protect lives and property from their activities. In other words, taking this mindset with your remark, I would not only have to agree, I would also condone the most direct and final approach to rectifying the threat.

That includes you and those around you, Jager.

The thing is, if I was in a situation, where if I took a step to save my life (dodge the RPG), I would endanger or kill several innocent bystanders. I may have to make that choice that some make.

To put the lives of others over their own.

This is the battlefield of radicals, victims, and martyrs.

[Jager]

if I took a step to save my life (dodge the RPG), I would endanger or kill several innocent bystanders.

No. They have endangered the people around you by firing at you. You aren't killing anyone. They are.

If someone shoots at you (and you're not on some sort of bodyguard detail), you are not responsible for the effects of dodging the projectile. No one is obliged to stand their and take it for "the greater good".

If you stand there and take it, bully for you. You have probably saved lives.

If not, they have murdered people.

This isn't work related. This isn't about who you are as an individual. This is about you being a member of a species that they want to kill for no other reason than they can't stand your species' existance.

[Juri 'Salamander' McClendon]

Damn straight, Blind Man. You said it perfectly.

[Jager]

Pyre, an attempt on your part to be polite would be appreciated. The name is Jager.

[Juri 'Salamander' McClendon]

I can own up to the fact that I've been a royal bitch the past week. I'm gonna stand behind what I've said, but I'll admit it could have been done with more respect, Jager.

I can't guarantee I won't step on yours or a few other toes in the future, though.

[Matryoshka]

Pyre, walk carefully.You aren't dealing with the most friendly of people on this world.Some of these people are killers.Some are worse. So, please pick your words wisely,and walk softly.

[Wakinyan]

Wise words Signy.

But, I expect her response to be sharp and biting as always.

[Sakurako Hino]

Yeah, I did sound fatalistic there, Jager.

But you do have to ponder this;

Sometimes by fate, someone is present at a disaster that can be prevented. Could it be that the person should take steps to prevent it?

I would give my life if the cause was just, and not in vain.

This is a matter of personal honor.