by Smoke Wijaya
(this is personal opinion, and not (necesarily) that of SLLU)
Tuesday, the 20th of Januari, inauguration of Obama. Netroots Nation (formerly YearlyKos Convention) in SL, amongst others, organized events around this day, starting off with live streaming of the inaugural events.
I went to the Progressive Island where the event was held and joined the small crowd that had gathered there, sitting on a stage while looking to a big screen for the inauguration. People present voiced their irrational joy, patriotism and hope for what change Obama might bring to the US: “History is happenin' !!”, “This is a beautiful day!!”, “peace is never wrong, love is never wrong. Let Freedom Ring”, “I am so proud again to be American”, “God Bless America”. For these progressives of Netroots Nation, Obama being sworn in somehow already makes an end to the suffering and violence that the Bush-administration (and US in general) created over this world as well: “Just a few minutes away from the end of the bloody Bush years!! YIPPEE!!”
I took place behind the crowd, next to Plot, as to not disturb their view of the screen and attached a placard (normal size) which showed Israeli and American flag, a call to “stop the genocide” and to boycott Israel. Plot wore a Palestinian flag.
Being at an event by progressive Americans, their conviction of Obama bringing change, US being the biggest supporter of Israel and biggest frustrator of sanctions against Israel, it seemed a good event to quietly, in a non-disturbing manner, also point to international politics of the US and the need for change. Expected by me was support for such change by these self proclaimed American progressives, but that proved to be a wrong thought.
In between US-supremacy and instant-diabetes statements like “LOOK AT THAT!! It's a sea of people!!” - “that sea of people are the smartest people in the world - giggles - a long with us here . . and every American who voted for OBAMA” and “the light in their faces is making me cry it's so full of HOPE” and “oh the smiles - the light beaming from their joy is amazing” by people like Elizabeth Spieler, Dianna Eberhardt, Michele Mrigesh and others, I suddenly got ejected by a certain Trouble Streeter, triggerhappy “security” of Netroots Nation group, who directly IMd me stating that I should loose the sign. Returning to the stage I asked why that ejection was necessary (note, I did not utter one word yet besides greetings).
Apparently I was being radical and disturbing 'their celebration of this beautiful and historic day' by just standing there with the sign. Questioning of this action, their idea of freedom of speech and progressiveness, made them hit the ban button while uttering ridiculous statements like “Trouble Streeter: he is an anarchist who enjoys disruptions” (I did not say a word before the initial ejection) and “Elizabeth Spieler: we have the right to ignore terrorists seeking to ruin our day of victory”.
So there I stood, barred from the celebration, banned from their land. Soon I was joined by Plot who these “progressives” also banned, initially we though because of his questioning of my banning, but apparently because of a personal grudge: “GenJCChristian Homewood: Nah, I banned you for simply being an asshole”. And none of the people present opposed the banning of us (besides one person that IMd me saying that she did not agree with the banning).
Apparently we were such a threat that they thought it was also necessary to ban us right away from their other island, Netroots Nation, which we did not even visit.
To me at least, this experience showed pretty clear that these Americans, the progressives of Netroots Nation, Cafe Wellstone and the like, are blinded by irrational patriotism, uncritical sheep behaviour, unsubstantiated hope and misplaced adoration of Obama as messiah, not to speak about their bigotry towards left (radical) views. For any true progressive person, who also looks to the rest of the world, instead of just on the narcissistic hyper religious island that is the US, and acknowledges the effects of US imperialism, these are not the people to support and organize with.
3 weeks ago
27 comments:
Three cheers for Patriotboy.
You were being rude.
If it's a genocide, try to explain how "Palestinian" populations have increased TEN FOLD since the date that Palestine was supposed to be established as a nation, but was rejected by the Arab nations in the Middle East in favor of an ACTUAL attempt at genocide - against the Jews?
Shipping years of food, power, fuel, medicine, construction materials... all while many of the Arab and Muslim nations of the world made huge pledges but delivered little actual materials besides weapons and training to kill... or to keep a small resident pet population as a showcase as Saddam did, giving money for suicide bomber families but not humanitarian aid to the rest...
Truly, when compared to Pol Pot, Hitler, Hafez Assan, Congo, Darfur, Kosovo, Tibet, Korea, and even Jonestown... the most incompetent genocide ever, amigo.
