ITSMUN 2017
BACKGROUND GUIDE
Joint Crisis Committee: X-MEN
LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
Esteemed Delegates of ITSMUN’17,
My name is Melis Leyal Gürel and this year I am the Secretary-General of ITSMUN 2017,
which is an incredible honour and pleasure. I am also one of the founders of ITSMUN and I
am really proud of what we have become. We have always aimed to be better and this is
exactly what we expect from you. MUN is all about making the world a better place and in my
opinion, we should start by improving ourselves. It is a long journey, and I can not say it is an
easy one, but in the end, it is worth it.
Before we begin our journey, let me introduce myself properly. I am a senior in Takev Science
High School and my journey has begun in 9th grade with Harvard MUN. Since then, I have
participated in various projects and organisations; therefore I have travelled a lot and met
hundreds of people. Those people I have met and those beautiful countries I have seen made
me realise that there is still hope even though the situation of the World does not seem very
promising.
ITSMUN provides delegates to express their opinions regarding a very large scale of issues
and gives the unique opportunity to tackle those issues with innovative ideas. It is expected
from you to do an attentive research in order to come up with innovative and applicable
solutions to the issues you have been given. This is a tremendous event to hone your MUN
skills, meet lifelong friends and have unforgettable experiences.
In this background guide, you are going to find some general information regarding your
committee's topics. However, it is impossible to know everything, so please do not limit
yourself with this background guide. Always remember, that there is so much to discover and
so much to learn.
Lastly, I must say that I am very excited to be working with you and I am looking forward to
seeing the passionate and resolution-driven debate, diplomatic cooperation and inventive
solutions that will come out of this conference. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any
questions or concerns you may have regarding this committee, ITSMUN or MUN in general;
before, during or after the conference.
Best regards,
Melis Leyal Gürel
Secretary-General of ITSMUN’17
[email protected]
LETTER FROM THE UNDER SECRETARY-GENERAL
Dear my soon-to-be delegates,
It’s my utmost pleasure to welcome you all to the X-MEN Committee of ITSMUN 2017.
My name is Alara Naz Özel, a junior student in İzmir Saint Joseph French High School.
It’s my honor to serve as the Under Secretary General responsible for X-MEN Committee.
I have been participating several conferences since last year and this is my second year with
ITSMUN family and my first experience as an Under Secretary General.
In this committee; we have two cabinets as The Mutants vs. The Government of the U.S. and these
two will be dealing with “The issue of the social and vital integration of mutants in our daily life”
This year we’ll have only one topic in the consideration since we have a lot of creative crises
ONLY FOR YOU (:
I hope that this guide will guide to your researches and discussions in the committee.
Please don't hesitate to contact me for your issues and questions. I can't wait to see and meet all
of you. Maybe we can found Charles's, Jean Greys, Wolverines around us.
With all of my love;
Alara Naz Özel
Under Secretary-General of the X-MEN Committee
[email protected]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION ONE: General Information Regarding the Committee Topic and
Research
A. The Committee: Joint Crisis Committee: X-MEN
B. The Topic: (The issue of the social and vital integration of mutants in our
daily life)
SECTION TWO: Topic: The issue of the social and vital integration of mutants
in our daily life
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Statement of the Problem
History of the Problem
Current Situation
Relevant Measures Regarding the Issue
Questions a Resolution Must Answer
SECTION THREE: Closing & Bibliography
1. Closing Remarks
2. Handouts and References
SECTION ONE: General Information Regarding the Committee
Topic and Research
A. The Committee: X-MEN Committee
The JCC(Joint Crisis Committee) are very different from the normal MUN
experience, yet equal even the United Nations Security Council in their complexity
and challenge. JCC consists of two independently running subcommittees whose
decisions and actions immediately affect the perpetual crisis at hand, thus
providing for an experience like no other.
And in ITSMUN, this year we will process X-MEN as a JC Committee.
There are two opposite cabinets such as the Mutants and the Government and all
delegates in this committee represent a character in Mutants or in Government.
