As I look back on these past five years in Parliament, and the last six years as Asgardia has flourished, my mind drifts back to November of 2016 when Asgardia truly began to take off. The seeds of this endeavor so carefully planted in the fertile soil of this world, ...
As I look back on these past five years in Parliament, and the last six years as Asgardia has flourished, my mind drifts back to November of 2016 when Asgardia truly began to take off. The seeds of this endeavor so carefully planted in the fertile soil of this world, to sprout and grow in strength as people came in to become the roots that would both hold up and nourish this thriving young nation, and the elegant leaves and first flowers as it blooms, the thought never fails to make me smile.
Asgardia started as Asgardia Civic, and then the Constitution was fully put together and accepted, and we started our first true steps as a nation. My time within this nation has been both challenging, and exciting straight from the beginning. There were so many of us in Civic, and I have to thank everyone who worked with us, and especially Rebecca Berg who helped me choose to run for Parliament the first time. But the important thing is, we worked together, unified for one goal. To help push forward so that the elections could occur, and that we could bring in the First Parliament of Asgardia, and inaugurate our first Head of Nation.
I've helped push through some security measures, and while I'm not an expert in IT the way some on the safety and security team is, the PASS system and other workings have been a joint effort. I've been trying to push through the Recruitment Committee, which may soon come to pass, and have been working with public relation efforts including booths at fairs, a reading program at the local library, contacting potentially influential partners like Gravity Industries, and many other ways to try to bring in new members. Some of my ideas are also being used, now, to help new members pay for their memberships in pieces, such as allowing a person to pay in monthly installments instead of a lump sum. And while I freely admit the things I have done with my time in Asgardia's Parliament have been small things, the effort of many small things is how something truly wonderful grows. And Asgardia is wonderful. I have to admit, I love this nation with all my heart.
As I said many years ago, the first time I ran for Parliament, I'm not going to make any major promises. The thing about Promises is that they are made to be kept. They are not supposed to be made just to make people vote for you, and then immediately forgotten. A person making a promise is putting themselves, their word, and their reputation on the line. And to make a promise, knowing full well that they can't keep it? That's the same as being dishonest.
But I will make this one promise. To try my absolute best to do everything I can to keep Asgardia going strong. To try my best to be honest and open with everyone, and to answer people's questions to the best of my ability. To be there for people when they need someone to lean on, and to continue to be a part of the roots that helps this nation grow.
I won't always succeed. And I know there will be times where I will have disagreements with others, and sometimes those disagreements may become heated, but I will endeavor to never lose my integrity, or disgrace the trust everyone has already shown in me by voting me into Parliament the first time. And I want to tell everyone how grateful I am that you did. Truly, I thank you.
As elections come up again, I only hope that people are willing to put their trust in me once more. And for any new Parliamentarians who are coming in for their first time, I give you one more promise. I will do everything I can to help you while you learn what it means to be an Asgardian Parliamentarian member. I will answer questions, and I will work with you. And I pray that we continue strongly on this path that we have chosen.
Thank you.