-ls/cm
.. or maybe they were just annoyed that you insisted on peeing in their saccharine. (shrug) Those guys at Cafe Wellstone love to debate, but do you seriously think that anyone having a long-awaited (if self-congratulatory) celebration is going to welcome protesters?
(from SLLU chat)
Ernest Newman: I think, Smoke, that you over-extrapolate...dkos is more or less progressive, over all, but does include a wide spectrum of Democratic party elements, including the conservative Blue Dogs, and also some otherwise fairly progressive jewish members who get all ultra-zionist against any criticism of Israel. I have been contending with these elements, blogging on dkos for some time now, and they are indeed very non-progressive, and have attacked me, trying to drive me away from the venue even. However, others have ralllied to my side, and also contend with those elements
Ernest Newman: I/P issues, especialy, get very contentious on that blog
Ernest Newman: And, yes, there are the maudlin patriotic ones, but I think perhaps some of them are those most in need of dialog, heh
Ernest Newman: I would not have gone in there with placards and flags, heh...should have more explcitly advised against protesting there...more of a venue for discussion, and requiring some moderation of rhetoric,
Smoke Wijaya: in any case, I do not care about other elemenst in there .. only one person said she did not agree with the banning ... the "CEO" of the group did, as all the others there, did.
Smoke Wijaya: if I am overexptrapolating or whatver .. let them react in the comments section of that post
Ernest Newman: well...it's a mixed venue, for sure...I get as much heat there, as I do here, lol, from opposite ends of the spectrum, LOL!
Smoke Wijaya: Again, I did not utter one word, stood behind all of them, to not disturb the "celebration" ... in "respect" for that group.....but that surely has gone
Smoke Wijaya: even if it is mixed venue ... then the rest of that group thta were not there are allowed to know the ridicolous religious conservative masturbating joy and patriotism of the others ( ioncludingCEO and other "officers")...and the possibility to distance themselves form that .. which they can do in the comments section.
Ernest Newman: well, again, just because those with the powers acted as they did does not mean all would approve of that, as you found. It will be interesting to see if they remark on it in the dkos blog, heh...I'll give them hell, lol
Smoke Wijaya: can you give me a link to that blog?
Ernest Newman: do you have any pix?
Ernest Newman: its
http://dailykos.com
Smoke Wijaya:
http://slleftunity.blogspot.com/2009/01/netroots-nations-progressiveness.html
Ernest Newman: kk...will check it out. Maybe I'll post to dkos, include a link to your report, heh...criticize their action
Ernest Newman: I post there as Radical def, if anyone wants to gag and choke over my pathetic noob blogging attempts....some are pretty bad, heh, others not so bad, lol
Smoke Wijaya: ok
Smoke Wijaya: but for the good order .. I said with my blogpost that it ws my opinion..not that of SLLU
Ernest Newman: right on
Ernest Newman: As you will see, when I post a Diary titled Death to the Blue Dogs!, I get lots of flames, LOL!
Ernest Newman: when I say I get heat from "opposite ends", I mean the ultra-left elements here, and on IMC, heh...dkos is about as far to the right as I usually bother to venture, for debate, LOL
Smoke Wijaya: understood
To "Mister Crap"...
First of all, the population increase of Arabs in historical Palestine comes from several sources. Namely a lack of birth control and health facilities to be able to aid against mass reproduction, a concentration of Arabs into isolated settlements such as Gaza and the West Bank etc. These are classical showmanships of poverty. Palestine had been established for quite a long time before the state of Israel was formed, and you should go back to school and learn your history - it was not rejected by Arab nations. The state of Israel was installed by England in the 1940s. A campaign for that state had to be started, indeed it was actually started, long before that State formed. Many of the Jews who immigrated to Palestine were Jews who originally intended on going to the U.S. however the U.K took those refugees and convinced them to settle in Palestine.
None of the Arab nations in the middle east at the time of the formation of Israel were in favor of the Genocide of the Jews by Nazi Germany - what a ridiculous statement that is.
The attacks on Palestine are a slow attempt at Genocide. Consider that it took nearly 200 years for Australia to perform that task on the majority of Aboriginal people, and that Israel has only been doing this for 60 years, and is in a hotbed of arab nationalism, it has constraints on what it can actually do.
Now you act as if terrorist organisations like Al-Qaeda have always existed. What ignorant banter that is. Most, if not all, terrorist groups in the middle-east were born out of colonial and imperialist oppression and occupation by England and the United States. The only real exception is the Taliban.
And also, I should remind you. Saddam was backed by the U.S. at one stage, along with the Taliban, and along with the Shah in Iran.