These are separate committees; the cabinet of the Mutants and the cabinet of the
Government will be separate.
They will support their character's side during the conference and it should be a
war between both.
B.The Topic: The issue of the social and vital integration of
mutants in our daily life
Nobody choose to born as a mutant; we saw that all mutants had horrible pasts
because of their diversity. And the Government of the United States perpetuated
them difficult moments because they saw them as a threat to their governance
policies.
Presently there aren’t any change; the Government still sees them as a threat and
they are still trying to make chemical reliefs to defeat their superhuman
capabilities.
Many of the mutants abandoned their powers; they are tired of this discrimination
and felt embarrassed of being feared. But there mutants that have no idea how to
control their powers and they have to take education to control their capabilities, In
that case, the Government has a right to defense because they don't want to be
responsible for the things may be cost by the mutants. We have to make a
decision. May the mutants live like a normal person or they have to live excluded
from the society.
SECTION TWO: Topic: The issue of the social and vital integration
of mutants in our daily life
1. Statement of the Problem
2. History of the Problem
3. Current Situation
-GOVERNMENT SIDEThe government in the Marvel Universe is incredibly complex not unlike the actual
one. While mutant registration is a polarizing subject this committee will be
defending the pro-registration side headed by Senator Robert Kelly. The proregistration establishment of the American government believes that mutants are
an extremely dangerous threat and if left unchecked could destroy cities, commit
crimes and wreak untold havoc. This argument is not entirely without merit simply
because there have been instances of mutants causing chaos and discord. Since the
series first began, the struggle for Mutant Rights has been the story of the
franchise, reflecting the battle for civil rights that every minority group has faced
in history. What you might not know, however, is that there was a time when the
United States Government was called upon to rule on whether Marvel’s mutants
were considered to be human beings or not in real life.
Yes, it turns out that, back in 2003, the United States Court of International Trade
ruled that X-MEN superheroes were not actually human.
Mutants are constantly referred to as being members of "Homo superior” rather
than “Homo sapiens”. It seems simple to assume that the two are separate species.
-MUTANT SIDEWell, not really. You see, a species is generally defined as a group of organisms
that can successfully produce fertile offspring. Sometimes, however, there are
exceptions: some ligers- tiger/lion hybrids- are fertile even though we previously
believed they couldn’t be. Such exceptions take certain aspects of our
understanding of science and classification and throw them out the flipping
window. For the sake of this example and to keep or minds from breaking down,
we’ll ignore those anomalies.
Anyways, mutants in the X-Men have been able to successfully reproduce with
“humans” (Wolverine has had a few kids with non-mutants). There’s never really
been any evidence of reproductive barriers (factors that keep organisms from
reproducing) between “hybrid children” and the children of mutant couples or
human couples. Basically, mutants are humans- they just possess the “X-Gene”,
which gives them powers and makes them look different than the rest of humanity.
THERE ARE TWO MAJOR REASONS OF THIS DILEMMA
1) Lack of speciation
Mutants in the Marvel universe are born of human parents and can usually still
interbreed with normal humans. Generally, the inability to reproduce is the
demarcation line between two species. That makes them biologically a variant
of humanity but not a different species. Magneto's term, Homo Superior,
sounds great but is technically incorrect.
2) Narrative intent
The major theme of the X-Men is the alienation and disaffection experienced
by people who are different. It is an analogy for not just racial discrimination
but also the ostracism typically experienced in high school. Simply, the X-Men
are about people who don't fit in but still experience human emotions and
mental states despite how inhuman they may appear.
Mutant Registration Act
The Mutant Registration Act was a debated law proposed to Congress by Senator Robert
Kelly, advocating for all mutants to be identified in an official census documenting their
numbers, abilities, and whereabouts.
The Mutant Registration Act (1984) was introduced by Senator Robert Kelly. Ever since
the conception of the legislation, it has had one purpose: track mutants and put them in
camps to teach them not to use their powers. The Mutant Registration Act was created
because the American government feared mutant kind or, more aptly put, the power that
mutant kind possesses. For example, an exceptionally powerful mutant could destroy an
entire island (X-Men: The Last Stand). According to the legislation, any mutant who
chooses not to comply would be arrested immediately and indefinitely detained by law
enforcement or, in exceptional cases, other superheroes (Captain America, Battle Star).
