You know, I appreciate all your comments here. I am ashamed to say I fully expected to be flamed a bit, and I'm stoked by the lack of it (toward me at least). Looking back now I feel a bit of a pillock for having a rant like this.
I suppose what confused me the most about the Clique thread, was it didn't look like a regular clan-related message dump. It seemed to me a loose conferderation of like-minded pirates, either aligned or friendly to Outcasts. It even called for input by non-Outcast factions (and I was a Rogue). I didn't realise it was for the five-or-so original [GoR] players.
@Teaboy: The situation is a bit different from the regular faction dump. Firstly for the reason I just mentioned. Secondly because I can join any faction I want (within reason & server rules) just by asking "pretty please". And many will even give me money for it. In contrast the Clique... and I regret now using the "paid membership" allegory.... but I suppose it kinda works that way by proxy.
Now I understand that you don't need to buy a faction tag, you can theoretically gain one in-game. However from what I've read here and previously it's an unachievable task. So then you have the problem with anything which requires $$$ to join: (1) It includes only those who can afford it, (2) It excludes those who can't.
I also understand you want to keep out every peanut-head who just wants to look cool with their badass Outcast tag, but who's not interested in RP. I can respect that. But I still have the problem of no money, so I have to stay tagless.