Plot and Smoke were not being rude. They were making a political statement: "If change has come, what about Palestine?" There is nothing wrong with that.
And frankly? I, nor they, should give a flying fuck about their celebrations. Who the hell cares if they are happy? Since when did the happiness of the American people take priority over the suffering and impoverishment of the rest of the world?
Again, Poverty of the Left.
:)
Hi! See you fit in with the usual "I'm a clever blogger 'coz I can slag people off" crowd. So passe, my friend.
If you had have been at the Netroots jamboree - one I promoted and managed to swell their crowd from 15 to about 20..., you would have witnessed the fact that we were there to celebrate with Americans on the kicking out of their dangerous idiot of an ex-President. Our "protest" was not a "protest" - just a visual reference to our support of the Palestinian people who have been under attack by a nuclear power loaded with more weapons than the rest of the middle east put together (ten fold).
Some non-entity who thought he was being the BIG SECUWETY MAN thought he would boot Smoke off the land after some people decided to attack him for his solidarity with a poor nation under attack. My own ejection came after I questioned Smoke's ejection - and the wonderful JCChristian Homewood, who has a personal grudge against anyone european and left, decided I was a "prick" and ejected me. For ALL of the chatlogs, please IM me.
this came as a particular embarassment to me as I had just told SLLU and a few othe left groups that Netroots were our friends! Aw well.. if it has a CEO there is something not quite right (oh - I notice it has! lol!)
Just one tiny example of how far off base this all is: Plot Tracer's characterization of Trouble Streeter as a "BIG SECUWETY MAN."
Trouble Streeter is a woman, is one of the kindest, most patient people I've met in Second Life, and is a perfect example of why those qualities often make women better and more balanced at security than men.
Your wholly fictional characterizations of Trouble, GenJCChristian, and other whom I have come to know and appreciate so well in the last year tells me all I need to know about the two of you. The plain truth of the matter is that you went there entirely for the purpose of manufacturing drama and theatre for yourselves, with you cast as the hero/victims. Lo and behold, that's exactly what transpired. Imagine that.
Would you consider us intolerant to have banned, say, disgruntled McCain supporters sporting signs with anti-Muslim innuendo about Obama, who like you showed their hollow, air-quoted "respect" for us by not actually saying anything?
I didn't think so.
The Kossaks and their minions are "progressive" only in the most relative and trivial sense of having come together in opposition to Bush. They are, first and foremost, Democratic Party loyalists, in no meaningful sense part of the Left, but simply "liberals" as defined by the late great Phil Ochs: "In every political community there are varying shades of political opinion. One of the shadiest of these is the liberals. An outspoken group on many subjects. Ten degrees to the left of center in good times. Ten degrees to the right of center if it affects them personally." (Here's a nice updated rendition of Phil's great anthem, as performed by Jello Biafra and Mojo Nixon.)
I'm not the least bit surprised that their response to your expression of dissent was to echo the Bush mantra: "you're either with us or we'll call you a terrorist."
She may not have said, "If I can't dance, it's not my revolution," but Emma Goldman wrote about killjoys in the anarchist movement.
At the dances I was one of the most untiring and gayest. One evening a cousin of Sasha, a young boy, took me aside. With a grave face, as if he were about to announce the death of a dear comrade, he whispered to me that it did not behoove an agitator to dance. Certainly not with such reckless abandon, anyway. It was undignified for one who was on the way to become a force in the anarchist movement. My frivolity would only hurt the Cause.
I grew furious at the impudent interference of the boy. I told him to mind his own business, I was tired of having the Cause constantly thrown into my face. I did not believe that a Cause which stood for a beautiful ideal, for anarchism, for release and freedom from conventions and prejudice, should demand the denial of life and joy. I insisted that our Cause could not expect me to become a nun and that the movement should not be turned into a cloister. If it meant that, I did not want it. "I want freedom, the right to self-expression, everyboy's right to beautiful, radiant things." Anarchism meant that to me, and I would live it in spite of the whole world--prisons, persecution, everything. Yes, even in spite of the condemnation of my own comrades I would live my beautiful ideal. Emma Goldman, Living My Life (New York: Knopf, 1934), p. 56.
@Smoke I was not present during any of the events you are describing but I have interacted with several of the individuals in question and have not usually found them to be unreasonable. By your account, I certainly would not have booted you. Perhaps you would attach the relevant portions of your chat logs?
