Deimne places his pen on the table, exhausted following many late nights of negotiations and discussions. It was all worth it now that an agreement had finally been reached. Gaining full concensus on a topic was never an easy task, but sometimes, for the good of this thing of ours, it was essential.

For some time now, the debates and issues surrounding 'member whoring', in all its facets, have rumbled on. Many have spoken out strongly on their stance and many with excellent points of view on the subject.

One man, who sadly is no longer with us, spoke out as strongly as anyone on the topic. Godfather BoabyWanKenobi, grhs, deserves a special mention for his role in the stance being taken today. Though he is not with us, to see this day finally arive, it would be wrong of any of us to underestimate the role he played in us coming to this stance as a community and the motivation he provided me personally with to pursue it through his thoughts and words. That said, many of our vocal community also deserve mention for their input, so it's certainly a public stance and not just down to those of us who currently hold the reigns and run our eight cities.

I'd love to suggest this one is something I can take sole credit for, or that it's my strong arm forcing it into existance (after all I've got a tyrant title to wrestle back from Philly), however, this isn't the case. For a long time now, discussions have been had between all cities on how to resolve the concerns felt by a large majority and make a meaningful and potentially lasting soloution to the problem(s). This is something which has now been agreed upon by all, for the good of all. Cosa Nostra is taking steps to protect itself and while my priorities will always lie with my own city and those who call it home, anything which impacts on this thing of ours nationally or globally must be given the attention and concern it deserves.

To all the cities and city leaders who have worked together to get us here, thank you for the time and thought you've been willing to put forth. This is something that must be tackled, not as individual cities or leaders as would be the easiest solution, but for a long term and meaningful solution must be tackled as a community as a whole. It affects all friends of ours and this thing of ours from the grass roots, so something which must be resolved together for truly meaningful results which are more than simply lip service to the topic.

Just to make it clear, before we go any further, this isn't an attempt to justify unjust kills, a reason for wars between cities under the name of 'member whoring' for reasons sake or simply a move to reward those who feel they're too lazy to 'recruit'. This is a stance to end the practises which have given us all cause for concern. Obviously, we'd love for this to result in the removal of the problems without any examples having to be made of those breaking the rules, but if it comes to that... it will happen!

So, some details...

We, as leaders, are responsible for the actions of those who work for us. If it's a leader or a member of the upper structure, we expect them to know how to successfully grow and develop a family without having to resort to whorish recruitment. These whorish acts simply put their family, and all members of this thing of ours, at risk. If someone is bombarding civilians, fresh off the boat, with invites, details of this thing of ours, detials on their family or the ohhh so subtle 'help' speeches they've prerehearsed and given a million times, then the FED's will come cracking down on all of us. It puts everyone at risk, so will no longer be tolerated.

When it comes to sponsors... a made man is selected from all of a leaders family members. A sponsor is chosen from all of those lucky enough to be graced with being a made man. A sponsor is someone selected to guide, train and mentor new blood, it should be someone capable of doing this. As such, a sponsor should have the training and intelligence to know how to do this role correctly. This will, now, include knowing how to gain an associate without whoring them. There is no excuse for a sponsor not to be fully aware of what they're doing and what they shouldn't do, so ignorance of what is expected will not be a valid excuse. If a sponsor isn't up to the job, they simply shouldn't be doing it.

Outright whoring has always been frowned upon on our shores and has never been accepted. It puts our entire livelyhood at risk, leading to an increasing number of potential breakers of our omertà silence and increased chances of those belonging to la stessa cosa at risk. Allowing such actions which provide these new associates, nothing mixed with nil as the old saying so rightly puts it, with enough information to bring our world crumbling down around us... without so much as a casual conversation first, is nothing less than suicidal. In recent times, this 'whoring' has taken on a new form. A veiled attempt at offering 'help', which is nothing more than pro-active recruitment, which has the same potential to topple this thing of ours. These offers of 'help' were nothing more than trying to earn another entry in the obits under the family name or fill up a hq as quickly as possible. Any genuine help is never offered in this manner, it doesn't fool anyone.

