Political Correctness
Political Correctness
Spike had taken the last three days to himself since he'd left his old job. Twilight and he had discussed his desire to grow and his reservation there in and concluded that it best to hold off on any more accumulation of stuff to horde until after he'd spoken with Brute and maybe seek guidence from the elder drake.
Things at the library had been... interesting for Twilight, to say the least.
Colgate and Mayor mare dropped by every day to ask for her help in some way or form, since their power of governance was effectively halted. The first day, Twilight held to her stance of non-intervention on part of the crown, but by the second day, the harassment and begging of the two government officials grew more intense. Before she knew it, the librarian was writing multiple letters to Celestia for legislation and tax increase submissions for approval. Letters Spike reluctantly sent off to the princess.
Two days later and still no reply.
This wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for either Colgate or Mare stopping by every two hours on the dot to see if either of them had heard word from Celestia.
Seeing the stress begining to weigh on his mother, Spike offered to spend some time in City Hall to give her a break. Spike was the method of communication between Celestia and Twilight, so there was no reason to keep Twilight in the middle when he could just handle the situation himself.
"Are you sure you want to do this? If worse comes to worse, I can just put a shield around the library." Twilight said hopefully. Spike shook his head and dismissed the necessity. From what he'd seen, those two would probably just bang on the shield for a good few hours before calling in the guard to displace it.
"Besides, it might be kinda fun to sit around City Hall, see all the political stuff that goes on. The government who runs our lives is something I should have looked into a while ago anyways."
He grabbed his cloak and satchel, placing his neglected gem carving set there in for something to do to pass the time when he got bored. "See you in a few hours, try to get outta the library for a bit, alright? You know, just incase they try to get you to make me send more letters or anything."
Chuckling, Twilight gave him a quick nuzzle and saw him out the door.
City Hall wasn't too far away, a good five minute walk or so. The drake wondered in, looking over the tall inside of the building. The last time he was here was for an official reprimand from Mayor Mare over his second rampage. He'd thought briefly about a little revenge over her blindsiding him with it, but decided to just accept that she was doing her job.
If there was really anything making him second guess himself, it was the fact Sin was ordered to be here to oversee city halls pracitces. From what he understood of it, the council wasn't using the tax money as effectivly as they should be, at least by Sin's standpoint. Many of his changes had already taken effect and honestly, it didn't really seem like too much had changed in the town. The grass in the park got a little long and the street lamps came on a little later, but all in all, Ponyville still seemed the friendly and calm place it always was.
If Mayor Mare or any of the council did give him grief, he could easily throw that back in their face, at least.
He retraced the steps that lead to her office and knocked on the large wooden door at the top of the stairs. "Oh good, you're here! Any news?" The elder earth pony asked with an enthusiastic smile. Spike shook his head and her smile disappeared instantly. "Very well, please make yourself comfortable and don't hesitate to tell me if you get a reply. Councilmare Colgate is in the deliberation chamber if you need anything."
The door slammed in his face before Spike could get a word in edgewise.
'Nice to see you too.'
His good mood dampanned, Spike decided to have a look around. He'd hoped to speak with the mayor about some political matters, but talking to him was obviously of no interest to her. Spike was just there as a messenger boy, nothing more.
Despite it's size, Spike wandered for a good ten minutes before finding the deliberation chamber. It was actually amazing how many rooms the building had.
He found the cobalt mare sitting at a large table, a few piles of manilla folders stacked in front of her. Many having the words REJECTED stamped on the front of them, Spike noticed.
'Damn, Sin did a number on these guys.'
If the folders had already been rejected, why were they here now?
'Probably for appeals.'
"As you can see, I am very busy, so-" Colgate bemoaned, stopping when she saw who it was. Her face immediately lit up to a much more friendly disposition. "Oh good morning! Did you finally get news from her majesty about my propositions on candy sale restrictions?"
Again, Spike shook his head in the negative. Even if he did, he was still deliberating telling her about it. Restricting candy sales to minors because they could get cavities, what a joke.
Like the Mayor, Colgate's cheery disposition melted as quickly as it came and the mare scowled in disappointment. "If not, than I must ask that I not be disturbed." She turned her attention back to the file, reading over it once more.
'Gee, what crawled up her plot this morning?'
Despite the mare's foul mood, Spike wasn't about to let a dismissal deture him from education. "What are you reading?"
"Ponyville Proposition 243, The Provision for Maternity Leave for Mares." Colgate answered distractedly. Spike walked forward behind her and read over her shoulder.
The dragon prided himself on his intelligence and ability to comprehend. He'd lived in libraries all of his life with an intellectual mare who prized knowledgeable pursiutes above all things and challenged his senses of understanding and pushed him to become more adept in the realms of vocabulary, grammar, and interpretation in a way that superseded most average ponies.
Though, when he looked at the words on the page, his mind immediately went blank. The words, the words were beyond count, beyond comprehension! The words he understood if he took a few seconds to think on them, but in the context they were in, it was like reading a second language!