My read is that your actions were perceived as a non-sequiturial protest at a party. These people were there to celebrate the inauguration, not to host a debate on highly contentious subjects. I hope you would be welcome still at Wellstone for just such I/P discussion.
@Plot the mercurial patriotboy may be many things but your belief that he harbors "a personal grudge against anyone european" is plainly silly.
@Various DK is as far left as most of the US takes seriously. It is diverse but the average reader is a bit to the left of Obama. As Forelle says, kossacks are partisan Democrats. The association with SL groups isn't much more than coincidental though there is crossover.
You say "American" like it's a bad thing. As a Canadian, I'd have ejected you too...faux protests and phony victimhood just annoys me.
And your comment about the General having a hate-on for anyone European and left is hilarious to anyone who knows him.
old saw: scratch a liberal, find a fascist. It is clear to me that there are some very centrist people behind the Netroots Nation effort, they could not agree on a democratic structure after the last netroots nation campaign, probably because the main organizers are being paid by the DP. This is to be expected. My advice is to take the high road and forgive them. Great Cartoon on the Private Eye, To Obama: "Can we do nothing about the Slaughter in Gaza?' Obama: Yes We Can.
I would forgive them because they are high on hope. They need hope, and so do the rich, because their house of cards has fallen. It won't be long before Obama tells people that there is not enough money for their dreams. It won't be long before the rest of the financial institutions crumble. It is going to be a whole new ballgame. Washington cannot provide the solutions to what will happen in the streets if people don't have jobs.
You didn’t approve my other comment. Why not? You have approved several comments that are critical of SLLU by those outside the group. I am a member of SLLU, and I offer my critique in hopes that you will figure out how to be more effective in what you do. Whether you decide to approve or not, I offer you these thoughts in hope that you will read them. Plot Tracer, seeing your photo on Facebook I know that I have a few years on you. I’ve been around the movement for a long time, and I’ve studied the history of the movement for the centuries before I arrived on the scene. I do have a good idea what works. That is the very question that has always fascinated me in a career spent focused on the movement. I know that, unless you love protest for the joy of protest, it matters to consider your desired outcome. Protesting progressives on the Palestinian issue is preaching to the choir. They already come out where you do on that issue. You weren’t ejected for the issue. You were ejected for creating a disturbance and being rude. On a day when people wanted to believe that a different world is possible, people from all over the world came to Second Life to share the experience. Possible and likely are quite different, but you have to believe a different world is possible or the rage itself is pointless – a mosquito on the ass of power. Swat. Your behavior was a reaction and not even a reaction to the people you approached with your signs. You are letting power dictate your actions negatively. Rather than being a bad subject in reaction to the good subjects, consider becoming a nonsubject. Consider asking yourself how best your energies could be spent toward your ultimate goals as well as toward your short-term goals. I am a member of SLLU because I care about the movement. I participate in Wellstone activities because they are smart, fun, snarky people. Maybe their irony and sarcasm doesn’t translate when one takes oneself too seriously. I don’t participate in SLLU activities because I don’t get anything out of it – no movement, no fun, no growth, no satisfaction. My energies are better spent elsewhere. Still, I want you to succeed. I value your role in the movement and the potential for organization within virtual worlds. I admire your persistence despite the pathetic participation of others. I know how difficult it is to push on when you get little help. I appreciate that you attempt to maintain the collective. In the end, though, you still won’t get anywhere if you persist with leftier-than-thou bullshit. Just as with the Palestinian situation – the only change is going to be through understanding and finally through agreement. You can’t bully your way into people’s consciousness, especially when they are already practiced lefties themselves. They know the tricks. I know you’ve tried to demand an apology from JC Christian for his banning you from Wellstone. You can’t demand that people let you in just so you can scream at them again. Well, you can demand it, but it won’t work. You get in by not being a dickhead. Don’t stop trying, but do try a different tactic. You might find that the international crowd at Wellstone is sympathetic to your ideals – if you stick around long enough to have a real conversation.
Hey - I have never read such a load of straw men in my life. I shall get to them later, when I have a bit of time.
"Agent provocatuer?" Madness! I think the Gen, if someone has a slightly different opinion within his group, can't handle it... the reason he threw me out was because I sometimes advertised United Left events using Wellstone IM's. Now - I have to ask the question why? Is it because he disagreed with the events (the ones that led to the banning were part of the Human Rights Festival activities we had taken part in - as part of a huge movement in SL). As for his strawman that I called him a patriot boy - pah.
