Bowman Acts: Difference between revisions
no edit summary
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
Line 1:
Initially conceived of and drafted by U.S. Senator [[James Bowman]] (with assistance from several other individuals), over a period of time between 1982 and 1985, the '''Bowman Acts''' are a series of legislative articles, approved and signed into law secretly by many of the nations of the world, which provide a legal framework for the day-to-day dealings, operations, and other concerns in relation with metahuman and extra-terrestrial interests and development on Earth (or Earth-247, as cataloged in the [[Daria Multiverse]].) The initial signing by world powers of the Acts was on July 8; as a result, [[Bowman Day]] is considered an unofficial holiday for many in the metahuman community, and many metahumans gather in the New York area for celebrations.
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 clarifies and regulates the conditions allowed for 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'', and also puts in place the legal structure for the use of metahuman powers in cases of self-defense, the defense of others in life-threatening situations, and the use of said powers in situations where the loss of life and/or property through the possibility of 'acts of God' may necessitate the use of metahuman abilities.
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.
| |||