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| Rules and Expectations | Started by: Zoey on Dec 13, '08 13:14 |
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"Yo, fuck you, bitch. I'm a mobsta. I ain't gotta follow no rules..." Before the young criminal on the street could say another word the Don of Detroit made him shut up. She shoved her gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. As he dropped dead on the sidewalk Zoey shook her head and turned around to look at the onlookers the sound of the gun shot attracted. It seems like some people around here think rules aren't important. We're mobsters and shouldn't have rules, right? No, wrong. We are the mafia, which is based on a few principals such as respect, honor, loyalty, and omerta. We are men and women of honor, not hoodlums and savages. There are rules and expectations of those of us in bold to punish people who break them. Zoey paused to put her gun in her coat pocket. Every leader runs their family and business a little different, but we all have a few common rules such as not wacking sponsored mobsters and not being disrespectful. If a leader tells me one of my people shot at or disrespected one of his members I punish my member. Another common thing in our business is after the death of a leader another leader usually comes out on these streets and asks that unsponsored not be killed. We have these rules to reduce conflict and deaths. Without rules we would have non stop chaos and wars every day. We would never accomplish any wealth or success in our business. It's already been said more than a few times recently, wars are bad for business. It's also bad for business when the rules aren't enforced. As you can see in the obits I punish my members for breaking rules, regardless of how I personally feel about them and how valuable they are to my business. Another leader told me he had to do the same thing to one of his top members who was also a friend of his. I think it's admirable when someone puts their personal feelings aside to do what's best for business. Anyone who breaks a rule should be punished for it. A few more people gathered around The Don and listened to her talk. There's other expectations I'm going to address while I'm out here. When leaders ask for unsponsored not to be killed some people think they can wait a day or two before they join a crew. This is blatant disrespect and taking advantage of the protection given to unsponsored. I will not enforce the rule regarding killing unsponsored next time a leader dies for people who are aware they are unsponsored. Join a family or die. Another thing I don't like seeing people taking advantage of is the 48 hour rule. It is not a free pass to roam around our streets unsponsored for 2 days. It is for people who are new to our cities with no knowledge about how this thing of ours works. They might check the mafia bible and read the inaccurate information stating they have to wait until are a gangster to join a family. Young mobsters who had ancestors in our business know they can join a family the moment they arrive. If they stay unsponsored past 24 hours they are taking advantage of the rule. I will not punish any more of my hard working family members for shooting at people who know when they work in the seven cities controlled by the mafia they should be in a family. Once again, join a family or die. Zoey reached into her coat pocket. A few people stepped back, worried she was going to take out her gun, but it was her flask she pulled out of her pocket. She took a drink from it and waited for comments, questions or debate. |
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Just out of curiosity, how do you plan to distinguish newly arrived immigrants from those who's bloodlines have known these streets before. Also, how long does a person's bloodline have to be around before they are exempt from the 48 hour rule? It seems to me there is at least one good reason for someone who isn't exactly fresh to not join a family within 48 hours. That would be if they are looking around and trying to decide which of the crews they want to join. It is well known that "invite whoring" is a practice that will get you killed. As is jumping families because you decide you don't like the one you're in. You are expected to make an informed decision and join the family that you know you want to be with as you cannot decide to leave your family except in a body bag. Now, some might say that 24 hours is ample time to decide this. But sometimes it isn't so easy. I suppose the old-timers should just know who they are going to join before they get off the boat. |
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| Reply by: Marion at Dec 13, '08 13:29 | |
