Goodness, what a few days for Chicago.  So many rogues, so little time.  Aside from Silvio Dante, I can't say I'm shocked given the family histories of the other 3 guys.  EvilClown, Space Pole, and Cruel have all had extensive family histories of going against, and endangering, their cities.  I guess despite the generosity and trust shown to them by their respective leaders within Chicago, the leaders were only repaid with general idiocy.  We all know the risks we take in bringing folks like that into the fold, and as much as I would have liked to see them rise to the challenge of working long-term with Chicago, some people are just made to burn out instead of doing anything worthwhile.

Many of you noticed after the rogues were gunned down there were a series of executions, demotions, and suicides that raged through my city.  Since I can't find a news reporter to interview me about all of this, I have tasked myself with the job.

Roman:  Tell me, me, what sparked all of the punishments I have doled out in the last few days?

Roman:  That's none of my goddamn business!  How I lead Chicago is up to me, and me alone.  The people who have a problem with that are going to find themselves in a similar position as Ozan, Tarbh, and Leonidas.

Roman:  But surely I have to feel remorse for all of the men and women that are now dead or demoted because they just wanted to pay respects to their dearest friends don't I?

Roman:  That is where you are wrong, me.  Being friends and being family are two different things.  I have tons of friends, I'm friends with New York, I'm friends with New Orleans, I'm friends with almost anybody... But I'm FAMILY with Chicago.  The two are not always mutual.  When a rogue springs forth, they endanger EVERYBODY.  If their shots hit, if they go after the wrong person on the wrong day, they are endangering everyone around them, and in that moment they have severed ties with their family.  They are no longer Chicago's blood, they have held a loaded gun to the city's head and it is all a game of chance as to whether the trigger will be pulled.  There is no greater service or calling than standing true to your families and cities, and the people who stand by Chicago day in and day out just to keep moving her forward are those I call my brothers and sisters. 

Roman:  Then why did I order the Code Red on the beloved Ozan, me, TELL ME THE TRUTH!

Roman:  YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH, me.  The bottom line is Ozan turned out to be a disappointment.  He was a Left Hand to our largest family and a Consigliere, but being a nice guy doesn't always translate into keeping a city safe.  Painting Ozan as a victim, like the oft-misled Tarbh tried to do,will not turn out to be the masterpiece many people hoped for.  The VICTIM is Las Vegas, a city attacked twice in a day by Chicago rogues.  How are my city's sympathies not towards Chade's city who almost lost valued members to their own criminal enterprise?  The lack of consideration disgusted me to such a degree that punishments were NECESSARY.  It's an interesting thing when you become the big dog in a yard, people start to feel entitled and that they can get away with things that are not tolerated anywhere else.  What I will always guarantee is that no matter how big Chicago becomes, we will never disregard another city's safety or its people just because they're smaller.  That's bad business, because eventually those puppies will be big dogs too, and if they're anything like me, then they will remember every time someone spit on them.  Anyone can attend a funeral, and everyone can witness overt displays of affection towards a disgraced mafioso.  I am willing to bet though, that situation reversed, if Ozan or Tarbh were shot at and Las Vegas showed up en masse to their rogue's funeral to celebrate them and pay their respects I wouldn't be hearing the end of how disrespected they felt.  It's easy to forget that sometimes the simplest thing to do to stay alive in this world is to put yourself in someone else's shoes.

Roman:  But, me, how can I justify what I've just said when I don't have a written rule anywhere?!

Roman:  Some things shouldn't have to be written down, that's why they're called "Unwritten Rules".  If I have to tell people how to represent Chicago in sensitive situations then I may as well write rules like, "Obey your crewleader" or "Do petties to earn money", some things should be obvious.  For people who want to hold prestigious titles and ranks in the city of Chicago, remember that what you say could get someone close to you killed.  It's my job to make sure Chicago remains safe now and in the future, something that I will continue to do until I take my last breath.

Simplicity listened to the interview between the same person at once. She giggled a little bit at how he was talking to himself, but still payed attention to the serious topic he had brought to the streets. Many were wondering what was going on in Roman's head and he took the time to come to the streets to tell everyone. She hoped that this would calm things down as people were running around like chicken's with their heads cut off.