I have read his poem - he contributed it to our call for letters/ pieces of prose/poetry for Obama. This is another reason I cannot understand him using his great power to eject someone who had been watching the Obama inauguration without any political comment (had gotten into a bit of light banter about Springsteen - and I had questioned why the woman secewity person had thrown Smoke off - Smoke had made no political comment either - only wore a placard in support of poor Palestinians who were losing their homes/mothers/fathers/sons/daughters).
Anyway - as I say, I shall write later - have a busy day ahead. I shall publish unedited chatlogs -or present them to anyone who wants them... I'll think about that.
I feel this has been turned into some sort of joke by the liberal left in the US - but it shows the reactionary nature of hero worship.
I hope someone interupts the crowning of our next "Prime Minister" or "First Minister" here in SL... I am sure - very sure he will here of it and it will change his mind to be nice...
@ ultra zionist Crap Mariner:
I am not your amigo, so shut that crap.
Your covertly Godwin'ng by pointing to other atrocities which in scale and execution differ from Israels systematic slow ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people is an argument that keeps being thrown around when talking to zionists. I of course understand the tactic behind it, since we would eventually arrive at the holocaust of the Jews by the Nazi's and that of course justifies any action of Israel. This calculating comparing is telling of the disregard of the value of individual life. Anyone can check your posts on your own blogs to see your rabid zionism, racism and joy in the murder of Palestinian people.
I keep being shocked by this idea that because of larger or more openly executed genocides by regimes that had not the support of the world like Israel has, it somehow justifies Israel's actions or makes them less objectionable.
And focussing on only one part of the definition of the UN on what genocide is does not invalidate the claim that it is genocide:
“Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide - ARTICLE 2
In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.”
Anyway, Abel already replied to your nonsense and skewed view of history.
@ Zathras Afarensis
I don't know your experiences with Trouble Streeter, but I can belief you have nothing but positive experiences, though that does not mean that any of a different experience with her is fabricated nonsense. She ejected me before asking me if I could detach the sign (which I might even have done) shortly after I arrived. That is not a sign of patience. That is a sign of fear and intolerance for anything that might tone down the misplaced joy and renewed patriotic pride.
Your attempt at comparing my call for need for change in US foreign affairs regarding Israel to a *discriminating* “anti-Muslim innuendo about Obama “ wont fly. It is telling that you conflate the issues of criticism on Israel with anti-semitism or anti-judaism.
@ Anonymous
“These people were there to celebrate the inauguration, not to host a debate on highly contentious subjects. “ As said several times, I did not start a debate. I did not say anything besides greeting the people.
@ Jane2
Yes, I know that all across the world people see Obama as the new messiah. So?
Being American is not a bad thing, but denying that this event around Obama is not primarily by and for Americans is futile.
I don't know what you mean to say with the “faux protests”. But if you mean to say that it is so because of SL used as medium, what about articles on websites, any political drawing etc?
What does the “phoney victimhood” pertain to? Is it a statement about this blogpost or does it pertain to the Palestinian people? I am not sure, since if you mean this blogpost, then it has nothing to do with the actual reason for ejection and banning at the NN event.
@ Nonviolent Leftie
I am not sure what happened to your comment, I hope they will all come through still.
“You weren’t ejected for the issue. You were ejected for creating a disturbance and being rude.” As said, I just stood there with the sign behind the crowd and did not utter a word. I thus did not create a disturbance; and if I did by merely showing that sign, it is telling of the stance of the people there and certainly not a sign that they “[...] already come out where you do on that issue.“
“On a day when people wanted to believe that a different world is possible, people from all over the world came to Second Life to share the experience.“ Right, and thus I thought it would be good moment to also point again to the need for change in international politics towards Israel by the new Obama-administration.
I'd have said "Pally" but you might have misread that as Pali. *shrug*
In your eyes, every Zionist is an ultra-Zionist, a hyperbolic caricature, scheming at every turn.
Which, I must confess, in my case is true. I am, without a doubt, the epitome of all evil in the eyes of freedom-loving Marxists across the globe.
But then, when asked "Would you like paper or plastic?" at the grocery store, Nobody ever has a good answer. And I must admit that I respond with "Which kills more Arab Muslim women and children and robs them of the petroleum reserves under their holy land?" and "How many UN Security Resolutions and Korans were ignored, shredded, and recycled to make this paper?"
