Silence dissent
Silence Dissent
Using a crest to silence dissent means employing inherited authority, status, or symbols to suppress lawful speech, testimony, or disagreement.
Under Ayaawx, dissent is not disorder. It is part of lawful accountability.
A violation occurs when a crest is used to:
- Prevent people from speaking in meetings, feasts, or public forums.
- Discredit or intimidate witnesses who raise concerns.
- Punish questioning through exclusion, loss of access, or retaliation.
- Control information to avoid scrutiny or responsibility.
Crest authority does not include the power to silence.
Lawful authority requires:
- Space for challenge and correction.
- Protection of witness testimony.
- Transparency in decision-making.
- Willingness to be held to account.
When dissent is silenced:
- Witness processes are broken.
- Errors and harms are concealed.
- Authority shifts from responsibility to control.
- Lawful legitimacy collapses.
Ayaawx principle: Authority that cannot be questioned is no longer lawful.
Such misuse erodes legitimacy and invites correction through law, including public acknowledgment, restoration of voice, and limits on authority.