By Goncar, 2021-06-14
Welcome to the SLU Roundtable!
Today we had a very special guest sit down and discuss NationStates and life. Caelapes!
How long have you been on NationStates?
2005 was when I made my first nation, but I didn't join The Internationale and leftist NationStates until 2013.
Regions of association? Follow up: jobs in each that you have ever had or present?
The Internationale, since 2013. I joined The Red Fleet that year also, even though my first nation was created in 2005.
In The Internationale, I have served as Comrade World Assembly Delegate and Custodian, the name we've used for Founders following La Pasionaria's deletion. In The Red Fleet, I began as a sailor and was a lieutenant when La Pasionaria, at the time a Squadron Admiral, was puppetswept. I was promoted to a Commissariat of three members but after some time was the lone remaining officer. The Fleet's founding admiral, ForeStarnya, wanted to end the Fleet's operations but I revived it and served as the new era's first Fleet Admiral.
As we are both members of NSLeft, what do you believe the organization needs to fix its activity issue?
I'm inactive myself. I don't see a problem with relative inactivity on NationStates, especially with Nazi regions being banned. I would rather our players be active in their actual communities.
You are currently in charge of The Internationale right? What do you think is the biggest challenge as you now take over for Courelli?
Yes, that is true. The biggest challenge is reviving regional self-government after a lengthy period without a functioning government and no elections, exacerbated by my absence from NationStates beyond keeping nations alive. Perhaps that could be a project that other comrades from our fellow NSLeft regions would be interested in helping to solve, in keeping with the spirit of our region's name.
Do you have any ambitions in your new role?
My ambition is to keep the Founder nation alive. I do not have any political or NationStates career ambitions.
What are some of your greatest achievements throughout your NationStates career?
Nothing that I will list here was my own accomplishment, but rather collective actions that I was a participant in, that were particularly memorable or "important" in the world of NationStates:
- The defenses of The Internationale -- I was nearing the end of my first term as Comrade World Assembly Delegate (and wasn't necessarily expecting to run again) when La Pasionaria was deleted in late 2013, meaning my role suddenly became crucially important. We were able to successfully password-protect the region, clear out remaining residents, and eventually refound the region. This process has since been repeated a number of times, due to my own puppetsweep and Proletaire's retirement.
- The raids of Nazi Europe and especially The Greater German Reich, the latter raid being led by The Red Fleet and seized on the first jump. Along with this, the defenses of Anne Frank and other leftist regions from fascist raid.
- Of my solely individual achievements, my greatest would be getting the last native resident of THE TRUMP WARRIORS to send me the region's password in response to a telegram I sent from my main nation, Caelapes. That was a satisfying raid.
Who are some people that you have gotten close to over the years?
Proletaire, Godless Monkey, V Ming, Transemilia, Courelli, Vippertooth, Zulanka.
What would you consider yourself as politically?
I am a Marxist-Leninist.
Do you believe it is possible to have leftist unity at this time or ever?
I can say the broad public doesn't care about sectarian left infighting. It's a waste of time and energy to engage in it.
If you had one message to those who will read this, what would that be?
Don't. Stop. Leave this hell site.
But in all honesty -- be organizing. I'm a Leninist, so I organize in a party, but there's also unions, mutual aid networks, study groups -- whatever it is, now is the time to organize.
