He pulls over his car on a small parking lot. While being under the influence of THC he bumps his car into a few other cars. He steps out and looks at the damage caused to his own vehicle.

"Oh, not too bad. A few dents more or less doesn't really matter"

While walking up on the streets he looks around to see if he can find a soapbox. Not to far from his current position he sees a thug just about to pull out a soapbox from the trunk of his car to make a speech. He runs towards the thug and with one simple blow to the head the thug drops on his back.

"Good, just what I need. The thug will survive, just a nasty headache I guess, ghe ghe"

He steps on the soapbox and starts to speak with a loud voice only interrupting himself to take a few hits from his spliff

"People, I would like to tell you a story about one of my ancestors which has been carried over to his relatives and so on, and so on. When my ancestor joined this life of crime he was approached my a guy called Smight. Smight was a button man which was fairly uncommon around those days and he was one of few. Although he was one of the highest ranking members, he never acted like a big shot-know it all.

Mr. Smight was known in this world for his desciple program, now a days we call them associates I guess. He offered all his knowledge and wisdom and even his money to people fresh off the boat. People who never had a relative in this world of crime. These desciples were not only members from his famiglia but also from other famiglia's. The moment a discliple proofed his worth, he was set free in the wide world.

The reason I put this out is because of the recent discussions and rule changes made by the Godfathers/Godmothers about whoring on the streets looking for associates or valueable members to join a famiglia. And although I can't agree more to these set of rules, not only because I proof loyalty to my Godfather Quirinus, I do want to point out that due to these rules, people fresh off the boat might lose interest in this thing of ours.

Yes, there are priests to the gods roaming our world (ooc: helpdesk) who can help fresh people off the boat although this is done in a manner mafiosi shouldn't behave. They answer any question you have but they hardly play a role (ooc: RP). So without the member whoring we might lose some people in this life of crime, people we could use against our fight with the pigs.

I'm curious if Im in a mindflux and see things completely wrong. If so, please correct me. Just to put this out, I am loyal to my Godfather and never will I question his or any other rule set by a Godfather. However I was curious what you guys think?"

He finishes his spliff and pulls out a new one....hmmm, where did that thug and his matches go?

Yes, you are in a mindflux and see things completely wrong. You are making a presumption that:  a) The type of member whoring being condemned actually helped anyone, when most of the time it was done with no communication and no later assistance, only to have a fresh target in seven days. Big help that is.; and b) That there is not any less sickening/desperate way to go about it.

I would also like to add that Mr. Smight sounds like an absolute douche.

He respectfully listens to BrutusTheBarber until he's finished....

"I never said I like member whoring but the rules set also prevent any form of guidance offered to new players. You call Mr. Smight a douche, I saw and still do see him as a great man. Although he was one of the top ranked members in the world back in the days, he helped anyone who needed help. His disciples, ok perhaps the name he gave them sounded a bit gay, were masters in staying in their role as mafioso, something I see lacking in the streets of today.

Member whoring should not be allowed and today the day is not being allowed. But the current rules also prevent anyone to do offer good support and great assistance, also after a while. For example, ThePerfumer, my sponsor, helped me from the start even to this point in life. He contacted me before the member whoring being addressed but he is the living proof that approaching people fresh of the boat is a good thing.

but the rules set also prevent any form of guidance offered to new players.

No they don't.

Passes on a note to Hoopi which he wrote down during a speech of Deime. A transcript of his speech can be found here: http://mafiareturns.com/comm/thread/83426

<blockquote>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.</blockquote>

Is it me or does that exactly say what I said?

No The_Tank it does not.

What that says is that the leaders are no longer going to accept mails such as:

"Hi. I am part of <insert family name> and we can really help you understand this place. If you're intrested we can teach you all we know and then perhaps get you an invite?"

Two mails later the member is whored and by the previous laws on whoring you could not be held accountable.

Members hands are held more than enough. Trust me. A couple of my ancestors used to help thugs off the boat. But this was before such things as the help me your recieve immediately of the Gods. This was before we had those blue 'Helpdesk' Gods walking around our world. Ths was before they had 48 hours protection of their life. In the time I helped them they were shot 24 hours and 1 second in.

Sometimes people have to learn the lessons of life themselves. You cannot give everything to them on a plate and expect to get hard working and self reliant mobsters. A lesson learnt yourself is worth ten of a lesson taught.

Tank, I have a better quote for you. Deimne said:

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.

[...]

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!

Hoopi has pretty much summed up everything that needs be said.

I will add though, that Teaching a new Mafioso new to this world does not start the second they are off the boat. It should start once they have used the Simple common sense to gain entry to a family. That is when Made Men should be approaching these thugs and offering them assistance.

I will also note that not all Made men "act like a big shot-know it all". Simply asking for assistance can go a long way, and I'm sure that Thugs whom are willing to put in the effort required to become valued Mafioso will be taken under the wing of Most Made Men they approach.

He sparks a smoke and takes a drag.

Thugs with matches are a must for any Made Man who smokes.

He listens carefully to hoopi and reads the note given to him

I am very sorry for being so misinformed about this matter. I'm glad I held this speech as due to Hoopi's note it's all clear to me. Thank you for explaining things to me and having the patience to enlighten me with your wisdom.

One would almost think that the dashing and charming man who gave that original speech had actually thought about the situation and considered the potential benefits, negatives, consequences, impacts, changes and reactions to the introduction of this change. Having a passing knowledge of the chap in question, I doubt it to be honest. Bet he just got lucky.