[Very painstakingly typed and spellchecked by Cuthbert]Greetings to you all, long days and pleasant nights to you.
I'm writing this so as I can see how it looks to you all afore I send it. Writing with your letters is a thing I've had to learn since I came here. There's plenty I've had to learn in the time between then and now; four years by my reckoning though less by yours. The working of time in this place is a mystery, one of many.
My name is Cuthbert Allgood and I'm a gunslinger from Gilead in Mid-World. Some of you might not know exactly what that means. It's not that I'm just some fellow with a gun, say true. A gunslinger's duty, his entire purpose, is to uphold civilization and the Law, to protect the innocent and provide aid and succor to those in need of it. To stand for the White, which is to say all that is good and right in all the worlds, and to stop the worlds from moving on. To preserve what we have and not let chaos and destruction and death wreak havoc across the land. That's what I'm for, and that's what I believe.
I can't say for certain why we're here. I can say that I'll treat this place as any other, that I'll do what's
right and not hesitate in it. I won't tolerate unfairness from this Council, nor the mistreatment of any one of us, you have my word upon it. I'm from a place very different to this America. Many of my customs aren't alike to yours, but it strikes me that the essentials don't change. That justice and truth, loyalty and courage, those qualities remain constant across worlds and times, and you having many sparklights and cars and drinking sugar-water doesn't change a bit of that.
There were some specific issues that folk asked to have addressed. I'll do that next, may it please you all.
Firearms: I'll say that I understand the concern folk have about guns in the hands of those who would use them for evil purpose. That's a concern we all have, say true. I wouldn't like to believe that any of our number might have such intent, however, and to restrict others on the basis that someone someday might break the Law? It strikes me as wrong. I'd be perfect against any ban on firearms. There are those of us for whom carrying a gun is a matter of tradition, or in the case of Americans, a matter of rights, and I'd not infringe upon that.
That said, it may be that incompetence is a greater danger than malice as guns are concerned. I'd consider the idea that for any
new purchase of firearms, a basic safety and proficiency test might be set as requirement.
Magic: I'm an honest fellow and I'll be the first to tell you that I'm fair uncomfortable with magic. That said, as representative my duty would be to speak for people as need it, and that includes witches and wizards. I take my duty seriously. I'm not in support of the current ban. It's my belief that if someone's using magic and it isn't having any effect on or causing any harm to others? It does no good to restrict it. I hold the Council's action to be unfair and I'd see it overturned. Using magic maliciously, however, is a different proposition, and I'd see that dealt with swiftly under the Law.
Age Requirements: When I first arrived in this town, I was counted as underage. Now I'm not, and I've seen both sides. I hold that the system here was not set up to account for walk-ins from other times and worlds, it does not serve their needs, and an alternative is needed. There are children here in need of guidance and guardianship, but age alone is no way of determining that, not with the cultural variances within our population.
I'd suggest that every walk-in be treated as an individual, their capability to live independently and their status at home both taken into account. Those who are capable should be granted adult rights. Those still in need of guidance should be appointed a guardian - but one from among
our number, a volunteer as it were, and one that's as good a fit as we can find for their own time and culture, that they might have proper assistance to adjust to life here.
Blood Samples: This is a straightforward matter as I see it. It's an unjust law and I'd call for its immediate removal. None of us walk-ins asked to be brought here and those as would work to earn their keep don't deserve punishment for it.
I've spent more time here than most, one way and another. I don't fully trust their Council, and I shan't. If I'm elected to it, it's us that I stand for, not them, and I shan't ever forget it. It may be that there's not a place in all the worlds without some element of corruption, but there are still people who stand for what's right and true, and I say to you that I'm one of them, as a gunslinger and mayhap as your representative, if you'll have me.
I'll take questions. Any that are reasonable, I'll answer.
| Written by Cuthbert Allgood, son of Robert |
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