Good evening, everyone. Long time no see.

Today we have seen mayhem and destruction wrought by Hugo and his compatriots. He murdered LilPeep in cold blood solely because he was lacking "style." He claims to have no problems with this administration's methods of self- and community preservation; other than that we don't participate in the dancing clown fiesta that are the Streets. The accusations are that we purge and lack style.

The style part of the accusation is entirely false. You can tell by my amazing suit and abundance of friends that I might be the most stylish man to ever live. I can't speak for LilPeep. I only saw him at the local beach on hot summer days and hardly knew the man. He always wore stylish board shorts when we were surfing, so I never thought of him as unfashionable. The rumors about Spike are absolutely true. What you see is what you get with Spike. Absolute transparency. I don't know why anyone would dislike him. Talk about oozing style. Spike spits mad game at anyone and everyone. I sense jealousy coming from old Hugo.

I digress. On the accusation of purging, I would like to address a few things. I will not mislead you like Hugo and his ilk. If you were present for Hugo's speech, you'd have seen that he and his friends were wearing black balaclavas with an ornate flag in the background. History tells us that these people aren't known for being transparent or objective.

Purging does exist. It exists in a very limited capacity compared to what Hugo would allege. If you believed Hugo, you would think that our regime was grinding the mafia world to dust like regimes in the past. As evidence to the contrary, just take a look at our world population statistics. Here, I'll even do it for you.

Rank Breakdown
Godfather - 12
Don - 52
Consigliere - 39
Boss - 21
Capo - 12
Made Man - 9
Wise Guy - 92
Earner - 32
Goomba - 38
Gangster - 61
Thug - 6
Civilian/Petty Thief - 42

To any worthy mind, you can see that we are hardly purging anyone and everyone who walks in front of us. Again, yes, purging does exist. We go through great pains to investigate before any action is taken. We encourage all of our CL's, hands, and sub crew leaders to get to know their members and speak to them often. We do our absolute best to ensure peace is maintained, but that isn't always easy. We only aim to eliminate ne'er-do-wells and those would jeopardize peace for their own gains or entertainment. Probably should have purged old Hugo. Look at how our kindness is costing lives.

The real topic I wanted to ask the wider Mafia community was this. Does this brand of terrorism actually work? Have Hugo's actions actually convinced you that this regime are the bad guys? That was really the thinly veiled objective of Hugo's speech. I liken these people to international terrorists. Has a terrorist organization like the POLHF ever hijacked a plane, murdered everyone on board, and garnered sympathy from the deceased's family? It has honestly never made sense to me. They bomb a market full of innocent civilians like The Plumbers of old and then turn around and say, "Look how mean the administration is to you. Rise up and be like  us." I understand it as a way to extort governments. That at least makes a little sense, even if it's historically ineffective. To try to cause rebellion by shooting innocent people? How does that make any sense?

Again, this makes no sense to me and probably doesn't make sense to other sane people. Maybe Hugo or one of his sycophants will come here and explain this to us. I also want to know the wider community's perspective on the topic of terrorism, like what we've just seen perpetrated by Hugo. Have his crimes persuaded you that you'd be better off in their hands?

The streets have become like the tabloids, a futuristic like writing that creates a bunch of bullshit and troll like articles or photos. There isn't much reason to venture out among such creations. So it is no surprise that "it" doesn't spend much time among those sorts of people and misinformation.

The streets are what you make them, and different mafiosi have different styles in how they conduct themselves in the streets. If you do not like what you see in the streets, but are not doing anything yourself to add the sort of activities you enjoy, I don't see how you can complain.

Personally, I like the bombastic, theatrical entertainers. I go out into the streets to have a good time. I save the serious business for inside the HQ and for business-related discussions with others. If these entertainers annoy you, you are certainly entitled to feel that way, but please don't act like it is all shit just because it's not the style you enjoy.

I do have to disagree with you there, Clarity; the streets have always been a lucrative option open to anyone who wants to make a name for themselves. Nothing is stopping people from making their own story, and nothing is stopping anyone from creating or adding to the streets to make it something other than tabloids.

The streets being petty arguments or garbage as some may feel they are isn't the street's fault; it's ours. The streets don't pick and choose who talks and who doesn't, the community does. If the streets are shit, then people are letting it become shit. It's definitely been a bit boring of late, although maybe for other's that doesn't hold true. Perhaps I'm just used to more consistent community interaction on all sorts of scales or constant infighting or wars driving conversation...or my time schedule has collapsed entirely for me to even see the progress.

Regarding the terrorism factor, that's a pretty hefty tagline for something done many, many times before, even under this own regime if I recall correctly (unless I am wrong, in that case many times in the past). From what I've read I don't see much of a call to arms or an overall movement, unless I am wrong again and horribly blind in which case please pluck my eyeballs out.

This is more of a ruse to poke a reaction. Perhaps as a response from boredom? Or perhaps from pet peeves against certain individuals brought on by boredom. Or for the hell of it. Bottom line is that shots were fired, people are dead, and here we are talking about it as per the usual anytime this happens. Not like this is any different.