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I think the problem is using the term "rules" when you discuss what is really a code of honor enforced by power. Muqtada summed this up very well over on OOC Avenue just the other day. When you use the term "rule", it suggests that it is something everyone is obligated to abide by. This is not true. We still have free will to make our own decisions if we choose to risk the consequences, and we have the option of changing these so-called rules if we are powerful enough. If you are powerful enough, you can live by your own rules. We are outside the law, yet many think we are governed by laws. When you refer to them as "rules", you will get a few people who say "you can't kill me, it's against the rules!", as they skip on by flaunting the protection they are given. They forget that those who giveth can taketh away. Then they get killed for being naive, and they are incredulous at how someone broke the "rules". It's a mentality which is completely oblivious to our way of life. We don't have "rules". Rules are something that apply to everyone in all situations. But we sure do have expectations, and if you are not living up to the expectations of someone who is capable of taking you out, you should reconsider your actions. |
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| Reply by: Swoll at Dec 13, '08 13:31 | |
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I've been in this business long enough to distinguish newcomers from people who are from older bloodlines, such as a person who was named after several of his well known ancestors. As far as shopping around for the "right" crew to join, twenty four hours is enough time for people who know most of the leaders are already. |
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| Reply by: Zoey at Dec 13, '08 13:39 | |
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| I expected someone to comment about rules, codes or whatever some people call them being enforced by those with power. I agree with that, but it doesn't give permission for the strongest family's crew members to do anything they want with no punishment, not as long as I'm a leader. My people are expected to follow my rules and the principals of the mafia I mentioned before. | |
| Reply by: Zoey at Dec 13, '08 13:48 | |
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It is a rule. You are obligated to abide by it because otherwise you will die. This is your 'code of honor enforced by power.' It's just much easier to say rules. If you wish to argue semantics, then I think that is rather silly. If you have to work so hard to justify your actions you will probably end up dead. Because as you said, Swoll, if you are not living up to the expectations of someone more powerful than you then you should reconsider your actions. To be fair, Zoey, it wasn't enough time for me. I spent almost the entire 48 hours trying to decide which crew I wanted to be in. I was also up front that my bloodlines had been to these shores before. Next time, I guess that would be a death sentence. Sometimes, even if you know the leaders already, it isn't an easy decision. |
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| Reply by: Marion at Dec 13, '08 13:50 | |
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I think over time people have interpreted the 48 hour rule as meaning everyone has 2 days of freedom. As I said before, it's a rule to protect people who don't know they should join a crew as soon as possible. The way I choose to enforce the rule is not a death sentence for the offspring of experienced mobsters. I'm not shooting them nor encouraging anyone else to shoot them. |
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| Reply by: Zoey at Dec 13, '08 14:10 | |
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| It's really in slate. Friendship is friendship and business is business. Our Thing is defined by it'srules. It's a strict tradition that must be followed. | |
| Reply by: Sal_Giaquinto at Dec 13, '08 14:14 | |
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Marion has a fantastic point. Why should people be forced to hop into the first family or crew they find? Shouldn't we be more worried about those new to our shores, or returning bloodlines, finding a family or crew they feel they can be loyal to rather than rushed into a family or crew and finding themselves regretting it? Shouldn't we as family or crew heads be more concerned about getting to know who we let through our doors? Sometimes it takes more than 24 hours to get to know someone, both as a leader or as a new face trying to find someone to work for. As selective as a family or crew head should be a new member to our society has that same right. I would much rather take someone in that has taken the time to get to know Prozac, The Pharmacy, and myself than someone who contacts me seconds or minutes after getting off the boat spewing some garbage in a slurred voice. I'd much rather take someone in that has taken the time to explore their options for employment rather than rushing to The Pharmacy doors because we were the first place they saw that had a "Now Hiring" sign in the window. Oh, and there's the small factor of the ability for someone to be awake for 24 hours straight. There's always the off chance that someone you feel is a hardened member of a longstanding bloodline could truly be fresh to these shores, but their bloodlines having occupied other shores so they have been raised in a similar fashion as you or anyone that has had generation after generation inhabiting our cities. (OOC: I hate going OOC here but there are times when someone signs up, gets called away or has to do something, then comes back the next day to find a family or crew to sponsor them. Not everyone spends 8 hours online after they first sign up.) She shivers and scampers off back to The Pharmacy for a shot of OOCitis antidote and a warm mug of coffee |