Nodding in respect to her Godfather she applauded him.

"Thank you for coming out with this. You didn't have to come to the streets and inform everyone, but you took the time to do so and in a very interesting fashion. I commend you for this."

Simplicity felt that she should of had more to say in response, but there was nothing that was coming to mind that needed to be said. Roman had covered everything that most were questioning and she felt a bit relieved. Perhaps now all the "Why?" questions would fade away and the anger that others might of had would retreat back to where it belonged. Which was not in the hearts of people from Chicago.

Roman being an old man should be evident to everyone. But now it appears he is talking to himself. Oh boy :/

My Godfather is obviously on edge so I'll choose my words wisely. There has been a lot of ill-will today regarding how certain things have been handled in my beloved Chicago. My time here in The Windy City has taught me that no matter how much of a powerhouse we are perceived to be, there is a strict standard that we are expected to adhere to. Chicago's detractors should take heed to this. This city, in my time being here, has never put themselves on a plain higher than what would be expected of other cities if roles were reversed. Despite the reputation of backyard bully Roman may have unfairly acquired due to the power he yields, he holds his members to a strict code of conduct. I for one don't envy Roman for any of the hard decisions he had to make in the past couple of days, thus the saying 'it's lonely on top'.

There are few that can put themselves in Roman's shoes right now, myself included. Every decision about everything falls on the top dog's shoulders. That's a heavy burden to bear, and one that I am not particularly envious of. Some hard decisions were made today. Such is life in This Thing of Ours. There is no personal department or human resources to run to when certain unfavorable policies are put into place in our line of work. If that's what we want, we should all apply to the post office and settle for being robbed every 3 and a half minutes.

At this point, the expectations regarding what was discussed above should be clear. I'll be holding my own crew accountable for future actions that parallel those described above. Hopefully those harboring hard feelings will be able to put business first and move on. At this point, I don't see how there could be any further room for interpretation.

I think SexyBeast hit on it pretty well when he stated "My time here in The Windy City has taught me that no matter how much of a powerhouse we are preceived to be, there is a strict standard that we are expected to adhere to."

This decision was clearly not an easy one that Roman had to make.  It was a decision made out of necessity.  When you're on top of our world like Godfather Roman has been, its easy for everyone in the city under him to get complacent.  Its evident that by his actions listed above, that Roman will refuse to allow his cities standards to drop and get complacent with being on top. 

I think a valuable lesson was learned here today, and that is no matter what you think your status is in anything you do never take your guard down.  Some ancestories will always feel a sense of entitlement for one reason or another unfortunately. 

Thank you for your speech Godfather, and to the masses hopefully you can take something from it. 

very well said godfather Roman. We're fortunate to have sucha godfather like you, who isn't all too emotional or some sort if ya get what i mean:)family comes first

Thank you Godfather Roman for taking the time to explain recent events to the masses.

To most the position of Chicago on the issue of rogues and funerals really shouldn't have come as a surprise. Rogues are bad for business and attending a funeral of someone whose actions no matter how much you think you understand them really isn't good business.

This persons actions could very well have cost you your life, it will have most definitely have cost your crew leader both in money, credits and good will.

To be honest... I agree. Even though some of my bloods friends have died over this, I totally agree.

If they wanted to say those thing why not just take a trip to the coffeeshops? They could've had a PRIVATE conversation in there with the deceased's spirit in complete confidence, they could've said anything they wanted without any repercussions whatsoever. It is the fault of the people who died for not being smart and subtle enough to take that trip down IRC Avenue, not Godfather Roman's.

(OOC: Put into context, EvilClown's CHARACTER went rogue, the people who posted in that funeral were not friends with EvilClown's character, they'd be absolutely mad to as it had just gone rogue and endangered their lives. They were friends with EvilClown himself. Keep in game, in game, keep out of game, out of game. Nuff' said.)

This is just another reminder that regardless of where you are, even if you believe it to be in private, you must always be careful of what you say. People are always on about how important respect is but the second it is the subject of their death then whoever is the "top dog" is to blame. For those who have died because their relations to a rogue I only hope that they realize this is the way it was, the way it is, and the way it always will be. If you associate with rogues you will be treated as a rogue. 

