I had a few musings today and decided that this one has recently tickled my fancy the most as a topic that I'd like to bring to your attention - in the unlikely event you haven't noticed it happening already.

Introduction to this topic, let's see. When you arrive on these shores, you are totally fresh. Regardless of your lineage, you are a new image, a different person. I accept that your lineage will of course have positive consequences for you, gaining extra potential and being more experienced with how this world works through the knowledge that you've gained from your father if he was a part of our way of life too. You will always be treated that little bit differently and you expect to be since you come from such an honourable background and in return you will be expected to reach everyone's high expectations of you. Most of the time.

Now, I love a good story. Huddled around a campfire outside the Empire State because we can, sharing tales of woe, excitement and thrills from each of our family history books. Once in a while, this is almost a necessity to help provoke awe and respect from people who may not have met us and our honourable and reputable name yet. Or, at least, it is a necessity for some it seems. Regardless of all that, I still accept it and I've also been known to spout stories of my own from my history, reminiscing back to when I heard the stories from my own father's mouth, passed onto me as it will be for generations.

Here is my objection. Having someone's lineage, tales and "journals" shoved down our throats like a mirror at the dentists. I'm sure your history is fantastic, I'm sure you've had some triggerhappy moments that make you worthy of 5 minutes of my time to hear it, but do I really need to hear a reference to your family history every time I speak? Really? I'd rather eat my own head thanks. If you have an opinion on a topic then say it and back it up with things that support your opinion. Why should this have to involve a quoted reference from your "ancestor's journals"? We're not in school, we don't have to quote from the history books. I love a good old opinion, with some proof slapped in, but the whole "My father's journal" this, "my ancestor's diaries" that is getting on my proverbial tits.

You're not being graded by a university professor, you're not going to be excluded from the Mafia for plagiarism, and I'm not keen to see your family history spewing out of your mouth every time you speak because you think it gives you authority and makes your opinion count. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the one thing that gives a person authority on the streets and makes their opinion count is their rank and position. If you have that, then why would I need to hear about how your daddy was someone of high stature once upon a time in a land far far away?

Just one final thought for you to take away with you ladies and gents... Do you approve of bloodline hunting? Do you think people should be judged negatively for a mistake made by their great great grandfather? If your answer is yes, then I'm never going to agree with you but please feel free to try your luck. If your answer is no, then my point is this: Constant references to ancestors diaries/journals/booklets/autobiographies and so on is simply using bloodline to make an opinion count. If you beg to differ, then please do so. And please don't be ironic and quote from your grandfather's Captain's ship logs.

I am sure the majority of people who have told stories about their families past, and what they have done and accomplished, is not to brag or to convince people who good they are.

When I tell people about the past it is because i want to, and more so then not someone can learn a lesson from a situation i have once been in. People can take away things from a story other then, cool story bro.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but the one thing that gives a person authority on the streets and makes their opinion count is their rank and position."

If someone is a lower rank but is known to come from a family line of high value, then more so or not those same traits were passed down the line, and maybe taken more serious then others.

Where as someone with a shit past in a higher rank might no get any respect or their words taken with value.

One thing I have grown tired of, is people complaining about what other people do, we should just ban all stroies, complaints, suggestions, debates, and speeches from being allowed so that way no one will have any differnt views or opnions.

The sad thing is, i believe Premeir believes that last bit =P

"If someone is a lower rank but is known to come from a family line of high value, then more so or not those same traits were passed down the line, and maybe taken more serious then others.

Where as someone with a shit past in a higher rank might no get any respect or their words taken with value."

This may be the case, but should it be? Should someone's opinion be disregarded simply because people from their lineage made mistakes, or errors in judgement? I'm a strong believer in opportunities and I'm happy to say that the people who's bloodline have had issues previously that have had opportunities in the families that my own bloodline have never disappointed in proving that they deserved the opportunity that was given to them.

"One thing I have grown tired of, is people complaining about what other people do, we should just ban all stroies, complaints, suggestions, debates, and speeches from being allowed so that way no one will have any differnt views or opnions."