A stance is needed to prevent these issues continuing any further. Here and now, a stance is being taken!

Sending an invite without a request: Totally unacceptable
Sending a "want an invite?" recruitment mail: Totally unacceptable
Sending out blanket "need help?" mails: Totally unacceptable (they seldom ever result in meaningful help to begin with)
Any whorish activities where the sole intention is recruitment: Totally unacceptable

Now, so that we're all clear, this isn't a move to cut off contact with new arrivals or to hinder people in attempting to help the new blood. In fact, it's the exact opposite. It's a change to make sure that those pretending to help for nothing more than whorish reasons, and looking to add another target to a family kill list, leave them the hell alone.

Throwing out a blanket speech offering 'help' to each and every new arrival seconds after they leave the boats is so far from helping it hurts. If you genuinely wish to help someone, then great. Talk to them, have a friendly conversation, get to know them and let them get to know you. This way, you actually know the person you're talking to. You show them far more about our way of life and how to act than simply directing them to the local library for reading material. You preserve the safety of your family by not speaking about family matters to someone who could just as easily be a federal agent as a potential associate. When you have made a genuine effort to befriend someone, chances are they will be keen and delighted to seek your help with earning a place in a family. You don't need whoring to do it!

So, the stance is now clear. Whorish behaviour will no longer be tolerated. Those in a position to welcome members into a family should be at a level where this is fully understood, or else they shouldn't be given that right. A line has been drawn in the sand, my advice to all... don't cross it.

Deimne gives a nod to Lucretia, Iota, Scipita, PoisonousJelly, Pedro, Kates and Quirinus as he steps down from the podium.

I'd just like to take a quick moment to not only enforce LA's agreement with this but to say...

I now hope that all those people out there that were saying "Why hasn't The Honoured Society done anything about this yet?" and things like "Can't believe the city heads haven't done anything about this yet." now realise that we have been for a very long time.

Special thanks do indeed go to Godfather BoabyWanKenobi (GRHS) for getting this discussion off the ground and for all the valuble and hard work he put into getting the final solution out.

I'm thrilled to see this stance being taken by all the Godfathers/Godmothers (and PJ!!!). It is long overdue, but the fact that it happened shows that progress is being made in our world.

My father helped facilitate and take part in some of these recent discussions, so it makes me smile to know some of the work he put into drawing attention to this subject paid off.

The job of running a city is not as glamorous as it appears, which is something not everyone considers when looking at those at the top of the food chain. That said, the job you've all done to come together on this agreement took a tremendous amount of time and effort, and you all should be commended for this.

Allow me to be one of the many people that will say thank you for hearing the voices of the people, and taking action. It is greatly appreciated.

I will just say that this is exactly what we needed to hear. This discussion has been brought up multiple times throughout the eight cities and together as a whole. As can be expected, i'm sure not every single city-head and Godfather at the time it was first brought up agreed or even cared to comment on this touchy subject. I am very glad to see that a decision has been reached by the Godfather Council and a clear line has been drawn on what is considered acceptable and not.

I've read up on journals of my recently deceased relative, and know that she was strongly against member whoring. She also knew that it wasn't a problem that was going to be resolved overnight. It's good to see the Godfathers banding together to resolve this issue into something that is beneficial to the nation as a whole, while still maintaining priorities to their own cities.

Thank you, Godfather Deimne and the rest of the active Godfathers for reaching a decision on this. Not to mention a thank you to the recently fallen Godfathers who helped pave the way for this decision to be reached.

It is a delight to see the 8 cities make a positive stance with regards to the ridiculous amount of whoring that has gone on under the 'recruitment' and 'help' banner. All that particular practice achieved was to ensure that genuine help was buried and indistinguishable, whilst those that were whored were hardly given an environment conducive to churning out high quality criminals as opposed to a raft of useless bums. This will hopefully change things, cutting out the nonsense and genuinely serving in the interests of cosa nostra, rather than overly selfish leaders.