DoughBoy shakes his head and attempts to make sense of what just happened. "Are Rudiger's English lessons really helping out that much?" he thinks to himself and he walks away in an attempt to save face. "Perhaps just one loud BA-BY! before I go, for old times sake"

~DoughBoy BA-BY!

DanK rolls on to the streets a little dazed, a little drunk, a little hungover. Just before he speaks, he vomits in the alleyway

It has been an interesting, perhaps controversial period in the life of Chicago. What is for sure is that we are now in no doubt. No doubt that if you support a rogue, or bitch about people dying, you put yourself at massive risk of dying yourself. There is now no grey area. Everyone knows the consequences, and if you fail to head the warning, you are the only one to blame. Chicago is, and will remain, as strong as ever. This is just a minor blip on the long road to wherever we are going!

Take care all, and please, the main moral of this is simple

'Think before you speak'

DanK lays down where he was standing and go's back to sleep

You fuck with the bull, you get the horns.

Wow! What a fantastic Speech! The interviewer was great, asking questions that are controversial and difficult to respond to.

And the interviewee? Unbelievable! Such precise and well thought out responses. Probably the best Q&A to ever have been experienced.

Now, with that aside. To the point.

If you think that I have come here to say what Godfather Roman said was right... If you think I came here to agree with all the actions Roman took...If you think I came here to kiss his God-fatherly ass?

You're God damn right.

I mean really?

I can echo the words of the majority of the speakers before me because its all true, being in power doesn't mean you get to do what ever you want, on the contrary, it probably means quite the opposite, I mean why wouldn't the rest of the world be holding each action Chicago makes under a microscope? To go through each spoken word with a fine toothed comb?

Its that very reason why Roman needs to keep the bar up above the place that everyone else already sets so high. Its expected of a great leader, and quite frankly I would be a bit disappointed if the actions taken were any different.

I'll be honest, I have an ancestor that was a Godfather. This was back when there were very few around... Godfather Roman is way more compassionate then my Ancestor ever was. I guess that's why he's still here, still a Godfather and still in charge, and my Ancestor is 6 feet under.

Maybe we should all take notes...

I dont believe for a second that Tarbh in any way supported any of the rogues, that was never his way. Had it been his way, he would have used his gun to kill someone knowing his time was near, he certainly had a gun capable of doing some damage.

Family was what was important to him, family and loyalty. While it may have been 'oft-misled' as you put it, he was a loyal family member to Chicago who had worked tirelessly for his city from the moment he arrived in the city until the moment he was removed. That being said, a mistake is a mistake and if that mistake warrants death, death is what will come. What disgusted Tarbh on said occassion was the fact that Ozan was killed off so matter of factly, without a word of warning for making a one such mistake. Ozan was a good family man who had toiled and worked hard for his city. His actions, although controversial were not deliberate. We have many people here who have always believed that to go and whisper a few words to an old friend is completely an ok thing to do. Tarbh included. Whether that belief was enough to warrant his death is unimportant. Being the big-dog entitles you to act whatever way YOU want. Thats always been the case.

But enough about that, what is done is done, and if truth be told, Tarbh's heart was heavy for a long time and he wanted a way out, prayed for a way out for a long time. He got what he wanted in the end. Loyalty and friendship it seems are not important in our streets any more, what is important is following your leader blindly however 'oft-misled' you feel his actions to be. Until such times that is, when you are a big-dog yourself and can write your own rules.

Ceannaire, I can only assume you're the son of Tarbh from the insight you've provided into his thought process. However, as Tarbh started himself a nice discussion about exactly what he was "disgusted" by, I'm afraid I find your presentation that it was merely from Ozan being "killed off so matter of factly" to be completely inaccurate. I will quote Tarbh himself, just to prevent any further discrepancies between your after the fact analysis and what he actually said.

Taken from "Are we being wacked for being a friend now?" - Tarbh:

"This latest craze of KILLING off the friends of people who fuck up is nothing short of a fucking disgrace."

"FUNERALS ARE A PRIVATE AFFAIR in most cases, where friends and family can come and say whatever the fuck they want to their fallen comrade."