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| Reply by: Angel at Dec 13, '08 14:25 | |
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| Read and signed Zoey.....*bows and disappears into an ally | |
| Reply by: NobunagaOda at Dec 13, '08 14:49 | |
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| You may not be actively telling your hitters to shoot them, but saying you will not punish them for it is pretty much the same thing. From my experience here people will shoot anyone they can as soon as they can. By saying that old bloodlines are exempt from the 48 hour rule without quantifying who is a good shot will get you some questionable kills. It is tantamount to a death sentence. | |
| Reply by: Marion at Dec 13, '08 14:53 | |
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Now, I'm only a Goomba but this is an issue I hold very close to my heart. It pains me that one of the cardinal sins around here is shooting an 'innocent', a policy which directly contradicts what we are all about. Why should people be forced to hop into the first family or crew they find? Shouldn't we be more worried about those new to our shores, or returning bloodlines, finding a family or crew they feel they can be loyal to rather than rushed into a family or crew and finding themselves regretting it? You know what, if we were to use a hypothetical situation where I'm in power then No, I'm not worried about poor old diddums finding the right crew for him. I won't use the "holding hands" analogy, but that is precisely what this is. Why should *I* (the hypothetical leader) make concessions for people so they can treat this sacred organisation like buying a house. "Oh, I just have to make sure it's absolutely perfect!" Let's look at it logically. You're trying to find a family, but every second you are without a family, you are making money and kicking up to no one. This is an insult, a slap in the face to those who control the cities. I regard your last point to be entirely irrelevant incidentally, there is no such thing as "finding a crew you can be loyal to", if you're even thinking about that, you're in the wrong business. My ancestors have joined crews which they hated, had leaders whom they detested, but loyalty is always a given. A dislike of someone is no reason for disloyalty. If you're looking for a crew that you can be loyal to, and if your loyalty depends on something; then pack your bags sunshine, you're in the wrong business. Shouldn't we as family or crew heads be more concerned about getting to know who we let through our doors? This is almost a different debate, but in my eyes it's a double sided coin. In the one hand, if I were to let anyone into my HQ, I make more money in the short term and I get to get my hands dirty if they fuck up. It's a win win scenario, good business sense. Conversely, I could take in a batch of utter imbeciles and regret it because they reflect unfavourably on my organisation. Either way, though, I will agree it takes more than 24 hours to get to know someone. It takes more than 48 hours to get to know someone too. It does not, however, take more than one hour to discern whether someone will make a good member or not, at least in the short term. (OOC: In regards to this, I have always been 100% of the opinion that if a new player dies before logging on for a second time, and they are not interested enough, or can't be bothered enough to sign back up to find out what happened, they're really not the sort of players I want around anyway :) ) Begins coughing, following Angel back for an OOCitis jab |
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| Reply by: KingOfOnePercent at Dec 13, '08 14:55 | |
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Awesome saunters over to the heated debate being held in the Streets. Hopefully being near will warm him up. T'was a rather chilly night. He listens to the arguments, back and forth. Back and forth. He begins to get dizzy so takes a seat on the hard, wet floor. He always seems to sit down on hard, wet floors. Never soft, dry floors. 'Tis a mystery why. When the people go all silent and stuff, Awesome makes his voice heard. By speaking. Loudly. "I think it better to look at the reasons why these generalized rules are in place, than to look at the actual rules themselves. Like, "don't kill young'uns, mmmkay?". Why do we have it? Probably because we want to make sure that those who have not yet had a chance to join a family, whether through ignorance, lack of time, or uncertainty as to who to join, do so. And hence live. But, if you know of someone who is young but who is actively not joining a family, then such a person should not be protected by the rule. Because the rule has no purpose in that case. And a similar explanation for the case that a crewleader has died. Shouldn't apply to someone who won't join a family." Awesome pauses. And realizes that neither his actions nor his narrated-descriptions have been qualified as awesome. So does a super-awesome back-flip and lands awesomely with awesomeness. "Score." |
