Interview with Kuramia


Interview With Kuramia
Inside the Mind of the Foreign Minister
Written by Cerian Quilor
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One of initially controversial cabinet picks, when Aexnidaral started his term, Foreign Minister Kuramia has been under some fire at times,but she has proven herself to be capable, hard working and a stable choice. I was curious how Kuramia was handling herself so far this term, so I went to visit her in her well-lit, well-appointed office in the Foreign Ministry.



Perhaps unsprisingly, given Kuramia's interest in staying busy and her desire to never stop moving, the chairs in her office were swings, so she'd always be moving, even while doing the veritable mountains of paperwork that come with being the Foreign Minister. Looks like we still haven't switched to that electronic record keeping system I was told we would, back in 2013.

When asked about how she found the job of Minister of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Kuramia called it her dream job, and compared it to her previous cabinet experience: "in MinComms I'd poke people every other day about assignments, I find myself talking to several people every day as Foreign Affairs Minister. I actually love it. Every day can bring a new situation." That business sees her always keeping a watch on multiple disord channels and forums, and by the time she can really get to work late in the evening, she can amass quite the to-do list of people to talk to, messages to pass on and projects to further develop.

"Throughout the day, it's mostly Discord communication," She explained, adding that the majority of her job really is talking to people and keeping up on major events. " It's easily the most important and enjoyable part of the job," she added. Before she took the job, she'd read a lot about the people she talks to on a daily basis, but now, finally getting to talk politics with them is a real treat, akin to meeting a favorite author. "Anyone who approaches me with a friendly attitude is just great to converse with, as would be expected."

When she's not talking with people, and even alongside such those discussions, Kuramia is still working,. Focus areas for Kuramia include the Diplomatic Training Center which is about to rollout a new final quiz to ensure our training sticks with our new personnel, to managing just where to allocate manpower, to working on things like the Foreign Update other formal announcements.

With the first Foreign Update in many months released, a new one under way, ambassadors assigned and the DTC humming along nicely, Kuramia seems to have had an effective term, largely free of scandal on her part. But not entirely - she's come under fire in some quarters, including in our mid-term polls, which she called the hardest part of her job so far. The rest, she loves, but some of the comments she felt were unecessary, "I only wish those who fear so much for our FA policies and the state of the Ministry would give solutions to whatever problems they see, or even specify what the problems are. I'm quite sad none of them feel they can do that."

Comparing her experience with this miderm poll to the same event during her first time as Minister of Communications again, Kuramia felt "like the feedback I recieved then was much more constructive" rather than what she recieved this time around.

As we wound down conversation of her present time in the Ministry, we looked to the past and the future. When asked if there is a past time when she'd have loved to be Foreign Minister of Europeia, she harkened back to an article she once wrote for the EBC, about the History of Europeia's relationship with Kantrias, which she called one of her "favorite projects in MinComm", and that studying Kantrian History in general had been fascinating. "The birth and development of Kantrias must have been wonderful the first time," she said.

In the interest of staying on topic, we then moved on to her future ambitions in the region, which Kuramia explained were minimal. Having achieved her dream job, all she wants is to be able to continue to be involved in Europeian foreign affairs: "[I want to be a part of] the sometimes chaotic nature that can be GamePlay. Mergers and coups and disagreements and coalitions. It's the real excitement of NS to me. Reading about it after the fact was always maddening to me," and she loves being able to help be front and center on the thrust of events. However, she did add that if offered, she wouldn't rule out a Vice Presidential slot someday down the line. " I believe I'd make a good Vice President. I am good at organizing, poking people, and now I have enough FA experience to make a different in our policies and how we move forward with other regions."

A good rule of thumb I've always felt in Europeia is to never underestimate the capacity of people to reach further and higher, and, if they're dedicated and hard working, to achieve what they seek. I think we can safely assume we'll see a Vice President Kuramia at some point, some day, at the very least.
 
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While Rach is certainly well-informed on Foreign Affairs, I think that her initial post in this thread came off the wrong way, and I can see why that may have annoyed JayDee as much as it did. Rach's post had the "why" but lacked the "what" (i.e. examples) and comes off as another post in a series of seemingly petty posts and threads directed at Kuramia. She could have approached this in a more deliberate way that we're all used to, is my point: Kuramia is bad and here's why I believe so. That being said, JayDee should have taken a step back and given himself some time before posting in anger; this isn't the first time he's gotten into pissing matches with more well-informed Europeians where it has reflected poorly upon him.

And Rach, can you stop using "sexism" as your go-to every time someone disagrees with you? People have so many reasons to disagree with you that "sexism" is just a crutch you're using to dismiss their legitimate complaints out-of-hand.
 
I did not have much time for my first post, so I apologize if it came off as hasty. I do not think the sexism comment was unwarranted. People can disagree with me, that is perfectly fine. When I take a set of positions, obviously there are things to disagree with. Calling something sexist is not something I use every time someone disagrees with me (because they do that a lot). In fact, I use it quite rarely. Calling me stupid and being condescending towards me is not a legitimate complaint. When people behave like that, I think that is clearly sexist.
 
Lethen said:
While Rach is certainly well-informed on Foreign Affairs, I think that her initial post in this thread came off the wrong way, and I can see why that may have annoyed JayDee as much as it did. Rach's post had the "why" but lacked the "what" (i.e. examples) and comes off as another post in a series of seemingly petty posts and threads directed at Kuramia. She could have approached this in a more deliberate way that we're all used to, is my point: Kuramia is bad and here's why I believe so. That being said, JayDee should have taken a step back and given himself some time before posting in anger; this isn't the first time he's gotten into pissing matches with more well-informed Europeians where it has reflected poorly upon him.