He had to reread a single paragraph six times before he finally realized that the mass of text was simply a specification of what the implications were for the business whom failed to give the maternity leave would be. Over half of the text was just referencing six other subsections in accordance to authority, regulation, government power of attorney, and what constitutes coercion.
Deciding he could wait to understand the legal jargin, Spike asked the Councilmare about how the political process worked in city hall. He'd expected Colgate to answer him either dismissively or outright ignore him, however, the mare turned to him with a curious skepticism.
"Why do you wanna know?"
"Well, you guys kinda decide the rules and laws we live by, right?" Spike shrugged. "Figured it would be smart of me to come in and see how everything worked, ya know?"
The cobalt mare's hard stare continued for a few more seconds before slowly turning into a smile. "Really? You mean you actually care about politics?" Spike nodded, making Colgate giggle happily before turning her full attention to him.
"Alright, so in Ponyville, we run on a representative democracy; with an underscore executive. The City council being the representatives and the mayor being the executive. That means that we representatives, Myself, representative of the first District of Ponyville, Leaf Spring and Rain Drops, who represent the Second and Third districts respectively, vote in a small democracy about the legislation that the town should pass or not, using executive action for emergancy situations or in the event that a council member abstains from voting and a tie results."
"The executive underscore means that the mayor, while technically of a higher position than us, does not supercede our authority as a unified council. Of course there's also direct democracy where we take a bill to the town and allow the entire voting public to decide on if the regulation or law should be placed into effect or not. This is usually not the case because most ponies don't understand the intricacies of our own laws and by laws." She paused and turned the Maternity bill for him to see, the ungodly amount of words giving the drake a head ache. "See, you're on the smarter side too, how do you think the voting public would react if they had to read this and follow through reading everything else?"
Spike often wondered why direct democracy wasn't more often implemented in dealing with Ponyville's issues. It would take weeks, maybe even months for everypony in town to read all of the needed documents to make informed decisions. Making a process that the council could resolve in a few hours last over the period of months at a time. At least, if it was done right anyway, and ponies didn't just vote for something without understanding exactly what they were saying yes or no to.
The mare continued on about the structure of government role, from the power of the city council down to the guards and their commitment to upholding the law and order. It was surprisingly simple, yet somehow seemed so complicated with how she dragged it out. The technicalities and precise language of the laws and regulations were what made it so, since grey areas were so easy to come across.
"We used to run this city as the ponies saw fit... until your little friend came along and began telling us how to do our job." Colgate finished with a scowl. Though, fortunately for her, she immediately apologized. "I'm sorry, it's just been so difficult to get anything done with him around. In two hours, he'd make two weeks of work for us. Rejecting laws, demanding revisions, looking over budget numbers and stuff.''
While Spike didn't appreciate his late friend's besmirchment, he could understand Colgate's irritation. Poor mare looked nothing like she usually did, much more stressed out and tired looking than usual. The arbiter of city council was a new addition to the Ponyville government structure, one Celestia was persistent in maintaining if any kind of federal funding was to be awarded. Sin's place as the previous arbiter had destroyed the system the council had, which was to pass anything they liked so long as there was more benefit to the city than detriment.
Spike held his tongue on that one, making it so foals couldn't buy candy was a bad joke as far as he was concerned.
The doors to the chamber opened and two ponies Spike didn't recognize walked in. The first a serious looking green mare with her ivory mane bunched up in a bun, the latter was an aqua colored mare sporting a teal curl mane styled in a way that almost rivaled the elegance of Rarity.
"Rain Drops, Leaf Spring? What are you two doing here?" Colgate asked. "I thought you were still in Canterlot."
"Celestia said we weren't needed anymore." Rain Drops said absently, filing her hoof with a dull expression.
Leaf Spring struted forth, pushing past the two occupants and over to one of the desks, retrieving a glass and tea bag. "Indeed, apparently all we Ponyville folk are good for is aid in the reconstruction efforts." She scoffed, pulling out a water bottle and making herself a lukewarm brew.
"Oh boy." The cobalt mare whispered worriedly. "Did she say anything abou-"
"She rejected my appeal!" Leaf yelled, slamming the glass on the table and turning to give Colgate a glare. "Even with that rat bastard dead, the princess thinks our spending and regulatory practices are in need of guidance! I can't flying believe it!"
'Rat bastard? Oh Tartarus, Spike, calm down.'
It took everything he had to restrain himself, but the drake managed to refrain from lobbing a tirade that would make a sailor run home crying to his mommy.
Who did this... muel think she was?!
Colgate made a gesture with her hoof across her throat and motioned to Spike, gaining the irate councilmare's attention. Though, she didn't seem at all dissuaded, she actually looked confused.
"What? What are you... YOU!" The snobby mare shrieked, now noticing Spike's presence. "You're the dragon that ruined the market district. Twice! Get out! Get out of my Hall, you are not welcome here!"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know there was political corruption going on." Spike said in mock apology.
Colgate looked at him in shock, Leaf had a similar expression but with much more indignity, and Rain didn't even look like heard him.
"Why you- how dare you!"