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| Reply by: Awesome at Dec 13, '08 14:55 | |
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Zoey listened to the woman from L.A. then watched as she waved down a taxi to take her to the airport. Hmm, ok. I'll give a little further explanation about why my stance has changed regarding the rule. I've punished members with death for attempting to wack people who've been here less than 48 hours. After attending their funerals I've seen the people they attempted to wack communicate over one hundred times. (OOC: Messages sent: 100+), participate in conversations both here on our streets and in coffee shops and wait until the last minute to accept an invitation I heard was sent to them much earlier. Actions like this are blatantly taking advantage of the 48 hour rule. |
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| Reply by: Zoey at Dec 13, '08 15:03 | |
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Well, KingOfOnePercent, you have always been outspoken about this. I think you have also found that I completely disagree with you. The mafia has never been about the slaughter of anyone you meet on the streets just because you can. If you look back at the history, it just isn't the case. Your point just proves what I was saying about the bloodthirstiness of people around here. They seem to believe that the mafia is about going around and shooting anything they can get away with shooting. I know people also complain about a lack of targets and too much competition for them. This is the other excuse to go around blasting anything they can. I also think this is rather silly. Changes to the physics of our world have made the competition more fair, and after a brief look through my ancestor's history books I see that targets are not as rare as it is made out to be. The 48 hour rule has persisted for good reasons. Saying that it isn't "our way" to not shoot innocent people is rather ignorant. |
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| Reply by: Marion at Dec 13, '08 15:14 | |
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Marion, it is not slaughter "just because I can." Let's say I am a Leader of a city. I buy an HQ, at great cost to myself, in this city. My members make a reasonable amount of effort to join this family and gain the protection of my HQ, and they work hard for the continuing honour. I risk my own life, and the lives of my family members to protect my interests in this city. So if someone waltzes into my city, with no affiliation to any other family or myself, what's that all about? This city I have worked so hard to consolidate my power in is now being exploited by someone with not direct ties to the mob. Old ladies walking my streets, Shops and business under my authority, are getting 'done' by someone. This is of no benefit to me. This is a slap in my face, and it is a slap in the face of my members who work hard to gain my protection (or the protection of other leaders). I couldn't care about a lack of targets, honestly. It is fairly well known that most of my ancestors have known which end of a gun is which. They never complained about a lack of targets. They complained about the nonsensical 48 hour rule. I complain about it for the same reason as those before me. It makes no sense. You say it is for the protection of newer members, point me to some sort of proof, some evidence that suggests it is working. (OOC: Again, I absolutely detest doing this but I feel this is an issue which really can't be fully discussed without doing so. RPwise, it makes no sense for a leader to allowed someone unaffiliated to make money on their turf. I realise we don't have tangible, coded protection schemes and that sort of thing; but in reality, the mob would 'see' to any 2 bit thug who is moving in on their business. Therein lies my only problem with the 48 hour rule. It does make sense, and we are sacrificing realism where we don't have to.) |
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| Reply by: KingOfOnePercent at Dec 13, '08 15:39 | |
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Except that they are not innocent and it is not for no reason. Marion, tell me that the mafia tolerates gangsters doing crimes on their patch without kicking up to the family. Like the King said, this just isn't our way. When are people going to learn to think like mobsters? |
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| Reply by: SamGramignano at Dec 13, '08 15:41 | |
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| Will you teach them Gramignano? | |
| Reply by: Sal_Giaquinto at Dec 13, '08 16:06 | |
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| You're better at it than me, Sal. I have enjoyed your speeches on this thing of ours. | |
| Reply by: SamGramignano at Dec 13, '08 16:08 | |
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| I guess, I'll have to speak more if you'd like. It's been awhile and the soap box is a bit dusty. What do ya say? | |
| Reply by: Sal_Giaquinto at Dec 13, '08 16:13 | |
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