This isn't a direct attack on anyone per say, rather just a general observation. If people don't like the streets cause they're full of garbage in their eyes, it's on them to get in there themselves and make it better. Rogues are nothing new. Calling them terrorists is probably adding more fuel to the fire. As for the other side, "purging" is probably a bigger word than what's actually going on, at least in the large scale, but it's still a factor evident to a lot of people.

I think the streets could see some improvement by holding some competitions instead by more reputable folks, or changing up the game to push the topics of conversation people deem unsatisfactory out of public eye. Perhaps a return of a newspaper? Those were always generally received pretty well.

Does it work, as in does it change things?  Nah, not really.  

What does it do? It creates drama.  I can't be arsed to sit and read the dancing clown fiesta - but I did raise my eyes from the ballgame and take the 10 minutes it took to sift through the Hugo discourse.  I smiled, I lol'd and it stirred something which is mostly dead.  

RIP to the fallen, and thank you for a day that was different than most. 

Man, someone really is angry. 

As seen by this man or woman's responses. I'd have to say their terrorism only makes them look poorly, not the regime they denounce and insult.

As for your response Plague, I was merely explaining why some do not frequent here. The quality can be made whatever it is by those who choose to partake, you are correct. I'm not complaining that it is like a tabloid, just pointing out that's why many aren't seen. I apologize to you that some of us do not take more of a lead on providing better quality works, but perhaps it may change some in time or someone will take that lead. 

There are those of us who consider the "dancing clown fiesta" which you preside over to be the most fundamental part of this entire thing. The community starts and ends here and nobody holds a better position than you to influence what happens. You have held the world in the palm of your hand since October and you have done nothing to further the Streets in that entire time. None of you have. Regardless of the flavour of the discourse, which is never going to please everyone at once, the contributions of "you and your lot" has been barely above nil for a very long time. You don't actually engage with the "wider community" at all unless it is in this form as a type of PR exercise and even those appearances are seldomly made.

The VIP numbers are abysmal. The level of interaction between people is abysmal. The amount engagement with discussions is abysmal. Objectively, I think it is as bad as I've ever seen it, whether you choose to believe that or not. I'm surprised that you don't want it to be better, because you should, but none of you really seem arsed enough to do it yourselves or find people to do it for you. For me, that disdain for the Streets is more of a contributory factor to the overall malaise than Hugo, purging, or any other misnomer like terrorism you want to wag your finger at.

But, I also accept that I'm probably not representative of the majority and the community includes the silent majority who also don't care about the Streets, interacting or doing much other than hibernating in coffeeshops and killing RATs. So maybe they don't see the problems in the same way that I do and maybe they are better off in your hands? Who knows.

Since apparently his step father before him was so inadequate at making public appearances, Luis felt maybe he should step out into the streets, especially during a matter such as this. Clearing his throat, he stepped forward to address the few who had come here to speak.

"I'm not sure I'm the one to exactly be commenting on all of this, but given the such disdain for the lack of "presence" our leaders have in the streets leads me out here to speak my mind on this subject. While, I'm not sure what correlation there is between the streets and what transpires in coffee shops really has any connection to whether or not you are a successful mafioso in this world, infact, the argument has already been made.. the silent majority do not step out into the streets. 

Why is that? Well, a lot of these people today who feel like people need to be out here talking or doing whatever it is they feel like this place is for needs to be how they see fit, My lineage came to these shores during a time where the streets were filled with many things. There were crimes being written about. There was legitimate newspapers being made. There was an actual community around here who cares about that aspect of this thing of ours and they all were slowly driven off this game, many of them being friends of mine.

The streets are a piss poor place that sadly does represent more of a circus then anything it ever was in the past. Or maybe I'm just being biased on what the streets should contain. We all have our own opinions and that's alright, but being present in the streets has nothing to do with your leadership.

I always go above and beyond for everyone under me, making sure they were accommodated and going the extra mile to help out fresh blood to our shores. Yet, my lineage doesn't step into the streets half as much as it used to. That doesn't mean your a bad crew leader or bad for this thing of ours.

He took a long drag off his cigarette before exhaling as he waited for someone to step forward next.

I like you, Luis. I think you have great potential. But you could not be more wrong with this idea that you can be a good crew leader without being known in the streets. What it does is rob you of any sort of possibility of leaving a legacy. I made a smartass remark in the coffee shops today that "TommyTheTrumpet had died today and also a few other people that I've never heard of".

It was meant to be a wisecrack, but is it really far off the mark? In a week from now, will anyone even think about LilPeep? You might be a bit biased with the answer to that question, so I'll answer it for you: They won't. Why would they? He was just one of dozens of barely noticeable crewleaders in existence. Outside of his crew, how could anyone else know anything about the man? Think about the legends of the past. Were any of them mute? Of course not, because if they were, they wouldn't have lived long enough as a crewleader to become a legend. 