Super powered registration acts have been enforced in different parts of the world notably
in Canada and Britain. All sides of the conflict need to reach a peaceful solution in terms
of how to deal with the mutant minority In order to solve this problem and decide how the
act is implemented, if at all.
X-Men
Jean Grey and Senator Kelly debated on it, with Senator Kelly on the side to force
mutants to expose themselves and Jean Grey against it.
Kelly's promotion of the Mutant Registration Act led to Magneto singling him out, and he
ordered Toad and Sabretooth to capture him. After Senator Kelly died, Mystique
impersonated him and called off the Registration Act.
X2: X-Men United
Following the Liberty Island incident and the capture of Magneto, William Stryker's
planned assassination of President McKenna by using Nightcrawler is theorized by Storm
to potentially be responsible for a reintroduction of the Mutant Registration Act, or worse,
the placement of every mutant under arrest. Stryker meets with President McKenna at the
White House following the botched assassination, he is introduced to Senator Kelly
(Mystique still posing as the deceased Senator), whereupon he comments that Kelly used
to be a staunch supporter of the Registration Act, but his ideas on the mutant problem
have since changed.
CHARACTERS IN THIS COMMITTEE:
MUTANTS
Charles Xavier: (also known as Professor X) he founded Xavier's School for
Gifted Youngsters (later named the Xavier Institute) to teach mutants to explore
and control their powers. Xavier is a paraplegic variously using either a
wheelchair or a modified version of one. One of the world's most
powerful mutant telepaths, Xavier is a scientific genius and a leading authority
in genetics.
Magneto: (also known as Erik Lehnsherr and Max Eisenhardt) is a mutant,
leader and founder of the Brotherhood of Mutants. He has the ability to
manipulate create magnetic fields and control metal telekinetically.
Wolverine: (born James "Jimmy" Howlett, usually referred to as Logan) was a
mutant born with retractable bone claws, enhanced physical parameters, and a
powerful healing factor. Living for nearly two centuries, Logan's life was filled
with blood, hatred, war, suffering, and betrayal.
Jean Grey: Jean Grey is a Class Five mutant with immensely powerful telepathic
and telekinetic abilities. She is the most powerful mutant in the universe.
Archangel: (also known as Warren Worthington III) was a mutant who had
the ability to fly with large, white-later-metallic wings. His father is Warren
Worthington II who is the head of Worthington Labs, the corporation that
developed the mutant "cure".
Mystique: Mystique (born Raven Darkhölme) is a mutant with the ability to
shapeshift into anyone. She can mimic the appearance and voice of any person
with exquisite precision, and her natural appearance includes blue skin and
yellow eyes.
Pyro: (born John Allerdyce) is a mutant who can control fire. However, he
lacks the ability to generate his own. He cannot actually create fire himself.He
can psionically manipulate the flame to do whatever he desires and sometimes
induces it to take semi-solid form as an animate flame being.
Havok: (born Alexander "Alex" Summers) was a mutant, the older brother of
Cyclops, and one of the first members of the Charles Xavier's mutant team, the
X-Men. He had the ability to generate strong plasma blasts. He is the younger
brother of the X-Men's Cyclops and the older brother of Vulcan.
Cyclops: (born Scott Summers) is a mutant with the ability to fire an optic blast
from his eyes. Having been one of the first members of the modern group of XMen, Scott Summers was chosen to succeed his mentor and become the XMen's field leader and often makes decisions while in battle, such as him
shooting Magneto with his optic blast. Cyclops shows to be a strong, tough and
determined leader of the X-Men,
Vulcan: He is the third Summers brother to be revealed, the younger brother of
X-Men characters Cyclops and Havok. Vulcan is a mutant with the ability to
psionically manipulate vast amounts of energy. In addition to traditional
energies of the electromagnetic spectrum, Vulcan has displayed control over
exotic energies such as Cyclops' optic blasts and magical energy.