This is quite ironic. I humbly present myself as a lowly earner on the streets with my own opinion on something and am graced by the presence of a Godfather, only to have it insinuated that I'm complaining about the method people approach their contributions on the streets and that I am suggesting that there should be a ban on all of the above? Quite the opposite my good man, I'm simply inferring that hearing about someone's bloodline every other sentence is tiresome and boring. I even requested different opinions on it, encouraging the conveying of opinions and differing views.

"This may be the case, but should it be? Should someone's opinion be disregarded simply because people from their lineage made mistakes"

Yes, when you have people, who never learn from the mistakes, who contiune to make the same mistakes, why should anyone listen or respect anything they have to say?

Do you think we would take advice from hitler or his family on who we should allow to live or operate in our fine cities, no because he proved no one from his blood line could be trusted.

I've not met a person yet who isn't able to learn from mistakes. Without naming anybody, I know of bloodlines who have consistently made errors and died for being generally stupid, and yet they currently hold very prestigious positions. With that in mind Premeir, should we be disregarding their opinions too? You're in a very interesting position, with all due respect, when it comes to this as I know that at least one person close to you is in exactly that position. A bloodline that made many mistakes, but seemingly was able to make the change to be a positive part of this society. Yet, with your mindset, we'd all be giving no credit for their opinion.

Listening to the busy voice of the clearly irked Earner and the turned responses from Godfather Premeir, Kurtz decides to interject.

It is inevitable that people will reference their ancestors history, their own history and the history of the community when trying to illustrate points. We have no other point of reference when discussing things that are not happening currently. We have no history in this thing of ours other than the journals so many bloodlines keep, so it is both inevitable and necessary for those to be employed in our public discussions.

It is also of critical importance for the newer members of our community to learn about aspects of our life that may not be currently in function. Systems, rules, taxes, strategies and all manner of other educational material is only available via the diaries and documents people have kept over generations. As such, I'm afraid you will just have to accept that these manuscripts will continue to be used for very valid reasons.

Kurtz, it is not the occasional reference that I am referring to. It is the use of diaries and journals at every opportunity, and at every turn. Perhaps you do not see it as I do, but using it as frequently as seems to be the norm these days is somewhat irksome when it's used as frequently as it is these days.

"was able to make the change to be a positive part of this society. Yet, with your mindset, we'd all be giving no credit for their opinion."

If they are able to make that change then i do not list them in the group of fuck ups i am reffering to, if they contiune to do it and have never done anything to change except bitch about it, then i consider them unsavable.


"but using it as frequently as seems to be the norm these days is somewhat irksome when it's used as frequently as it is these days."

Just like when someone frequently seems to fuck up non stop, quite irksome, i do say so.

I mean no disrespect to anyone here but I've been eavesdropping on this conversation, and I can't help myself.
I first heard Furby talking I had a very unbiased opinion, as I have no bloodline that I know of, so I could see where they were coming from, from a neutral standpoint.

But after further listening, and contemplation, it really seems to me that Furby is actually venting in this thread, and perhaps in the middle realized it, and therefore tried to turn it into "I really think this is annoying, if you don't then I want nothing to do with you, if you do then this is what I have to say about it...What's your opinion".

In essence, Furby's speach was 99 percent rage, 1 percent actually wanting participation. 
At least that's what it seems to be. If that was not your intention, I say again, no direspect.
But this came off very....Well, a bit like an angry cat in a cage.

Regardless, it would seem bloodlines have their purpose here. I have not seen anyone constantly bring it up during a speech or debate, but even if they did, they're digging their own hole because, like you, people don't have to be constantly reminded "where they came from".
But I do think this was a bit over the top.
Either way it wouldn't really bother me. 

Just to put a different twist on this thread, I don't really have much of an opinion on it at the moment.  Journals are really just opinions of reality.  Your reality may not be mine.  What I mean is, when an event occurs different people see it from a different angle and record it in their journals differently.  So my ancestors may look at a certain event and take away a completely different meaning from it.  Is my reality the truth?  Perhaps.  Is your reality the truth?  Perhaps.  But everyone will most likely continue to see it from their own viewpoint.