*sigh* It was so much easier when the government required those figured be printed on the bags. (In blood from prisoners in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, of course.)
-ls/cm
If plot does publish those chatlogs, demand a cut in any advertising revenue they make from them, eh.
I mean, if you had published them on your own site, you'd get a few bucks from the ads and possible swag sales, right?
*sigh* Them wacky fringe Marxists, always trying to undercut even the left wing capitalists.
No wonder why they don't get invited to all the good parties.
-ls/cm
It seems necessary and important to reiterate that dkos is not a homogenous venue, and cannot be accurately characterized in the manner that some here seem inclined to do.
The daily kos.com blog was initiated as a "progressive" venue, explicitly to the left of center, for two purposes: To get "more" Democrats elected, first and foremost, and to get "better" (more progressive) Democrats elected, as a more secondary, subsequent priority.
Toward the "more" Democrats purpose, the blog has tended to encourage participation and support for Blue Dogs (conservative Democrats), as the best that can be hoped for from the more conservative-leaning Congressional districts, in order to displace Republican Congress critters, and establish a filibuster proof Democratic super majority in the Congress.
The theory was that once Obama was elected, and the Democrats seized that super majority in Congress, the most egregious policies and practices of the Bush and Republican regimes would be, at the very least, more or less, somewhat suppressed, which is seen as a good thing, or, at the very least, a relatively better situation than, say, a McCain/freakin' Palin victory, and a greater Republican plurality in the Congress.
The next phase of the dkos campaign is to continue the momentum of the '08 election campaign into the 2010 and 2012 interim elections, to further consolidate the Democratic majority in Congress, and to also challenge and replace the more conservative Blue Dogs with substantially more progressive Democrats, wherever that can be done without handing the seat over to a Republican.
At dkos, a concerted struggle is underway for the heart and soul of the Democratic Party. Blue Dog and more "liberal" elements are, often quite heatedly, contending with more progressive and radical elements, in what is often a most interesting and informative debate about what democracy really means, and how it can best be implemented. This is a healthy and necessary debate, as disgusting as it sometimes gets, lol.
For those purist, absolutist idealist, more dogmatic and doctrinaire leftists who call for a complete boycott of the bourgeois electoral arena, or who seek to contend in that area only via guaranteed loser "alternative" parties that tend only to split the vote and to thus hand power over to the most reactionary fascist contenders by default, such a tactical strategy as dkos is pursuing is consistently considered, and denounced, as non-viable, and even counter-revolutionary.
However, in the '08 US election, unprecedented numbers of youth, and virtually all peoples of color made a conscious decision to ignore the calls for boycott and splitting, and voted with their feet to explicitly reject the vicious rhetoric and programs of the Republicans, and to endorse a rhetoric of 'hope" and "change", from a well-spoken, intelligent candidate with Muslim, Black, foreign, low income, and grassroots organizing, public interest law experiences in his background.
As easy as it seems to be for so many leftists to dismiss that phenomenon, I think to do so is a serious error, and a reflection of an ultimately elitist and anti-democratic contempt for the masses inherent to so many such tendencies.
To follow the lead of the masses, to recognize the genuine intense desire for real change, and real hope for the future, for justice and peace, to save the planet, is not necessarily opportunistic "tailing", nor a "sell out".
Indeed, we have worked long and hard to achieve the shifts in public opinion that this election represents, and we should recognize the event as a great victory, and a profound vindication of our revolutionary struggle.
The inevitable shortcomings in practice that can be expected from the present "Democrats", vis a vis their own rhetoric, and the rising hopes and expectations of the masses, will not serve to bolster the underpinnings of capitalism, lol. Far from it, I think.
The present situation, while far from ideal, will serve as an excellent opportunity to press the contradictions of capitalism, and of what obviously remains a contrived, corrupt, commercial, bogus bourgeois "democracy", and will provide openings for more radical demands for genuine popular democratic power by the people, and by those who legitimately presume to work on behalf of, speak for, or "represent" the people.
It's important to separate out tactics from strategy, and also to consider exactly what one's strategic goals actually are.
If one seeks just another version of vanguardist, elitist rule, and has no interest, really, or belief in, democracy, then all this may seem completely irrelevant, and, indeed, "counter-revolutionary".
But, in fact, real democracy is the most fundamental revolutionary concept, and should be the entire basis of our addressment to the contradictions of capitalism, and ultimately, the only real solution, regardless of the "issues" at hand.
Death to Vanguardist Elitism!