Lets face it, it's generally pretty clear when someone genuinely needs help on these shores. They're often found still wandering around the docks, a reasonable time after showing up, scratching their head and not sure who to speak to. For the most part though, people arrive and head straight to their destination or, at least, figure things out, get a feel for the place, then initiate contact themselves within the opening stages of their new life within these shores. There is little need for the level of 'attention' they were getting from some or the incessant, almost as if templated, approaches they were receiving from CLs/RHs/LHs/Sponsors within minutes of their arrival.

One small suggestion I would have, though it is far from my place to do so, I know, would be that this speech be reference in city rules. The reason being two-fold. Firstly, for those that may miss this speech (however unlikely) or for those not yet on these shores who may miss the discussion in its entirety. Though in honesty, I guess their CLs will inform them accordingly anyway. Secondly though, and mainly, because I think new arrivals on these shores tend to be more forthcoming in highlighting obvious cases of whoring when it is very clear to them that it's a practice that once more has no place in cosa nostra. If that helps to root any wrong-doers, then it couldn't hurt. As I say though, this isn't my place to decide, just a thought!

To echo what a couple of people have said already, thank you to Deimne and all other 7 city heads for taking action and reaching consensus. Big Boaby - as he often said, that's what the ladies called him - would be thrilled to hear it.

Congratulations to Godfather Kenobi on seeing his dream come to fruition.

Oh.

My bloodline has been desperate for this policy to come to pass since it first reached these shores.  I commend all the Godfathers/mothers/tuckers on reaching an agreement and announcing it, publicly, in no uncertain terms.

I'm sure Godfather BoabyWanKenobi (or Pencil Dick as the ladies used to call him) will be taking a break from his purgatory-based wailings to crack a smile about this announcement. 

Sorry Gary, but Pencil-Dick... erm I mean Boaby isn't in purgatory... he became one with the force... I'm sure I've seen a little spectral Squirrel running around here somewhere...

Blagger thinks hard for a moment and then reality suddenly clicks

Could be the MDMA is just wearing off though... couldn't hook a brother up?

Anywho, I'm sure my father would have loved to have seen this day if he hadn't been murdered in his sleep by a very jealous man. I for one am glad this day has arrived, thank you Deimne for this timely announcment and to all of you involved in its constitution and impliamentation.

I'm sure the community will grow as a whole, now that this matter is settled.

I will also add that I'm glad a stop was put to these "Help" mails. Veiling whoring, is still whoring.

Thank you Godfather council for stepping forward for the good of the community.

Alas! This has been highly anticipated! I know it takes time and many meetings all over the country to get the eight leaders of this Thing of Ours to agree on such matters and I am pleased to see it materialize..

Although it is irrelevant in my case at the moment, it is a problem that has really been grinding my gears in the past and I know my ancestors felt the same way.. So I guess I just wanted to acknowledge the work that has been put in this and thank the council (Including Boaby GRHS) for finally taking an official stance on this matter...

CONGRATS

Every member whore should recieve 200 lashes to the ankle, effective immediately!

Walks off chewing on his rubbery cheap pizza...

TP listens and realizes he has nothing more to say

well I agree. I think it is importand I say that I agree. As if people will see that more people support the cause, the better. though this thing of our, ain't the democracy (if somone haven't noticed).

Rules are rules.

GRHS Member Whoring, we hardly knew ye

This is most pleasing news. I was always sure that the people in charge of the cities were trying to reach an agreement and I am happy to see it was finally reached.

Our way of life is more secure from the authorities than before.

Squirrel i hear you say? I heard he had huge nuts

i new 2 this but i want in so i will try my best ut i am goin 2 need all the help i could get from the godfather

Hmmm... A new member that knows how to dig through transcripts to find this and at petty thief is already "wealthy". Yeah, I'm sure you're a real newb.

Hmmm... i smell a rat... and it's not me! I was asking myself the same question CrazyNine. Not a fresh of the boater for sure. Why do i have the feeling i know this guy? Must be my nerves or something!

Some would smell a rat at a high ranking LHM getting nervous just about a random thief bringing up the topic of member whoring.

I wouldn't though, cause I'm just a Wise Guy!