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18 September 2010, Day 1,033 of the New World. You may have noticed a certain issue dominating the eIsraeli media lately. Let’s just say that there may be some tension between certain demographic groups and political parties. Some aspects of this discussion are already well covered, and there are plenty of articles out there already. My contribution will not be “why can’t we be friends” and suggesting that we sit in a circle singing Kum ba yah. Frankly, enough prominent people have written articles and mainstream citizens have made article comments in favor of that.

While the conflict between peoples in this country has existed at some baseline level for months, it boiled to the surface on the eve of Party President elections this month. I think I can pinpoint a cause, and it is an individual. It is shameful that one citizen, or possibly a small group, with such a radical position can galvanize the country with controversy. I think “hate” is too strong a word except for a marginal, extreme segment on one side of the divide.

Speaking of the Party President elections, media coverage of those results was nonexistent. There were few surprises. Following the annexation of the United Zionist Party by Israel First, Gavin Wax held onto the Presidency of UZP. CRoy was reelected in United Israeli Independents (UIIP), and the election in Israel First was uncontested. Then there are the remaining two parties, neither of which functioned as an existent political group. Likud Party, the vehicle of Greekboy’s attempted political takeover, was won by SamMed in a close race that saw support come in from both major groups in eIsrael. Greekboy was banned the next day. As SamMed left the Party he now led and the other members were likely either banned or are dead, Likud Party persists as a glitch party only; it appears impossible to join.

The remaining party was once known as The Lantern Society, although it was not the original party to use that name, and changed to The New Millennial Party sometime between Congressional and Party President elections. I announced my plan to take that party over, and I would like to thank the people who came over to support me and make that happen. This means that I am now Party President of the fourth-largest party in Israel, my first time as a Party President of a party that could run its own Congressional candidates (although I have been Vice President of such a party before), my third time being elected as a Party President (in the third different party), and the sixth party I have been President of. I am still considering options for what to do with my party along with other Israelis.

Some comments have been removed from my announcement article. From the comments that remain, it is clear that Daniel Ender was there and that multis were mentioned. The results at the close of polls were ten votes to me, six votes to Daniel Ender, and five votes to Israeliicitizen. Before the results of the election were finalized, Ender’s vote total was rolled back to two. I am not making a public accusation without proof, but there has to be a reason four of Ender’s votes were removed and none of mine, Israeliicitizen’s, or even Greekboy’s were.



Surrounding that election, Ender released an article which has since been taken down. His article from two months ago, in which he declares jihad against UIIP on behalf of UZP, is still there and captures the basic gist of all his rhetoric since. It disappoints me that such an extreme element was able to start controversy effecting the mainstream communities. Subsequent comments and articles make it clear that support for Ender’s style of nationalism is far from common or absolute.


Israel according to saber-rattlers; click for full size

Jamarcus’s article was one of the first reactionary pieces to appear in the media. Robbie Lizzini posted a similar one calling for national unity and carrying on the idea of “haters.” President Aeroner’s response echoed many of Jamarcus’s and Lizzini’s sentiments, but it attacked the foundation of the United Independents Party, which is now one of just two major parties in eIsrael. Then came Blanemcc for some reason, a guy I knew from eUS Congress and the process leading up to election day when I put him, a member of a small party (Sons of Patton) in Georgia to run under America’s Advancement colors, all of this before he left for another country. Anyway, he makes calls for PTO prevention utilizing blockers (something I am quite familiar with it, doing it as much as four months before the eUS made it standard practice and co-founding the organization that would evolve into their Federal Elections Commission). The problem with his assessment is that foreign PTO’s are not the major concern right now, but rather it is a dispute between two active segments of the community who both claim to have national interests at heart. Vice President Sam Krakower claims that this dispute has crossed a threshold, and might be taking it personally.



All this was overlaid by a purely political conflict over support for eMacedonia, the name “Macedonia” (and the difference between Hellenistic and Slavic Macedonians), and the extent to which the personal opinion of the President represents the nation. That concurrent argument, if it could be called such, was without significant consequence except exposure of more cracks in the cohesion of the government. While I can explain the genesis of the Macedon people, both kinds, I think any controversy surrounding that and our nation’s relationship with Greece has closed and does not warrant any more time here.

The major points of contention appear to be the structure of UIIP, allegations of a PTO attempt, and loosely-supported nationalism.

The United Israeli Independents Party is claimed to be a branch of the American party United Independents Party. Interestingly, there is also now a United Belgian Independents party. Upon closer consideration, this presents a contradiction, and I mean one other than the juxtaposition of “unity” and “independence.” The tether between UIIP, UIP, and now UBI does not really exist. There are shared forums, sure, but the parties cannot support each other’s candidates in a very material way. UIIP’s candidates and voters have Israeli citizenship. UIP’s have United States citizenship.