And Rach, can you stop using "sexism" as your go-to every time someone disagrees with you? People have so many reasons to disagree with you that "sexism" is just a crutch you're using to dismiss their legitimate complaints out-of-hand.
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I admit there was a much better way that I could have approached this issue. It has certainly cost me in the past. I will apologize for anything that may have come across as harmful to Rach herself, but I will not apologize for the rest. I think everything else was simply a clear defense of Kuramia against Rach's attack and had no harmful intent whatsoever.
 
I find it alarming that there are so many men willing to rush in here and tell a woman what is and isn't sexism. Replace sexism with racism in this conversation and pretend Rach is a black person. It doesn't read quite as cringe-less, does it? Do I think JayDee was being sexist? Not really but I'm not a woman or an expert on misogyny (oh, and neither are you guys). Anyway, I think that's something we should all think about whether Rach is insufferable 90% of the time or not.

JayDee, you're wrong. Rach, you're annoying. Settled.
 
For what it's worth, I agree with Rach that Kuramia has not been a stellar Minister. Her communication with those outside the Ministry this term has been very poor, and it took her until about the midterm to really begin work with the majority of her AMs, aside from her Deputies. That being said, her work has noticeable picked up since the midterm, so she deserves credit for that.

In this thread's argument JayDee came off extremely aggressive, and obviously let his "Hamilton" music get to him. :p Not everything needs to a deep cut to a person's character set to music. Rach definitely knows what she is talking about when it comes to Foreign Affairs, and wouldn't make up a conversation with a head of state just to prove her point. Could Rach have made her points in a better way? Probably, but nothing she said seemed too out of place. And like CSP said, let's not be so quick to discount sexism, especially since everyone who discounted it in this thread was male. :p
 
Except there's a difference between mansplaining to Rach or calling a spade a spade. I obviously don't have the exact numbers (since that'd take a lot of time to trawl through arguments, debates, etc.), but I'd wager good money that Rach disproportionately uses sexism as a counter-argument compared to other female players during debate and discussion - whether she is correct or not being irrelevant. Using it even when it isn't present waters down the impact of the behavior when it is present, in my opinion.

Personally I didn't read JayDee comments as being sexist. If I followed Rach's same logic ("Calling me stupid and being condescending towards me is not a legitimate complaint. When people behave like that, I think that is clearly sexist."), then she's clearly sexist herself even if she would never blatantly say someone is stupid, just hint at it indirectly. If anything I'd read JayDee's comments as his way of using Rach's own tactics against her.

I am also rambling so that may not have been as coherent as I'd like.
 
Common-Sense Politics said:
I find it alarming that there are so many men willing to rush in here and tell a woman what is and isn't sexism. Replace sexism with racism in this conversation and pretend Rach is a black person. It doesn't read quite as cringe-less, does it? Do I think JayDee was being sexist? Not really but I'm not a woman or an expert on misogyny (oh, and neither are you guys). Anyway, I think that's something we should all think about whether Rach is insufferable 90% of the time or not.

JayDee, you're wrong. Rach, you're annoying. Settled.
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Stop. Don't for a second claim that people can't challenge assertions of sexism. Sexism and racism are essentially buzzwords used among people like each to attack others and automatically win because people like you assert that these claims essentially can't be question.
 
Common-Sense Politics said:
Says the white man.
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Oh yes, because I am a white man obviously I can't see through blatant abuse of the word sexism, and obviously have no idea what discrimination is right? You are close minded as can be to think that my being white or being a male has anything to do with my ability to analyze a claim and it's proof(or lack there of).
 
Perhaps as white men we shouldn't be so quick to offer our opinion on whether a person perceives their own oppression appropriately. Perhaps we lack the perspective and experience to do that. Perhaps we should consider that before we speak our minds. As open-minded as you are, I'm sure you find that to be a reasonable thought. That's literally all I'm saying.

I understand you're worked up about an argument somewhere else and your natural instinct is to now run around eviscerating everything and everyone you disagree with until you can calm down but I have zero desire to engage in a hostile argument with you about anything at the moment. Please let me walk away.
 
Common-Sense Politics said:
Perhaps as white men we shouldn't be so quick to offer our opinion on whether a person perceives their own oppression appropriately. Perhaps we lack the perspective and experience to do that. Perhaps we should consider that before we speak our minds. As open-minded as you are, I'm sure you find that to be a reasonable thought. That's literally all I'm saying.

I understand you're worked up about an argument somewhere else and your natural instinct is to now run around eviscerating everything and everyone you disagree with until you can calm down but I have zero desire to engage in a hostile argument with you about anything at the moment. Please let me walk away.
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Actually, my problem here has nothing to do with being "worked up". It has to do with your faulty premise and the twin it gives people like Rachel to abuse the word sexism to get away with anything by playing the victim. This absurd idea that my gender or skin color has anything to do with my ability to see a duck for duck, and the insanity of putting certain claims outside of the realm of question.

The fact is your ideology forces you to demand irrationally that no one question claims of Sexism out of fear that it might deligitimize claims of actual sexism, but the truth is when you let people like each go around crying sexism, you let her create an atmosphere where no one trusts those claims or takes them seriously. Allowing people to make false claims of Sexism with impunity is flat out harmful and disrespectful to those undergoing actual discrimination and oppression
 
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