After seeing talk of honourable and dishonourable practices, I've decided that I am dissatisfied with a practice that I know some mobsters undertake.

I was raised in an era where being a hitter wasn't an option afforded to every idiot capable of going to the shooting range. It was the profession of honourable men, carrying out their task with skill, dedication and pride. We used to have a certain grudging respect for our fellow hitters regardless of family; a bond forged by our mutual callings and I think this is sorely lacking in our modern age.

With this is mind, I am going to attempt to bring some honour back to the hitting game in the hope that it raises the profile of those men who consider themselves to be hitters. This shouldn't be the work of the sneaky, the dishonourable, and the thieves. This should be the work of trusted men and women, looking out for the interests of their family and providing the muscle they need to make their living. The slavering fool has no place holding a gun and considering himself an enforcer.

I believe we are living in a society built on respect and I consider it extremely disrespectful when someone decides to shoot an MIA not belonging to them. Therefore nobody from my family is permitted to steal an MIA belonging to someone else from now on. I will not tolerate my members dishonouring me, themselves or this family.

Should you feel that one of my members has stolen an MIA belonging to you, I would request that you bring the matter to my attention immediately. Should you feel as I do, that this is a dishonourable practice, I would strongly encourage you to follow suit and stop being a thief.

~G~warble.

Personally, I enjoy the competition when taking on a contract. Sure, some may be stolen, but the sense competition is one of the main driving forces for me and I believe for many other people. 

Also, isn't there a distinction to be made between a hitter who takes on a contract, stalks his prey dilligently only to have another hitter jump in at that last second and one who takes on 10 contracts at once hoping that one will be close to home? Is the latter entitled to an indefinite amount of time to fulfill all of those contracts?

?

Brilliant, Gwarble.

I've read about the days where people might not have liked each other too much or agreed with what they had to say when they spoke, but you're right there was a certain level of respect between hitters in each city. I think this is a step in the right direction to possibly bring some of that back into the world.

My interpretation of this is pretty clear, Kikuchiyo.

If you, as someone who has earned the title of Boss in Philadelphia, take out a contract on an MIA, it would be dishonourable of me to attempt to steal that away from you. I'm not a thief, I'm in the mafia. My members aren't thieves, they too are in the mafia. They are honourable men and women or at the very least associates striving to reach that level. We have a hierarchical society, built upon the principles of honour and respect for a reason. It is these that separate us from the gutter scum.

Whether you take out 1, 10 or 100 contracts makes no difference to me and I don't believe a distinction is required. The scenario is irrelevant, I'm not promoting my members to be so lustful for kills and so disrespectful that they can't take out contracts of their own.

~G~warble.

People pay good money for MIA's in an attempt to increase their gun skills which are vital to any family. To take out a contract only to see the MIA get stolen is annoying and dis-respectful to say the least. The majority of people don't have the time or skill to train their gun skills with normal IA/RIA's, is it really fair that an experienced hitter can come along and steal their MIA?, Fuck no it isn't!

I applaud Gwarble for coming out here and placing such a ban on his members from undertaking such a despicable task, i hope this is the start to something that could spread across all the cities. I think this is a matter that our Godfathers need to address and hopefully come to some sort of conclusion where 'MIA theft' is stopped. When a MIA is stolen, some poor mafioso has lost their personal money against their wish and have gained nothing whatsoever in return.

We cannot allow this act to continue, MIA theft is a crime and punishments should be handed out to those who commit.

Well done, Gwarble.  I couldn't agree more.  It is rather annoying to have your own target stolen from you.  Hell, I look at that as having money stolen right out of my pocket.  While we steal from old ladies and other folks who are not a part of "this thing", we should not steal from each other.

I'm going to add to Gwarble's announcement by saying that if any Los Angeles member steals an MIA that belongs to you, bring this to my attention and I will address the matter.

"The majority of people don't have the time or skill to train their gun skills with normal IA/RIA's, is it really fair that an experienced hitter can come along and steal their MIA?, Fuck no it isn't!"

I have to admit this is the perfect argument to DISAGREE with this idea. I hear people talking about how hitting was only for skillful and dedicated people, yet some people would wish that people had the guarantee of a pay-to-kill scheme. Unless all leaders decided to enforce this, I don't feel like tieing my members' hands when they get their targets stolen as well from time to time. They learn to be quicker next time they draw, though.