In fact, the Knesset representation of UIIP in Israel far exceeds the Congressional representation of UIP in the United States. UIP is as much the American branch of UIIP as UIIP is the Israeli branch of UIP. It is strange that there are so few people in the United States rallying against this Israeli takeover of their country and making appeals to nationalism to expel them. We all need to keep in mind that the connections between two parties internationally are not supported by eRepublik; they are completely products of the community.

Although I knew the United Independents Party in the United States, I was not a member, and I did not know of their branch in Israel. I considered a handful of countries to immigrate to – Norway, Singapore, Austria, Slovakia, Denmark, Israel, Belgium, South Africa, and Canada mostly – just to see where my seeds would take root. When applying for Israeli citizenship, I had encouraging letters from UZP and IF Congressmen; they didn’t seem interested in keeping me out of the country. When my application was approved, the parties available to join were UZP, UIIP, IF, and Dingo’s. Honestly, what other choice would I be expected to make? UIIP was the only party that invited me to be a member; UZP and IF did not seem interested in accepting me, and maybe it is because I’m not Jewish. Maybe it’s not, but that is the impression they gave off. Before criticizing UIIP, perhaps the other parties should consider how attractive they look to the other side and how likely an English-speaking non-Jew would be to pick them rather than how unappealing UIIP looks to Hebrew Jews.

Nationalism will turn off people who do not share your idea of what the nation is, but unfortunately Israeli nationalism is the one segment of Ender’s rhetoric that seems to have taken root, including support of former President Dean Michaely, whom many non-Jews in UIIP supported during his presidency. He said “…Israel First don't need to change its nationalism, its legitimic to think Israel is for Israelies…” [sic]. One idea that is unfortunately gaining acceptance in Israel is Israeli nationalism exceptionalism – the idea that Israel’s nationalism is somehow different than, or better than, another nation’s, or that appeals to nationalism in Israel are qualitatively different than appeals to nationalism in other countries. Let’s start by saying that nationalism is in no way unique to Israel; want to know another very nationalistic country?



Has the United States been overcome with a purge of the immigrants? Not really. Is there resistance when they come to positions of power? Well, maybe, but I have never seen it based on their national origin (or religion or sexual preference or anything else unrelated to their ability to lead). I don’t even have to do research to prove this point; I’ve seen plenty. Keep in mind that I cannot access the history of some United States elections since they sold regions to Poland, but I think enough examples still exist. This guy, who sat in the United States Congress for three months, is Russian. This guy did two months and is Australian. I cannot link the election since North Dakota is not part of the United States right now, but the guy who got tenth place here, accumulating 18 votes, is Indonesian. Is that not enough? The winner of this election is Scottish. Can you imagine it? The United States run by Indonesians, Russians, Scots (ethnic groups from enemy countries!) without that being an issue. Why doesn’t that work in Israel?

Finally, let us examine the evidence for a PTO in Israel. Maybe the United States citizens are a covert movement to overthrow Israel. For some reason. Why did every UIIP Congressman elected this month donate his gold to the national treasury org? The donation logs are all publicly-accessible. This seems like a strange tactic for a “medal hunter.” What evidence is there that this group came to Israel searching for trophies?



To me, a trophy hunter is someone who runs for office just for the achievement and gold, contributing neither the financial prize or his time to the country. These people certainly exist, and they are a problem. However, is there a reason to correlate them with UIIP or non-Jews in general? Here are the last Knesset election results. Please note that Con Dingo’s party at the time was named The Lantern Society, and he was its president.



Neither of these trophy hunters affiliated with the United Israeli Independent Party. Dingo did not report to the Knesset, and Greekboy seemed hungry for all the power he could get – legally or not.



Gherk tried to steal the treasury. Why was there such little outcry against him? Would the response to his actions have been more negative if he, now a Canadian citizen, had been UIIP instead of Zionist? Ender did not contribute his Knesset winnings, yet acts like those actually advancing Israel are PTO’ers and he, collecting trophies and gold for himself, is justified simply because he is Jewish. Jews and non-Jews aren’t buying it.

By all means identify trophy hunters and political takeover efforts and report them to your nearest Crusader, Party President, General, and the citizens. This is important. However, using accusations, especially completely unfounded ones, to advance your political agenda will get you called out.

Israel is not such a black-and-white place. There are Jews and non-Jews working and living here. There are Jews and non-Jews making it a better place. There are also Jews and non-Jews here for personal gain. Uniting against harmful elements will be welcomed, but demonizing entire groups will not.




Update, 18 September 2010, Day 1,033 of the New World, 1450 eRepublik time: Following the beginning of the composition of this article, Daniel Ender has donated a portion of his earnings from being elected to the Knesset this month.