You are somewhat correct that you can have good relations within your crew while being silent to the general public, but that doesn't mean you're a good crew leader. Jesus tap-dancing Christ is that setting the bar low.  I know this is an antiquated notion, but our leaders are supposed to be the cream of the crop among us. If you cannot even drag your ass out to the streets...ever...in some cases in over a year, what sets you apart and makes you deserving of the honor of leading a crew? And as far as leaving a legacy, what is that legacy going to be? No crew leader was ever remembered in the annals of history for hiding tucked away in their HQ.

Luis steps forward to address the man who was now talking to him. He did have some good points ones that he himself could not dispute..

"You are probably correct. Most won't. But that wasn't the exact direction I think my step father was trying to accomplish in this life. You are correct though, I think there are a few memorable people from the streets.. yet, will DangerClske not be remembered? He is being accused of being an inadequate leader for not stepping out in the streets yet as far as I can tell, this regime has held power for almost an entire year. Is that not memorable?

LiPpeep is not going to be remembered during this regime because he simply wasn't a major player, that's fine like I stated it wasn't my goal to be the most memorable person on MR. My lineage has done more then enough on these shores to be memorable.. but ask yourself, Will you be remembered as being a left hand either? Oh you spoke out in the streets.. I mean, I doubt it. People aren't generally too remembered for talking in the streets out in the streets, it's usually the people at the top who get remembered.. ya know like your crew leader and the already mentioned DangerClose."

My legacy is already intact, Luis. Whether or not this particular generation is remembered is irrelevant. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt, and the t-shirt is so old it has several holes in it. But again, I think you are wrong. People generally ARE remembered for doing nothing more than talking in the streets. Names like TeQ and Miguel come to mind. What has it been, a decade or so since we've heard much from TeQ and almost two decades since we heard from Miguel? Yet, anyone who has knowledge of those days knows exactly what I mean, how they left a legacy without being at the top of the food chain (although TeQ did spend some time there, too). DangerClose will be remembered longer than most, simply for that longevity, but history has shown us that longevity of leadership also has an expiration date when it comes to being remembered. He's not leaving us much more to remember him by.

Now this is the sort of discourse I can really sink my teeth in to.

I really wanted to debate the efficacy of terrorism but I see we've devolved into the debate of whether the streets matter or not. In short, they don't and haven't for a very long time. In fact they matter so little that participation has had to be monetized. This happened long before my tenure began. People are rarely remembered for what someone has said unless it was especially heinous. When that happens those people are usually forcefully dismissed and we never hear them them again. What people remember are the actions taken by certain people and the emotions those actions elicited.

I am not a big one for tradition. I've taken the position of Godfather many times, and known many others that have as well. Absolutely none of them have signed a contract saying they would tend to the streets. Beyond that, when I think of the great street speakers of our time, I don't think any of them needed leading when it came to their vision. Did the great JackMezzo need Spaceman to lead him when he was running Race Street? No. Did The Ivory Tower need leash leading to achieve their aims? No. You have the same agency those great speakers did. No one is stopping you.

I have never been an avid street speaker or participant (get the stuttering jokes in now. It's a free shot. Take it). It's just not what I find enjoyable about our world here. I feel like that's acceptable is it not? Should I not have a place here or the achievements I do because I don't enjoy the ten-thousandth "What does Made Man mean to you" debate or yet another character origin story? I've never stifled anyone else from participating in streets. If a particularly headed debate is going on or a spicy war speech is jumping, give it my all. Beyond that, I just do not care. I'll be honest some street speakers around here really do give me a laugh. I do think some people are funny. I just don't feel like jumping into the debate of "Is LongLeggedLarry an exception speaker or just excellent"? I don't care if you think Rufus is stupid or not. And I definitely don't care about how you landed on these shores. I'm not saying that nobody should care. It's just that I don't.

I understand that the streets used to be important. Maybe even fun for some. I understand that nostalgia is a powerful weapon. Nostalgia makes us all believe that the past was better for what it was. Rarely is that the case. I am not saying I am against the streets in any way. Again I have never stifled street speech. You also have to understand that some people take it way too seriously, and that causes problems for CLs. Look what SaddleFlashing did to Gillian with mere words. He drove her crazy just by talking about here in the streets. Trust me, she wasn't quite about it to her CL or friends either.

Maybe I am partially to blame. The devolution of the streets began long before I returned to our fair world but still I'll admit I am a leading figure in the underworld and that I could do more to help revive these streets. Maybe I will. I'm not going to promise anything but I'll think about it. If I did make an attempt to be more present in the streets would I get a fair shake or has too much time and bad feelings come to pass?

I don't think there's any bad feelings and it's never too late, my old friend. I think people would simply like to see their leaders out in the street making them proud. Thank you for the introspection. I cannot really disagree with anything you said and can relate to all of it. I think "giving it a fair shake" is what would make the difference in whether your reign is simply remembered, or remembered as legendary.

DangerClose, damn you're pretty good with words when she shuts the fuck up and allows you to speak for yourself. Bravo.