Storm: (born Ororo Munroe) is a mutant who can control the weather and is the
co-leader of the X-Men. Possessing natural leadership skills and some of the
most formidable powers in her team, Storm has led the X-Men from time to
time.
Emma Frost: was a mutant and a member of the Hellfire Club but later joined
the Brotherhood of Mutants. She was a telepath and could turn her skin into
diamond.
GOVERNMENT
Senator Robert Kelly: was a human mutate and the main proponent of the
Mutant Registration Act.
Stryker: (also known as William "Bill" Stryker Jr.) is a covert operations
specialist and military scientist. Known for his anti-mutant stance, he worked
tirelessly over several decades to develop solutions to what he saw as the
"mutant problem".
Moira McTaggert is a CIA agent and member of the X-Men. She is also
Professor X's love interest.
Levene: was a CIA agent and colleague of Moira MacTaggert.
Lady Deathstrike: (born Yuriko Oyama) was a mutant who possessed
adamantium claws, near-instant healing abilities and advanced martial arts and
acrobatic skills. She was the bodyguard of Colonel William Stryker.
Colonel Hendry: was a US Army officer coerced by the Hellfire Club. Colonel
Hendry was threatened with his life in order to spark World War III. He wanted
to send the missiles in Cuba and Colonel Hendry was sent to debate about it.
John McCone: was the 6th director of the CIA. He is conversing with Stryker
about a possible war with mutants. He later attempted to stop Stryker from
launching a missile strike at the mutants, reasoning that Moira MacTaggert
would also be killed, but was unsuccessful.
Alicia Vargas: Alicia Vargas is a White House tour guide. She was guiding a
tour which Nightcrawler used to sneak into the white house. What became of her
and the tour after the attack on the president is unknown.
Henry Gyrich: was an aide to Senator Kelly.
Abraham Cornelius: was a scientist who participated in Colonel William
Stryker's Weapon X program. Sometime after World War II, Wolverine is taken
in by the project and Cornelius is assigned with the task of perfecting and using
a technique that would bond the indestructible alloy adamantium to human bone
cells.
Nikita Khrushchev: was a communist politician and the effective head-of-state
of the Soviet Union. In a session of the Russian military council discussing the
situation in Cuba, Nikita Khrushchev is present while General Armivolkoff
advocates the need to place missiles in Cuba to counteract the United States'
actions in Turkey. Khrushchev nods his head in agreement, and Armivolkoff
orders a fleet to protect any Russian cargo ships carrying missiles bound for
Cuba.
Professor Andre Thorton: (real name Truett Hudson; also known as The
Professor) He is an enemy of Wolverine and had a hand in his origin. He hired
Carol Hines as his assistant and the scientist Abraham Cornelius. His
experiments on Wolverine are responsible for his adamantium-laced skeleton.
He is also connected to the creation of Alpha Flight on to developing supersoldiers for the US government.
Definition of Key Terms
Weapon X is a clandestine government genetic research facility Project. They
are conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K, which turns willing
and unwilling beings into living weapons. The project often captures mutants
and does experiments on them to enhance their
abilities or superpowers, turning them into
weapons. They also mutate baseline humans.
X-MEN: The X-Men was a team of mutants
created to protect the world as well as maintain
peaceful human-mutant relations.The group that
came to be known as the "X-Men" was founded
in 1962 by a young Charles Xavier and Raven
Darkholme, working in conjunction with a secret
department of the government called Division X. The X-Men's first mission
involved stopping Sebastian Shaw and the Hellfire Club. Xavier then brought in
Erik Lehnsherr to help lead the team, which also consisted of Havok, Darwin,
Beast, and Banshee. The team came into conflict with another group of mutants
called the Hellfire Club, who were vying for world domination.
Members of the X-MEN: Professor X., Wolverine, Jean Grey, Storm, Cyclops,
Vulcan, Quicksilver, Havok, Mystique (formerly), Archangel
.