Alesia, I appreciate your input there even if I'm slightly concerned about a couple of aspects of it. As Premeir would like it to be, the streets are a place where you can voice your opinion if you'd like. Whether my fellow Mafioso decided to grace me with their presence is entirely up to them, but I don't intend on coming to the streets with a topic that I couldn't care less about. That would make it fairly redundant. Of course I have an opinion on it, and of course I'll vent that opinion. I believe "rage" is a tad over the top to attempt to describe the original speech, however I would say that I find it personally frustrating to see people riding on the coattails of their predecessors by raising their bloodline experiences where it isn't required or even useful in supporting an argument.

If I decide to be critical, then critical is what I'll be. If I decide to be supportive of something, then that is what I'll be. Were I not to have an opinion on something, then I simply wouldn't speak about it. In this case, I did have an opinion on something so I decided to bring it to the forefront of the public eye. Whether it came across as venting, annoyance or suchlike, then so be it. I simply speak my mind and allow it to be seen and spoken about in the positive or negative. If my bluntness offends you then I do apologise.

Rival, the greatest of his entire bloodline listens in at Furby give a wonderful speech about his frustrations of people bringing up the past and talking about ones own father figures or motherly figures. The Godfather of Philadelphia had walked around on in and voiced his opinon when the level of intelligence came to a head. This guy saying this, this man saying this. Young Rival was quite astounded. When one of his questions was not asked it gave the boy move to operate.

Do you approve of bloodline hunting? Do you think people should be judged negatively for a mistake made by their great great grandfather?

Rival dreamed of what it would be like to be a great and powerful Godfather of a city that no man would contest him. That all people would come from around the world to speak with him and hear his advice on what he would consider "Trivial Matters" Then, in his dream, he saw a young man who befriended Rival the godfather. Rival took him in as a brother. The brother of Rival had a family sons and daughters. One day Rival was driving to work when he and his friends were shot at by his most trusted of friends his own brother. Rival thought to himself and stared off into the distance, in which he was still dreaming, I have to kill this man. Setting off for course of revenge the bullets flew threw the window killing his old friend. The boys would never get to show their father their sons and daughters so like Macbeth, the sins of our fathers have fallen upon us And revenge is surely the only way to go. Rival knew then that him being the Godfather, the only threat to his throne would be the very men that once called his brother their father. One must kill ones fathers murderer to finally feel a sense of peace. Then Rival woke from his day dream and decided to share his thought on the matter.

Do i approve of bloodline hunting? Well if it is not against me then why not!?
Do i think people should be judged negatively for a mistake made by their great great grandfather? Well if their grandfather has made some kind of a mistake then surely he was not that great now was he? Rather than be shown negativity the grandfathers son should show some kind of serious turn around that redeems him in the sight of God and Mafioso.

<em> Alesia considers Furby's statements and nods.</em>
No, no.  Your outspokenness is actually appealing. I was just trying to get you to elaborate further.
I definitely respect your answer and your view on the situation.
Honestly though, when it comes to the beginning question "Do you approve of bloodline hunting?", I think this goea much deeper than a yes or no question.
It's something psychological if I may say so. You'd have to look at why people do it in the first place, and then apply it to every person that's being hunted individually because they may or may not deserve it.

<em>Alesia looks over at Rival as he speaks and listens intently.</em>

I see the conclusion of this topic being very dependent on the person making the decision and their experience with said bloodline(s). 

While I was going through my ancestor's journals, I came across... ah fuck it. Like those old assholes could bother to write anything down in the first place.

The simple truth is, I - for one - am going to say what's on my mind, regardless of whether my lineage is known or not, or regardless of people respect my lineage or not. Who my fathers were has no bearing on what I have to say now, and I'm always one to back what I say up with evidence that will support it.

If you have to resort to "my ancestor was blah" or "In my father's time we blah", then no offense intended, but maybe you should shut the fuck up until you, yourself, actually have something worthy of saying.

My line is full of mouthy motherfuckers, always has been, always will be. But we've always tried very hard not to pull the "Do you know who I am?" card. Going back to the times when we were nobodies, til today when some people still say we're nobodies, I'll say what I'm going to say - and I wish more people would do the same.