Ghanima Atreides (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
atreideslioness) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2009-02-02 09:09 am
atreideslioness) wrote in fandomhigh2009-02-02 09:09 am
Entry tags:
Mad Kings & Queens, Week V [Monday, Period 4]
"Today might seem familiar to some of my previous students, and for that I apologize. I had to re-arrange our syllabus slightly."
"Over the last few weeks, I have given you some examples of rulers gone mad," Ghanima stated. "To be honest, the best way to survive such a monarch is to quite simply keep your head down. If you don't make waves, you'll probably survive the experience. Some may call this cowardly, but it is common sense. Unless you have some way to change the status quo, your best option is to try and wait it out."
"There are many ways to remove someone from power." Hopping off the recreation of her desk, Ghanima picked up a marker and twirled it between her fingers. "Assassination, a military coup, a legalized change in the laws of succession, a conspiracy by other family members, bribery, kidnapping, the list goes on and on."
"Today we are discussing how to be a successful revolutionary, as well as how to keep and hold power. For those of you who favor the democratic methods, I’m going to ask you to set aside your personal feelings for the time being. Our focus today is on the various ways to overthrow a government. I’m not interested in hearing about the right or wrong just yet, that’s up to each of you as private individuals."
"We're going to discuss what revolutions can be used for, how they can be put together, and why a failed revolution can be just as effective."
"Weapons. Organization. Tactics. Propaganda. Intelligence." Ghanima turned to the wipe-board at the front of the room and began writing as she spoke. "These are some of the basic resources on both sides of the divide. However, these alone are not enough to overcome a government. It requires teamwork, coordination, a willingness to make hard choices, determination, and passion. Despite what romantics and poets may think," she said, turning back to the class, "there is no such thing as a one man revolution. While one person can start the ball rolling, they most assuredly will not win without an organization backing them."
"What is the difference between a revolution and a rebellion?" Setting down her marker, Ghanima grabbed some handouts from her desk and began distributing them. "Is it simply the matter of selecting an adjective, or is there a fundamental, underlying difference between the two? How do you decide if you are rebelling, or beginning a revolution? If you are an emperor, how would you portray such an insurgency? To the ruling faction, is there a difference, or is the only distinction in the eyes of the opposition?" She asked, smiling quietly at each of the students. "These are difficult questions, and I do not expect you to have conclusive answers already prepared."
"Now, how is the battle fought?" More handouts were passed around the class. "Guerilla warfare, the army, irregular soldiers, special forces, spies, propagandists, strategists, tacticians, all of these people are employed by both sides of a revolt. You don’t just need to win a fight on a physical battlefield, half the battle in a revolution is spiritual. You need to win the hearts and minds of the people. No matter which side you’re on, if you do not gain the support of public, you will never win. Never. You might win a reprieve today, or tomorrow, or for a week or a year or ten years, or ten thousand years, but you. Will. Lose."
"As the ruler of a country, what would you do when faced with a revolution? Don’t say 'negotiate', or 'listen to their grievances,' because realistically that is not what’s going to happen," she said, stalking down the rows of desks. "You are the God King of the Universe, born, bred, and trained to the position, and you have some nobody telling you that you’re not doing your job properly? Are you actually going to listen to these people? No, you are not."
"Remember – sometimes a failed revolution can do just as much good as a successful one, if you play your cards right. However, is a dead revolutionary really a successful one, even if his or her cause succeeds?" Ghanima leaned back against her desk, neon eyes swirling. "I will leave that up for you to decide."
[OOC:Plz wait for the OCD to go up!]
"Over the last few weeks, I have given you some examples of rulers gone mad," Ghanima stated. "To be honest, the best way to survive such a monarch is to quite simply keep your head down. If you don't make waves, you'll probably survive the experience. Some may call this cowardly, but it is common sense. Unless you have some way to change the status quo, your best option is to try and wait it out."
"There are many ways to remove someone from power." Hopping off the recreation of her desk, Ghanima picked up a marker and twirled it between her fingers. "Assassination, a military coup, a legalized change in the laws of succession, a conspiracy by other family members, bribery, kidnapping, the list goes on and on."
"Today we are discussing how to be a successful revolutionary, as well as how to keep and hold power. For those of you who favor the democratic methods, I’m going to ask you to set aside your personal feelings for the time being. Our focus today is on the various ways to overthrow a government. I’m not interested in hearing about the right or wrong just yet, that’s up to each of you as private individuals."
"We're going to discuss what revolutions can be used for, how they can be put together, and why a failed revolution can be just as effective."
"Weapons. Organization. Tactics. Propaganda. Intelligence." Ghanima turned to the wipe-board at the front of the room and began writing as she spoke. "These are some of the basic resources on both sides of the divide. However, these alone are not enough to overcome a government. It requires teamwork, coordination, a willingness to make hard choices, determination, and passion. Despite what romantics and poets may think," she said, turning back to the class, "there is no such thing as a one man revolution. While one person can start the ball rolling, they most assuredly will not win without an organization backing them."