Death to Capitalism, and it's moribund form, Fascism!
All Power to the People!
Mister Crap - you are hilarious. Witty, erudite and you have won me over with your charm. Have you been published? I marvel at the way you use full stops and capital letters. And the way you know exactly where an "and" comes in a sentence. Definately Level B writing here in Scotland. Thanks for your valuable input!
CHATLOGS (for anyone who can be bothered...)
Open chat on day of inauguration on Progressive Island:
[8:45] Michele Mrigesh: Hi Smoke!!
[8:45] Smoke Wijaya: Greetings
[8:45] Michele Mrigesh: Hi Aeris...:))
[8:45] Deren Ireton is Online
[8:45] Michele Mrigesh: History is happenin' !!
[8:45] Plot Tracer: hi aeris and smoke
[8:45] Michele Mrigesh: yayayayay
[8:45] Aeris Betsen: hello everybody
[8:46] Michele Mrigesh: glad you joined us!
[8:46] Michele Mrigesh: wow..if anyone is watching tv..LOOK AT THAT CROWD!
[8:46] Aeris Betsen: hey Plot
[8:47] Plot Tracer: hi Aeris!
[8:47] Trouble Streeter: omfg the crowd is amazing
[8:48] Trouble Streeter: am glad you're all here sharing it together
[8:48] Elizabeth Spieler: yay OBAMA
[8:48] Aeris Betsen is Offline
[8:48] Dianna Eberhardt: THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[8:48] Elizabeth Spieler: Let Freedom Ring
[8:49] Trouble Streeter: only if we were lucky
[8:49] Dianna Eberhardt: I am proud to be an American again.
[8:49] Trouble Streeter: me too Dianna
[8:49] Michele Mrigesh: Yes, Dianna!
[8:49] Aeris Betsen is Online
[8:49] Trouble Streeter: I always was.. but today... even more so
[8:50] Smoke Wijaya is Offline
[8:51] Smoke Wijaya is Online
[8:52] Smoke Wijaya: Trouble, I ma just standing still with a sign .. how wa sII a threat to your messiah celebration??
[8:52] Dianna Eberhardt: OH-BAMA!!!!
[8:52] Smoke Wijaya: you dont have to eject me
[8:53] Trouble Streeter: Smoke, take it to IM
[8:53] Dianna Eberhardt: God bless America
[8:53] Michele Mrigesh: ok Smoke...let's just celebrate today :)
[8:53] Dianna Eberhardt: God bless Mr. Obama
[8:53] Smoke Wijaya: Trouble, so people dont have to jknow you eject persons that dont cause any trouble? bvut just because your patriotism stops you from taking any criticism?
[8:54] Plot Tracer: SLLU are running a "write to Obama" thing - if anyone wants instructions how to take part, let me know
[8:54] Elizabeth Spieler: smoke it's our right of freedom to ignore radicals
[8:54] Trouble Streeter: I can handle criticism, we do it eveery time we gather
[8:54] Michele Mrigesh: Smoke..this is a celebration of a historic moment...let's keep it that way
[8:54] Trouble Streeter: but today is for celebrating, for unity, and for happiness
[8:54] Trouble Streeter: keep it that way
[8:54] Smoke Wijaya: yay
[8:54] Dianna Eberhardt: Just a few minutes away from the end of the bloody Bush years!! YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!
[8:54] Michele Mrigesh: if you want to have a party of your own...go for it on your own sim!
[8:55] Michele Mrigesh: :)
[8:55] Elizabeth Spieler: peace is never wrong
[8:55] Plot Tracer: SLLU are running a "write to Obama" thing - if anyone wants instructions how to take part, let me know
[8:55] Elizabeth Spieler: love is never wrong
[8:55] Elizabeth Spieler: Let Freedom Ring
[8:55] CoolDude Luik is Offline
[8:55] Michele Mrigesh: ARETHA!! sing it!!
[8:55] Plot Tracer: Aretha is doing her best...
[8:55] Smoke Wijaya: I dont udnerstand wht is so threathening to a little focus on Obama's lack of change in international politics ....
[8:55] Elizabeth Spieler: "crying for the joy of Freedom"
[8:55] Trouble Streeter: NOT TODAY Smoke
[8:56] Smoke Wijaya: and US's unconditonal support for the genocide of Palestinians
[8:56] Plot Tracer: SLLU are running a "write to Obama" thing - if anyone wants instructions how to take part, let me know
[8:56] Trouble Streeter: come join us any other day to discuss
[8:56] Michele Mrigesh: Smoke..the man is not even President yet...
