SL Left Unity - a place for Left discussion...

SLLU is about discussion and finding common ground. Discussions go on all of the time in IM and on our parcels.

Today I spoke with Agnes Sharple. I asked her permission to publish some of our conversation, as I think it illustrates SLLU and it’s purpose very well. (I have also kept a small part about Amnesty International in SL in this chatlog- please read it if you are in an Amnesty group in SL!)

Agnes Sharple: "that’s why I find it good to have diversity and disagreements in SLLU, people can learn that we don’t necessarily have to agree, but we still respect each other"

These are our personal views and not the views of the group as a whole.

[2011/03/17 02:06] Plot Tracer: Hi Agnes - some people have complained that notices are being sent out as SLLU poionts of view when they are individuals point of view (for example the No fly Zone stuff - there are different views in our Left Unity group). When you are posting such stuff, could you make sure it is clear that it is your view and not necessarily the view of SLLU? Thanks comrade!

[02:54 AM] Agnes Sharple: Hi Plot. Of course. Sorry. I was thinking of that after i posted it, i should have said something like "this might interest some of you" or something

[02:54 AM] Plot Tracer: no problem! It is just that some people said that “this is not my view."

[02:55 AM] Agnes Sharple: well, we do not expect everyone in this group to agree with everyone, do we? Its a unity :)
[02:55 AM] Plot Tracer: yes :)
[02:55 AM] Plot Tracer: i will worry when people agree on everything...
[02:55 AM] Plot Tracer: :)
[02:56 AM] Agnes Sharple: :)

[02:57 AM] Agnes Sharple: that said, i am not comfortable with very aggressive ppl in this group and ppl spelling death threats and such, fighting against fascists, being quite fascist themselves. Get my drift?
[02:58 AM] Plot Tracer: yes
[02:58 AM] Plot Tracer: i agree

Plot Tracer: "Education - and immersion in discussion and experience of discourse and action in sl is all part of this educational experience- this is why some of us began the group SLLU"

[03:00 AM] Plot Tracer: though my experience is that these types of people mellow with more exposure to other peoples views. I have seen some activists grow. One I know started in SL about 4 years ago and was an armchair fanatic... but with exposure to other views and talks and discussions and - years - he has become a rl activist with good *evidence based* views
[03:00 AM] Plot Tracer: this happens again and again.
[03:01 AM] Plot Tracer: though there are people who will never *change much*.... but it is good they have their own groups - and will learn how to react in a unity group.

[03:04 AM] Agnes Sharple: Yep, that’s why I find it good to have diversity and disagreements in SLLU, people can learn that we don’t necessarily have to agree, but we still respect each other

[03:04 AM] Plot Tracer: yes
[03:05 AM] Plot Tracer: this is perhaps the most important lesson in sl left unity. the 8th of our aims and principles says ---“ SLLU firmly stand for the bringing of international cooperation and awareness through education and the discussion of the issues raised by capitalist hegemony which the RL mainstream media systematically fail to report. SLLU believe that by avoiding authoritarian teacher- pupil models of education and based on peoples actual experiences and continued shared investigation, every human being, no matter how impoverished or illiterate, can develop a new awareness of self which will free them to be more than passive objects responding to uncontrollable change. As Freire said, and SLLU agree, each individual wins back the right to say his or own word - to name the world.”

[03:06 AM] Agnes Sharple: exactly

[03:06 AM] Plot Tracer: Education - and immersion in discussion and experience of discourse and action in sl is all part of this educational experience

[03:07 AM] Plot Tracer: this is why some of us began the group SLLU
[03:08 AM] Plot Tracer: I think there is a place for the demonstrations and the expression of unreasonable views as well - because people then realise there are counter views which are as valid. They learn then, how to strengthen their views with evidence and then how to express them reasonably

[03:09 AM] Agnes Sharple: this is why i like the group, its not some small (minded) group where everyone have to agree with the founder of group

[03:09 AM] Plot Tracer: yes
[03:10 AM] Plot Tracer: though it was difficult to make people realise this. When we first started people *assumed* we were some sort of stalinist pre-1989 eastern European style group!

[03:10 AM] Agnes Sharple: hahah
[03:11 AM] Agnes Sharple: ppl "assume" a lot in SL, jumping to conclusions without getting the information

[03:11 AM] Plot Tracer: yes
[03:12 AM] Agnes Sharple: not only in SL..
[03:12 AM] Plot Tracer: true!

[03:13 AM] Agnes Sharple: but I’ve seen a lot of it in sl, maybe because of language issues
[03:13 AM] Plot Tracer: perhaps - and because a lot of communication is quickly typed...

Amnesty International (E)

[03:13 AM] Plot Tracer: Oh
[03:14 AM] Plot Tracer: by the way - I see you are in Amnesty international (SL) -
[03:14 AM] Plot Tracer: this group is not the real amnesty group
[03:14 AM] Agnes Sharple: no?
[03:14 AM] Plot Tracer: it was set up by someone who asked for donations and then left sl with lots of money

[03:14 AM] Agnes Sharple: wtf
[03:14 AM] Plot Tracer: the real one is the other one in my profile

[03:14 AM] Plot Tracer: Amnesty (E)

[03:14 AM] Agnes Sharple: i left
[03:14 AM] Agnes Sharple: now
[03:15 AM] Plot Tracer: cool. join the other one
[03:15 AM] Agnes Sharple: oh okey

[03:15 AM] Agnes Sharple: 'you are in that group too?
[03:15 AM] Plot Tracer: Millay Freschi set it up - she is running it on behalf of the real Amnesty
[03:15 AM] Plot Tracer: yes - i am in it to tell people it's history. When i notice people are in it, i tell them.
[03:16 AM] Plot Tracer: i send out im's sometimes as well.
[03:16 AM] Agnes Sharple: ic:)
[03:16 AM] Agnes Sharple: thank you
[03:17 AM] Plot Tracer: np :)

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