The drake gave a half hearted bow. "By all means, continue bemoaning the fact you can't do your jobs right and need a foal sitter to hold you hooves." He stood and recited the minotaur finger gesture Blade had taught him. Apparently it was well known because both Colgate and Leaf Spring gasped at the display.
Having said his piece, Spike strutted out of the chamber and told Mayor Mare that he had been banned from the premises. The mayor asked what was going on.
"Ask that mule with the white hair, she's the one who told me to get lost." He retorted before closing the door. Mayor Mare had more to say, but Spike didn't care. As satisfying as it was to give that mule the finger and call her out, he was still furious with her, and just wanted to leave this place before he did something he'd regret.
Seething quietly, he made way back to the library to relax and calm down.
"Excuse me."
Spike looked left, seeing a bright hot pink pegasus pony with broadly framed glasses approach. Her mane was... disturbingly trimmed. While most mares kept their manes at least somewhat stylish, her rainbow colored locks were cut down to a strange and short bowl cut. A mane don't, as Rarity would call it.
"I'm sorry to bother you sir, but could you tell me where I can find City Hall?" She asked. Spike couldn't quite put his finger on why, but she seemed... off some how. Fake? No, that wasn't the right word. He didn't know, but she just rubbed him the wrong way.
"Yea, it's over that way." He pointed with a thumb.
The mare thanked him and asked him how his day was going. Again, on the outside she appeared honest and genuine enough, but her words just felt... wrong, some how.
"Fine, I guess."
The pegasus mare tilted her head and eyed Spike with eyes full of pity enough to insult his sensibilities. "You poor, poor creature. Living in a town of ponies who just don't understand you. I can't imagine the oppression you must go through on a day to day basis." She lifted her hoof and motioned for him to come closer.
Spike's brow furrowed and his eyes widened, his mind slowly coming to the conclusion of what she wanted.
'She wants a hug... okay? I'm gonna go with no.'
He stood his ground, waiting for the mare to realize that her offering wasn't going to be accepted. "Umm... thanks, I guess."
She lowered her leg and gave him a wide and happy smile. "Don't worry, I understand, and I'm here to help!" She declared, walking past. "Don't worry little dragon, nopony will ever oppress you again while I'm here."
Spike turned and gave her a look. It was disturbing just how confused he was, almost kinda scary. He'd seen many reaction from different ponies over him being a dragon, but he'd never really felt "oppressed" over it before. Even that little stunt with Leaf Spring was more of a grudge against his personal actions than over his race.
As she walked by, Spike took note of her cutie mark. Two parallel, black, straight horizontal lines covered her flank. The drake wasn't sure what it was, but it almost looked like the mathematical equal sign.
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Sock Juice, huh?
It's... weird. There have been a ton of movements I was pretty ambivalent on (communism, for one) that I never saw coming and thought "I hope he does a good job of portraying it" but... Social Justice is a movement I'm pretty opposed to, but I am more afraid of it becoming a ridiculous strawman.
I know why (it's worse to have someone agree with you but represents your point badly than for someone to disagree for a weak reason) but it's... still weird.
No reason for me to believe you'd do a bad job, though.
Smart idea.
Oh?
Great.
I feel bad for Spike now.
I think that is a good idea.
Oh spike, one of two things is going to happen. Either you are going to be heavily surprised, or super pissed, or maybe both.
Ah the memories.
Ordered? he actually agreed to do this, because the building is filled with idiots.
hmm. I was kind of expecting a dramatic change in infrastructure, but okay.
That was rude.
And I'm damn proud of him.
Politicians and their mood swings. I hate those types of personalities.
I....don't think I wanna know.
That's good.
An ideal type of government I can support on the local level if you asked me.
There is a lot of pros and cons to this. Pro: it's a good thing that the people themselves can decide for themselves on specific issues and I support the simple majority rule.
Con: The public can easily be persuaded by rabble rousers or persuasive individuals and be led to make the wrong decisions. And there's the fact that the majority of the citizenry do no participate in the political process, WHICH FRUSTRATES THE LIVING FUCK OUT OF ME! WHY DO THEY COMPLAIN SO MUCH IF THEY DON'T GET THEIR ASSES OUT OF THEIR COUCHES AND VOTE?!
*sigh*
One major reason why democracy does not work.
Wow, no wonder Sin is very much hated.
Man I am loving this. A dead man pissing off crooked politicians left and right.
That bitch.
Time to rattle the cages.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOHOHOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUUUUURN!!!
Oh shit.
Is that social justice?
Augh. So this is how a black or latino person feels when a Democratic politician condescendingly cries for justice against their oppression. Calling them victims who need help. their rhetoric is VERY demeaning.
The worst thing to hear from the government's lips.
6790408 Yea, not gonna lie, It's going to be VERY hard for me not to make a strawman of it. I mean, most of the SJW movements in reality ARE strawmen to what they were originally meant to be. (Blacklivesmatter, Mizzu, Anita Sarkesian, Zeo Quinn etc etc)
I'll try my best though, hope it works out.
6791080 It's not Starlight Glimmer, it's another OC. One who Uppity promised to send.