July 2020 diplomatic incident
| July 2020 diplomatic incident | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | July 2020 | ||
| Location | |||
| Caused by | Lax server moderation policies | ||
| Status | Partially resolved
| ||
| Parties to the civil conflict | |||
| Lead figures | |||
| |||
The July 2020 diplomatic incident, also known as the Summer 2020 diplomatic incident, was a diplomatic incident between The League of Conservative Nations (LCN) and several other regions that began on 4 July 2020 when officials from The Union of Democratic States (UDS) took issue with the LCN's moderation policies regarding offensive language on their Discord server and withdrew embassies. The Order of the Grey Wardens (TGW), The East Pacific (TEP), and The Free Nations Region (FNR) also subsequently withdrew embassies, citing concerns about out-of-character moderation. Right to Life (RtL) also severed ties with the LCN, however mainly due to their opposition of World Assembly Delegate and Director of Foreign Affairs San Carlos Islands' decision to vote in favor of a General Assembly resolution guaranteeing the right to abortion.
Following the incident, the Consulate of the Republic began reforming the LCN's Discord server moderation policies. The server rules were changed to prohibit usage of slurs and other offensive language, and the Server Moderation Team increased its strictness in enforcing the rules. In February of 2021, six months after the incident, the Consulate decided that their reforms had been sufficient enough to revitalize the region's diplomatic outreach and begin reestablishing ties with certain regions.
Contents
Background
Severance of diplomatic ties
The Union of Democratic States
On 4 July 2020, Glaciosia, a government official of The Union of Democratic States (UDS), took issue with Director of Foreign Affairs San Carlos Islands' Discord status, which referenced a meme about stock investments that used a slur. Glaciosia and The Noble Thatcherites then raised their concerns with the LCN allowing jokes that contained offensive language on its server. The LCN responded that although such jokes were allowed, the Server Moderation Team did not tolerate harassment or hate speech. The UDS stated such a stance was still problematic and withdrew embassies that day. The embassy closure was finalized on the 8 July. The UDS government later labeled Quebecshire persona non grata with a complimentary Discord role and banned him from their Minecraft server.
The Noble Thatcherites made a post on the LCN's forum thread on 18 July 2020 which criticized the LCN's moderation policies.[1] Several LCNers responded to defend the region, and members of other regions gave their opinions as well.
Right to Life
In July, a resolution called "Access to Abortion" was submitted to the General Assembly. Right to Life (RtL), a pro-life region, conducted quorum raids in an attempt to prevent the resolution from enterring quorum. The resolution enterred quorum regardless. On 10 July, San Carlos Islands, as the LCN's World Assembly Delegate, recommended the region vote in favor of the resolution and further condemned quorum raiding, calling such actions "undemocratic and degenerate".[2][3]
RtL opposed San Carlos Islands' decision. United Massachusetts responded to San Carlos Islands' statement on the RMB with a post advertising RtL's position on the resolution. Quebecshire suppressed his post and asked him to delete it because it violated the LCN's rules on foreign advertising.[4] United Massachusetts deleted his post.
On 15 July 2020, United Massachusetts posted a message on the LCN's RMB, calling the GA resolution "evil" and accusing San Carlos Islands of slandering RtL. United Massachusetts took issue with Quebecshire suppressing his post advertising RtL's stance on the resolution, which violated the LCN constitution's clause against foreign advertisements. United Massachusetts also expressed his opposition to memes created by the LCN about the resolution[5], to San Carlos Islands political opinions, and to the LCN's server moderation practices. He demanded that San Carlos Islands be removed from his position.[6]
The Consulate stated that it would not be removing San Carlos Islands for his World Assembly decisions. It clarified that United Massachusetts' advertisement was indeed illegal according to LCN law. The LCN also found RtL's concerns about moderation disingenous, seeing that their main concern was the GA resolution rather than out-of-character issues.[7][8]
RtL made a post on their forum thread to express the same concerns, to which several LCNers responded. Nations from other regions also made comments on the thread and the topic shifted to discussing moderation concerns that the UDS had raised.[9]
RtL withdrew embassies with the LCN, which closed on 19 July.
The Order of the Grey Wardens
The criticisms of the LCN from both the UDS and RtL on the NationStates Gameplay (NSGP) forums prompted responses from other nations and regions. Tim-Opolis (also known as First Warden Tim of The Order of the Grey Wardens) expressed his dislike of both RtL and the LCN.[10] He claimed that the LCN was irrelevant, constantly made fun, and isolated from the larger NSGP community.[11] TGW withdrew embassies that day and closure finalized on 19 July.
The East Pacific
The Free Nations Region
Aftermath
LCN addresses moderation issues
Reestablishment of certain relations
References
- ↑ The Noble Thatcherites (18 July 2020). "TNT's post on the LCN's forum thread". NationStates.net. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ↑ San Carlos Islands (10 July 2020). "WA update". NationStates.net. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ↑ San Carlos Islands (10 July 2020). "Vote FOR Access To Abortion". NationStates.net. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ↑ Quebecshire (5 July 2020). "Quebec requests UM delete advertisement". NationStates.net. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ↑ Spode Humbled Minionss (5 July 2020). "Abortion Doctor Goose Memes (sorry not sorry RtL)". NationStates.net. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ↑ United Massachusetts (10 July 2020). "A Diplomatic Message from Right to Life". NationStates.net. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ↑ Quebecshire (10 July 2020). "Consulate response to RtL controversy". NationStates.net. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ↑ Terranihil (10 July 2020). "Terranihil responds to RtL controversy". NationStates.net. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ↑ "RtL thread on relations with the LCN". NationStates.net. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ↑ Tim-Opolis (16 July 2020). "Tim-Opolis post about LCN-RtL dispute". NationStates.net. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ↑ Tim-Opolis (16 July 2020). "Tim-Opolis post about LCN's status in NSGP". NationStates.net. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