Effective immediately, the Godfather has extended this conduct to all Los Angeles members.

Now that's what I call slow on the uptake...go me.

I really don't feel like my hands are tied, CrazyNine.  Maybe take this less as an argument and more as a commitment from LA not to steal from your hard working members in Philadelphia.  And thanks for the update Hoopi.

''Unless all leaders decided to enforce this, I don't feel like tieing my members' hands''

This is why i enquired about the Godfathers meeting to discuss this maatter. LA are simply addressing the matter and doing what i see, as the honorable thing. Your city doesn't have to take the same stance but it would be pretty shitty if your member's could steal our MIA's but we can't steal yours. Yes, i know our city decided to do this which is a bit like cutting our own throats i suppose, but it is the honorable thing to do and honor appeals more to me than a few extra kills. Although i have to admit if i have a MIA stolen off me i would be pretty cheesed off.

Sureshot: I do understand that the nature of this is more of an announcement than a debate. I was just giving my opinion on the issue while also hinting at the fact that I will not forbid my members to race for targets that were spawned under the understanding that "there is no guarantee that you will get this kill. But like I said, if every leader agreed on it, I would then enforce it in my city as well.

I was recently asked by a fellow Los Angeles crime member about abandoned MIAs.  So if an MIA was spawned and was left to sit there and rot, after 30 minutes of him becoming a gangster, he will be considered "abandoned" and will not be viewed as stealing from my eyes.

CrazyNine, we are working on this as a city.  Hopefully, we can all manage this ourselves without the intervention of City Hall. 

I agree with CrazyNine on this one. It's admirable what LA is doing. I understand the frustration of having a MIA stolen from you but there is an understanding when spawning them that you may not get the kill. To create a situation where people can no longer go after MIAs they don't create would be handing kills to people who can't earn one without a set of rules assuring them of getting that kill and I don't think those people should ever use their guns.

Forgive me if I said anything to make you think I implied City Hall getting involved, I don't think I ever did. I was referring to the rest of us Crime Lords.

Cruel, forgive me that I didn't hear you when you spoke last.

"Your city doesn't have to take the same stance but it would be pretty shitty if your member's could steal our MIA's but we can't steal yours."

Believe me that if I could know that an MIA was spawned by one from your city I'd leave it alone. As it stands, since I know many people from other cities steal them as well and my members do get their targets stolen, I can't (YET) support this idea.

CrazyNine, you didn't imply it.  I was simply gathering it from discussions on IRC avenue.

I fully understand that CrazyNine, it will be interesting to see what what the other city heads think of the matter and whether they take action or not. And about the city heads meeting to discuss it, i just think it would be wise and fair if all cities agreed on the same course of action, not necessarily the one LA now has in place, there are of course other options but i do think LA's stance is a good option. If cities are divided on the matter by means of having different rules or even by having no rules, it could create an imbalance and that is when tensions increase.

Lets just make sure I got this straight. LA is no longer going to be shooting at any of my MIA's? That is excellent news, stupid move, but excellent news for me and mine. Lets just sit back and arrange our thoughts on this matter for a moment.

Gaius pulls a cigarette from his pocket and fires it up while staring at Gwarble and the rest of the crowd before him.

I've heard countless people bitching all day long, when I as a young thug open my entitlement from my father and purchase hundreds of bodyguards. How is this done? Pretty simple, from the same CD's that buy your MIA's. The question, is why aren't you trying to STEAL all of my MIA's? Anyone that has a bit of patience and half a brain can now train a nuclear cannon. 

Your saying that hitters should have a bit of class? What the fuck for? Last I checked this wasn't a nursey school, we all don't sing coombyaaa and have naptime every day. Out of your own mouth came one of my favorite sayings of all time Don Gwarble, "This is business not a medieval knighthood. We aren't all brothers in arms sitting around our round table, about to mount our steeds and rescue fair maidens. This isn't about right and wrong. This is about success or failure."

You understand and you realize, that LA making this move isn't going to stop ANY of the rest of us from shooting at whatevers handy right? That you are merely weakening your own firepower? For me, I could care less, sounds like more shit for me to shoot. But, since you guys just left NY, I still feel a bit... familish of you. :)

Gaius, can you tell me which Godfathers who supported "The Honored Society"?