Bowman Acts: Difference between revisions
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The majority of the ''Bowman Acts'' are unrevealed at this time; however, one thing that is known is that there are definite protocols in place for the control of metahumans involved in overt criminal activity or who have allowed their abilities to go uncontrolled (one such measure created because of this are the [[SHARD Rangers]]; this is covered in Article One of the Bowman Act of 1982. Article One also regulates the overt use in public of metahuman abilities (similar in concept and function to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizarding_world#Government_and_politics Wizarding World]'s ''International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy.''
Another known section of the ''Acts'' is Article Two of the Bowman Act of 1982; it calls for and defines a 'mutual-defense treaty', in which all signatory nations have promised to provide information, materials and intelligence/military forces (as needed) for the purpose of defending the entire planet from imminent threats of natures specifically stated in the ''Acts''. ) Other known statutes in the ''Acts'' are the specific regulations dealing with the use of mystical and telepathic citizens and their abilities by private companies/corporations and the governments of ''Bowman Act''-signatory countries, the conduct of mystical and telepathic citizens within their home societies and the specific laws and penalties involved with the illegal/unsanctioned usage of their abilities (the infamous ''Article Ten'' of the Bowman Act of 1982). An equally controversial (yet lesser-known) provision is ''Article Eleven'' of the Bowman Act of 1982, which sets up the framework for metahuman conscription provisions for involuntary federal/national service in both the civilian (including the intelligence services of the nation where the metahuman citizen hails from) and military sectors. (It must be noted that since this was ratified, no nation has attempted to use this for its stated purpose - primarily because doing so would require notification of the oversight committee (see below), and because attempting to do so would be seen as an overt act of military aggression by that nation.
The Bowman Acts also contain language that defines the legal rights and status of any metahuman citizens of any signatory nation, should they somehow come into situations where the Acts come into play, and the legal mechanisms that have been put into place to service these citizens. it should be noted that the rights, status and legal mechanisms put into play by a nation's signing of the Acts does not circumvent, restrict or remove any legal standing or civil rights that a citizen currently possesses and in many cases provides those citizens rights that they previously did not possess as regular citizens of their nation; for example, the rights guaranteed by 'Article Three' of the ''Bowman Act of 1982'' is fundamentally similar to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miranda_v._Arizona the rights afforded to American citizens in ''Miranda v. Arizona'' (the iconic '' 'Miranda rights'' ').] Further rights guaranteed by ''Article Three'' include the right of a metahuman citizen to not have his or her powers permanently disabled or removed without a separate trial (if the person is sentenced to long-term incarceration) to determine if this is warranted, justifiable, and if doing so constitutes 'double jeopardy'. ''Article Three'' also establishes a ''Commission for Oversight on Metahuman Rights and Legal Affairs''; the Commission is the judicial body that handles any questions on the legalities in enforcement of the Acts. Furthermore, Article Three establishes a set of international standards of various terminology used in dealing with metahumans; this also includes the Claremont/Byrne metahuman power rankings scale.
Article Three of the ''Bowman Act of 1983'' provides protocols in order to handle the international problem of transient metahuman children with active abilities (identified as '[[Ferals]]'). Because of the very real and ongoing possibility that such children may pose an active threat to the communities they exist within (due to simply acting out in order to survive) or expose the existence of metahuman beings to the general population, Article Three possesses a provision that instructs any signatory country to allocate resources to assist 'Ferals' when located, and provide them with appropriate physical, emotional, medical and remedial educational care and resources so at to lessen the possibilities that they will become potential threats. This provision also allows specific provisions for the relocation of such children, if deemed necessary for the best interests of the 'Feral', to a First World signatory nation that has appropriate means for such care and education; the wishes of the 'Ferals' involved (regardless of age) must be taken into consideration in such cases.
One of the more potentially sinister parts of the Acts is ''Article Twenty-Five'' of the 1982 Bowman Act, which allows (in a case of extreme emergency or eminent threat) for a metahuman citizen or citizens to be declared a ward of the government of said citizen's nation, allowing for that citizen to be remanded to the state, who will be responsible for the physical custody and care of said citizen '' 'until such time as said citizen(s) are no longer demonstrated to be a danger to themselves or the society in which it is hoped that they may be able to someday re-enter.' '' Because of the clear violation of legal rights that application of Article Twenty-Five entails, any citizen who is detained under such status is immediately subject to both overview by the Bowman Oversight Committee, and given 'special detainee status' by the International Red Cross (both of whom must receive written notification of Article Twenty-Five activation status '''and''' return written confirmation of such action within twelve hours for every specific citizen detained under such circumstances. Failure to comply will be considered a clear violation of international law and dealt with by extremely harsh measures (as agreed upon by all signatory nation-stated upon acceptance of the Acts).
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