"This has NEVER been a problem here before, so why the fuck is it a problem now? People are whispering their discontent but yet nobody says a thing. Come on people, waken up and look around, and stop being so anal retentive."

This paints a completely different picture to your version of events. Furthermore, it would appear to me that family wasn't the only thing that was important to him. It would seem, in fact, that friends are the thing that was most important to him. I will again quote Tarbh himself to avoid any doubt as to my meaning.

Taken from "Are we being wacked for being a friend now?" - Tarbh:

"We all have friends here, people whom we have known for years and years sometimes, and whether we like it or not, sometimes they end up on the wrong side of the fence so to speak...do we disown them for their actions? Do we decide that were gonna throw years of friendship away because of something they did. Well I gotta say no."

"But it seems to me that when someone now decides to do this that they not only condemn themselves now by their actions, but they also condemn any friend that posts any kind of friendly eulogy on their gravestone. Am I the only one that sees this as wrong?"

So, it would appear to me, that Tarbh was more concerned with his friends, regardless of their affiliation, than following the orders and best interests of his family and his city. The thread's title kind of makes that point for me and it is this whole attitude which our Godfather was trying to address and felt the need to take action to enforce.

These rogues are an embarrassment to every honest and loyal member of Chicago. They cost us, the endanger us and they threaten everything that we have worked hard to build. We shouldn't be honouring them; we should be distancing ourselves from them and repairing the relationships that they have damaged. Perhaps this will serve to emphasise the lesson that family comes above all else. Chicago has and always will honour those people who work to her betterment and continued glory; that has never changed.

Loyalty to your friends can never supercede loyalty to your family, because the latter is your overriding objective in life. Friendship is important, provided that it complies with that objective and is to the betterment of your family. If you feel that you have to follow your leader in Chicago blindly, it is only because you've had your eyes closed. There is no secret agenda being pursued here and nobody is expected to do things that are contrary to the betterment of our city.

~C~

yeah, I wont argue, Tarbh was a bit of a hot head when it came to his friends and yes maybe they were more important to him when it really mattered. I wont deny that. He was here in this world more so to relax and chill with them than to follow orders. One of the reasons he never took on the responsibility of being a leader. He wasnt interested.

Not much more to be said here, as those before me have clearly pointed out the facts of the matter at hand.

Running a city requires a leader to make tough decisions, and to be mindful of those around you. Some people lost their lives this past week in order to protect the greater good of Chicago, but it was necessary to continue keeping Chicago on the right path.

Godfather Roman has made it clear that if you aren't 100% dedicated to Chicago, you aren't going to hack it in this city. Personal agendas should never be greater than family ties.

Alzhiemers is one helluva disease(disorder? Not sure the terminology), but at least he had a sensible enough conversation to at least get something done by talking to himself and didn't end up gibbering about some romance from back in High School.

My apologies for bringing this up, but it's the first chance that I've had to discuss this on these Streets.  Four members of Chicago, of high rank, two of them hands, were wiped out; guilty by association, via a funeral.  For acknowledging, not honouring, acknowledging an erstwhile acquaintance, four ranking members of the most powerful of these 8 cities were dispatched.  

This was nothing short of a purge.  Over in the USSR, an ambitious man named Stalin is making a name for himself with actions like this.  And, much like this Stalin fellow, it is not enough to kill a man; he has to be shamed.

Roman states; "The bottom line is Ozan turned out to be a disappointment.  He was a Left Hand to our largest family and a Consigliere".

OK Roman, that's your opinion and you are, as a Godfather, certainly entitled to it.  But let's cut to the chase, Ozan was in his 60s – he wasn’t a young man.  Surely Roman might have noticed he was a wrong ‘un a bit before that?  He was killed for paying his respects to a Made member of Roman’s city.  That is all, him and three others were mercilessly gunned down.  These killings were all the more brutal for the sheer senselessness of them; this wasn’t SL or NO scratching around desperately trying not to offend the big boys, it’s Chicago who can, basically, do as they please.

Roman purged – and the reasons that he gave are as vacuous as the crocodile tears spilled at the funerals of his murdered former comrades.

No-one will offer any rational challenge to this assertion.  But sycophants will endorse the discredited version of events.