"What is the difference between a revolution and a rebellion?" Setting down her marker, Ghanima grabbed some handouts from her desk and began distributing them. "Is it simply the matter of selecting an adjective, or is there a fundamental, underlying difference between the two? How do you decide if you are rebelling, or beginning a revolution? If you are an emperor, how would you portray such an insurgency? To the ruling faction, is there a difference, or is the only distinction in the eyes of the opposition?" She asked, smiling quietly at each of the students. "These are difficult questions, and I do not expect you to have conclusive answers already prepared."
"Now, how is the battle fought?" More handouts were passed around the class. "Guerilla warfare, the army, irregular soldiers, special forces, spies, propagandists, strategists, tacticians, all of these people are employed by both sides of a revolt. You don’t just need to win a fight on a physical battlefield, half the battle in a revolution is spiritual. You need to win the hearts and minds of the people. No matter which side you’re on, if you do not gain the support of public, you will never win. Never. You might win a reprieve today, or tomorrow, or for a week or a year or ten years, or ten thousand years, but you. Will. Lose."
"As the ruler of a country, what would you do when faced with a revolution? Don’t say 'negotiate', or 'listen to their grievances,' because realistically that is not what’s going to happen," she said, stalking down the rows of desks. "You are the God King of the Universe, born, bred, and trained to the position, and you have some nobody telling you that you’re not doing your job properly? Are you actually going to listen to these people? No, you are not."
"Remember – sometimes a failed revolution can do just as much good as a successful one, if you play your cards right. However, is a dead revolutionary really a successful one, even if his or her cause succeeds?" Ghanima leaned back against her desk, neon eyes swirling. "I will leave that up for you to decide."
[OOC:
Re: Talk to Ghanima
"The, er, long and short of it is that I'd, um, I'd like to overturn the government. Back home. Or, um, at least make a few necessary changes. Undo what was done during the Wizard's reign. Try to, um..."
He sat in the nearest available spot.
"I never really explained about my, er, previous employer?"
It was easier than saying his 'mother'. Also, more appropriate.
Re: Talk to Ghanima
"Why don't you start wherever you feel is relevant, and I'll ask questions as I need more information?"
Re: Talk to Ghanima
"Munchkinland in the East holds as strong as it may against the Emerald City. The West has certain pockets of dissent, but with the Witch dead as well as, well," and wasn't that awkward, "the royal family of the Arjiki, the West is open country. The South was terribly mangled by the Wizard's search for rubies.
"I couldn't tell you about Gilikin. The only one who ever spoke to it was Brrr and I don't exactly trust him," and he kept the fact that Brrr was a talking Lion to himself, thank you.
He breathed in.
"But the Emerald City remains the same. Lady Glinda rules at the front, but" judging by the actions of Shell and the white Cat "I have little doubt that other powers work behind her, ones who stand to profit from what was done during the Wizard's reign, have profited."
Re: Talk to Ghanima
Re: Talk to Ghanima
"The Lady Glinda is a society queen. I think she managed to take the throne mostly because of the surprise of the Wizard's departure and her popularity. I couldn't tell you what kind of power she would actually wield. From what she said of the whole thing, I don't think she's that secure there."
He thought back to the carriage ride he'd shared with her.
"She said she was intended only to stand in for the mighty on their thrones. That's how she put it."
And she never answered me as to whether the mighty deserved thrones.
Re: Talk to Ghanima
"Let's start a bit smaller then. What are three little things that you either want to change, or ways you want to strike at these phantom kings?"
Re: Talk to Ghanima
He had to consider before he spoke next, but finally he said--
"And I think I know at least one of the 'phantom kings': he's my uncle."
Re: Talk to Ghanima
Ghanima was perhaps a bit biased.
"The outlying areas; Muchkinland, Vinkus, all the others, will need to form their own resistance groups. While you could help with that, your time might be better spent getting the pulse of Emerald City. If that's where the power is, that's where you can strike and make it felt immediately."
"Leaflets, graffiti, underground presses... whispered ideas in darkened hallways. Find ways to make the comfortable uncomfortable, and you'll start to see the cracks you can exploit."
Re: Talk to Ghanima
"That's what I'm planning to do. You see, well, there's a Princess in the Vinkus who's promised to help me with her eyes and ears in the City if I can assist her with something. So I've been working on that."
He scratched behind one ear.
"My ability to move around the Emerald City myself has been, well, compromised by a few things, I think."
Re: Talk to Ghanima
"And you should never move around the City as yourself! A fake name, fake papers, a disguise of some sort. Especially if your uncle is involved."
Re: Talk to Ghanima
Ino had said so. As had Amber.
"Any ideas?"
Re: Talk to Ghanima
Re: Talk to Ghanima
"And of course they'd be the hardest things to change," he said with a deep sigh before offering a smile again.
"At least I know what to work on now. And smell."
Beat.
"One of their, er, 'agents' is a Cat."
Re: Talk to Ghanima
It was a credit to her time at Fandom that Ghanima barely blinked. "Well, that makes it more difficult. Scent is very hard to hide. Is it possible to distract this feline, perhaps send it on a wild goose-chase out of the city?"
Re: Talk to Ghanima