The Brotherhood of Mutants: ( originally known as the Brotherhood of Evil
Mutants) is/was a terrorist organization fighting for mutant supremacy over
humans. They were founded and led by Magneto. The group's roster and
ideology have varied from incarnation to incarnation, ranging from world
domination to serving as a terrorist group that targets anti-mutant public figures.
They are almost always at odds with the more peaceful X-Men, though on rare
occasions the two sides have allied against a common threat, most notably
Apocalypse.
Members of the Brotherhood of Mutants: Magneto, Mystique, Pyro, Emma
Frost, Jean Grey (her alter ego Phoenix)
Cerebro: (Spanish for "brain") is a machine used by Professor X to amplify
his telepathic ability in order to observe all the mutants and humans throughout
the world. In turn, Cerebro can also be used to locate any individual as well. It is
located at the X-Mansion in the sub-basement.
Adamantium: is a Virtually-indestructible metal used by many people for
experiments, is a metallic compound developed for Weapon X after using an
unknown element found in a meteorite discovered somewhere in Nigeria by
William Stryker and Team X.
Magneto’s Helmet: is a special form of headgear designed to protect the wearer
from all forms of telepathy. The helmet was constructed by Russian scientists in
the early 1960's and given to Sebastian Shaw during the Cuban Missile Crisis as
a gift for his allegiance to the Soviet Union. He specifically wore the helmet in
order to prevent his brainwaves from being read by the telepaths, Charles Xavier
and Emma Frost.
Mutant Cure: The Mutant Cure is a special, anti-mutagenic cure that is capable
of removing a mutant's powers. Warren Worthington II created it with Leech's
DNA a few years after he found out his son Warren Worthington III was a
mutant.
X-Mansion: The Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters (X-Mansion) is the base
of operations and training site for the X-Men. It is also a school for mutant
students to learn to control their powers and other academic subjects. It contains
Cerebro and the Danger Room.
Genosha: Genosha is an island that once served as a base for the Brotherhood of
Mutants. Located a few miles from the coast of the eastern seaboard, Genosha
was an island of relatively small size, making it practically undetectable.
Appearing rather nondescript from the outside, inside, the island was heavily
fortified by Magneto. The interior of the island was reinforced with steel girders,
heavy titanium furnishings, and metallic walkways that could be manipulated by
the master of magnetism.
QUESTIONS A RESOLUTION MUST ANSWER
A-)MUTANT SIDE
1) What kind of measures should the mutants take to protect
themselves and be sure that they all are safe all around the world?
2) How to prevent from Weapon-X?
3) How could the actions of the Government side be prevented?
4) How can a facility be made to ensure that all mutants could
easily integrate with the society?
5) How can the mutants control their capabilities in order not to
cause any accidents?
B) GOVERNMENT SIDE
1) What kind of measures could the Government take to
capture all of the mutants?
2) How to convince the mutants to accept the Weapon X?
3) How to prove that all mutants are dangerous?
4) How to obstruct the mutants integration?
5) What kind of punishments should be applied to the mutants?
SECTION THREE: Closing & Bibliography
1. Closing Remarks
Dear Delegates,
I genuinely hope that you'll find this Background Guide informative, clear and
interesting. I advise you that you should watch all movies of X-MEN and read
your character's information via www.xmenmovies.wikia.com or any other
informative websites to learn more. I can't wait to see you guys in May. And
lastly, as I said before please do not hesitate to contact me via my e-mail.
Sincerely,
Alara Naz Özel
Under Secretary-General of the X-MEN Committee
[email protected]
3.Handouts and References
http://xmenmovies.wikia.com/
http://marvel.com/
http://www.mediaite.com/online/good-to-know-the-us-government-officiallydeclared-that-the-x-men-arent-human/
http://lawandthemultiverse.com/2011/12/27/are-the-x-men-human-federal-courtsays-no/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registration_acts_(comics)#Fictional_history_of_t
he_Registration_Acts
http://xmenmovies.wikia.com/wiki/Mutant_Registration_Act
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brotherhood_of_Mutants
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weapon_X