The Switzerland Protocol
No Politics. No Religion. Inside the Gates.
Why Switzerland?
Switzerland has maintained neutrality through world wars, economic crises, and continental upheavals — not by having no opinions, but by having a clear boundary: inside these borders, we stay neutral.
Liana Banyan operates the same way.
The Rule
Inside Liana Banyan — across all 15 charitable initiatives, all guilds, all commerce — we maintain strict neutrality on:
- Political parties and candidates
- Religious beliefs and practices
- Culture war topics
- Partisan advocacy
This isn’t about being apolitical or areligious. It’s about creating a trusted common ground where people of all beliefs can cooperate on shared economic infrastructure.
Why This Matters
Trust Requires Neutrality
When a neighbor feeds another neighbor through Let’s Make Dinner, the food shouldn’t come with a political pamphlet. When a member gets a 0-5% loan through VSL, the terms shouldn’t depend on their voting record.
Commerce that serves everyone must not take sides.
Cooperation Beats Division
Our 15 initiatives serve:
- Veterans and pacifists
- Urban and rural communities
- Religious and secular families
- Every political persuasion
The moment we become “the progressive platform” or “the conservative platform,” we lose half our potential impact.
Historical Precedent
The most durable cooperative institutions — credit unions, mutual aid societies, agricultural cooperatives — succeeded because they focused on shared economic needs rather than ideological alignment.
Inside vs. Outside the Gates
The Switzerland Protocol creates a clear boundary:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ INSIDE THE GATES │
│ (Liana Banyan Platform) │
│ │
│ • 15 Charitable Initiatives │
│ • All Guilds and Tribes │
│ • All Commerce and Services │
│ • All Official Communications │
│ │
│ RULE: No Politics, No Religion │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
│ Members can freely move
│ between both spaces
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ OUTSIDE THE GATES │
│ (Political Expedition) │
│ │
│ • Citizen Advocacy │
│ • Congressional Tracking │
│ • Cooperative Energy │
│ • Political Organizing │
│ │
│ RULE: Full Political Engagement Welcome │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Power to the People: Political Expedition
“Per the Switzerland Protocol” — the 16th initiative operates differently.
What Is Political Expedition?
Political Expedition is outside Liana Banyan’s gates. It’s where members go when they want to:
- Track congressional voting records
- Organize around political causes
- Advocate for specific policies
- Build cooperative energy infrastructure
- Engage in partisan activity
Why “Expedition”?
Because you LEAVE the gates of Liana Banyan to participate. It’s a conscious choice to step outside the neutral zone.
The Assembly Hall
When you step outside the gates into Political Expedition, you enter the Assembly Hall — a deliberative space designed for discussion, not division:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ POLITICAL EXPEDITION │
│ The Assembly Hall │
│ │
│ ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ CIRCULAR TABLE ║ │
│ ║ (Speaker Positions) ║ │
│ ║ ║ │
│ ║ 🎤 🎤 🎤 🎤 🎤 🎤 🎤 🎤 🎤 🎤 🎤 🎤 ║ │
│ ║ ║ │
│ ║ 🔴════════════════════════════════🔴 ║ │
│ ║ ║ RED CARPET ACCESS LANES ║ ║ │
│ ║ 🔴════════════════════════════════🔴 ║ │
│ ║ ║ │
│ ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ DISCUSSION CIRCLES │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ○○○○○ ○○○○○ ○○○○○ ○○○○○ ○○○○○ │ │
│ │ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ │ │
│ │ ○○○○○ ○○○○○ ○○○○○ ○○○○○ ○○○○○ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ │
│ ▒ BENCHES ALONG THE WALLS — Anyone can sit and listen ▒ │
│ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
How the Assembly Works
Benches Along the Walls: Anyone can sit and observe. No commitment required. Just listening.
Discussion Circles: Round formations of chairs in the middle where small groups discuss specific topics. Move freely between circles.
The Central Table: A large circular table with roped-off red carpet access. Each seat has a microphone. When you sit at the table, you’re on the record.
- Red Carpet Lines: Queues of people waiting to take a seat and make a statement
- Microphone at Each Position: Your statement is logged permanently
- Rotation: When you finish, you yield your seat to the next person in line
Voting From Your Personal Portfolio
Every vote should count, no matter where you’re voting from or how you vote.
You can vote on Political Expedition matters directly from your personal portfolio:
- Open your Portfolio
- Navigate to Political Expedition
- Cast your vote on active measures
- Your vote is recorded to your permanent ledger
You don’t have to be physically present in the Assembly Hall. You don’t have to wait in line. You don’t have to make a public statement. You can participate from anywhere, at any time, through your Portfolio.
Remote voting is equal voting.
How It’s Governed
Political Expedition operates under:
- Reputation — Your track record from inside Liana Banyan carries weight
- Shirley Temple Protocol — Named for the child actor who maintained professionalism in any environment; you represent yourself, not the platform
- Full Transparency — All positions and advocacy are public
What It’s NOT
- ❌ NOT endorsed by Liana Banyan Corporation
- ❌ NOT funded by the 20% platform margin
- ❌ NOT covered by Liana Banyan’s bylaws
- ❌ NOT connected to your standing in the other 15 initiatives
Guilds and Tribes Within the Gates
You can form any Guild or Tribe you like inside Liana Banyan — including ones organized around shared values:
- Veterans Guild
- Homeschool Tribe
- Small Business Owners Guild
- Faith Community Tribe
- Environmental Stewardship Guild
The rule isn’t “no community” — it’s “no platform-level partisanship.”
Your Tribe can hold whatever values it wants. The platform stays neutral.
The Shirley Temple Protocol
When you step outside the gates into Political Expedition, you operate under the Shirley Temple Protocol:
The Principle
Shirley Temple, as a child actor, worked with directors, producers, and co-stars of every political persuasion, religious background, and personal philosophy. She maintained:
- Professionalism — Do your job well regardless of personal feelings
- Representation — You speak for yourself, not your employers
- Separation — Your political views don’t affect your work relationships
In Practice
When participating in Political Expedition:
- You represent yourself, not Liana Banyan
- Your political activity doesn’t affect your standing in other initiatives
- You can’t use Liana Banyan branding for political purposes
- Other members can’t discriminate against you based on your political participation
FAQ
What if my initiative naturally involves politics?
Some work touches policy (healthcare access, energy cooperatives, civic transparency). The rule is:
- ✅ Solve problems — “Help people access affordable medications”
- ❌ Take sides — “Vote for candidates who support X policy”
Can I talk about my beliefs with other members?
Absolutely. The rule restricts platform-level partisanship, not personal conversation. Just don’t use platform tools to organize political activity.
What about advocacy for the cooperative model itself?
Promoting cooperative economics isn’t partisan — it’s our core mission. We advocate for the structure, not for parties or candidates.
What if someone violates the protocol?
First offense: Warning and education Second offense: Temporary restriction from official channels Pattern of violation: Potential removal from leadership roles
We’re not trying to punish people. We’re trying to protect the neutral space.
The Bottom Line
Inside the gates: We build economic infrastructure that serves everyone.
Outside the gates: You’re free to engage in political life as you see fit.
The Switzerland Protocol isn’t about silence. It’s about creating one space — just one — where Left and Right, secular and religious, urban and rural can work together on things that matter to everyone:
Feeding families. Accessing healthcare. Building businesses. Helping each other help ourselves.
“Help each other help ourselves.”