[8:56] CoolDude Luik is Online
[8:56] Michele Mrigesh: GIVE IT A BREAK if you want to stay
[8:56] Dianna Eberhardt: Can we not argue today. You don't see Clinton, Bush, Bush, Carter, or Obama arguing.
[8:56] Elizabeth Spieler: Smoke you blame one man for all the evils in the world - your mistake not ours
[8:56] Dianna Eberhardt: This is a celebration of America.
[8:56] Dianna Eberhardt: God bless America
[8:57] Elizabeth Spieler accepted your inventory offer.
[8:57] Django Debbel accepted your inventory offer.
[8:57] artemisia Mathy accepted your inventory offer.
[8:57] Nakaima Oh accepted your inventory offer.
[8:57] Dianna Eberhardt accepted your inventory offer.
[8:57] Trouble Streeter: everybody ready????
[8:57] Michele Mrigesh declined your inventory offer.
[8:57] Smoke Wijaya: Elizabeth, you show that your logical skills are poor ... I did not blame one person for evils in the world....
[8:57] Anango Magic accepted your inventory offer.
[8:57] Marc Montague declined your inventory offer.
[8:57] Cornelius Worbridge accepted your inventory offer.
[8:57] Elizabeth Spieler: smoke your presence here is proving you are
[8:57] Jillan McMillan declined your inventory offer.
[8:58] Josiane Llewellyn accepted your inventory offer.
[8:58] Trouble Streeter: he is banned on progressive
[8:58] Elizabeth Spieler: YAY Biden is IN
[8:58] Abel Koskinen is Offline
[8:58] Michele Mrigesh: Smoke is gone *poof*
[8:58] Cornelius Worbridge declined your inventory offer.
[8:58] Elizabeth Spieler: WOO HOOO
[8:58] Michele Mrigesh: up in a puff, so to speak
[8:58] Abel Koskinen is Online
[8:59] Elizabeth Spieler: there they are the smartest people in the world - those who support OBAMA
[8:59] Maggy Portello is Online
[8:59] Michele Mrigesh: YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!
[8:59] Django Debbel: Cheney's offficially GONE!!!!!!!!
[8:59] Plot Tracer: hope Obama does what he promises... and hopefully the free speech exhibited here - ie. banning smoke from this land - is not a sign of the freedoms to come.
[8:59] Michele Mrigesh: HOOOOOOO!!!
[8:59] Novies Hullabaloo accepted your inventory offer.
[8:59] Elizabeth Spieler: the light in their faces is making me cry it's so full of HOPE
[8:59] Kerri Macchi is Offline
[9:00] Elizabeth Spieler: we have the right to ignore party poopers giggles
[9:00] Elizabeth Spieler: we have the right to ignore terrorists seeking to ruin our day of victory
[9:00] Plot Tracer: well - there is ignoring and there is banning...
[9:00] Marc Montague declined your inventory offer.
[9:00] Michele Mrigesh: you know what Plot...I know you have an agenda...and that is your right...but take it to YOUR sim..YOUR venue. We can't create change with divisiveness. It doesn't work
[9:00] Plot Tracer: freedom od speech... i hope it prevails outside progressive island
[9:01] Trouble Streeter: Plot, I asked Smoke to hold his words for one day
[9:01] Plot Tracer: had no agenda today - just came along to witness this.
[9:01] Trouble Streeter: one
[9:01] Michele Mrigesh: We have great discussions allthe time...this is a day of celebration
[9:01] Trouble Streeter: he is an archist who enjoys disruptions
[9:01] Plot Tracer: but witnessed someone getting banned - and attacked in im tbh
[9:01] Trouble Streeter: PLot, could you hold this discussion until after the swearing in please?
[9:01] Elizabeth Spieler: It's my party and I can be happy if I want to giggles
[9:02] Plot Tracer: i am not discussing anytrhing - just pointing out that smoke was banned after being attacked in im (read back)
[9:02] Elizabeth Spieler: this is not JUDGEMENT day of the party pooper
[9:02] Anango Magic: [8:58] Trouble Streeter: I didn't mean to!!!
[8:58] Trouble Streeter: was trying for the asshat
[8:59] Anango Magic: well i accept the apploogy, but i dont see any reason to call him an asshat
[8:59] Trouble Streeter: he was asked politely by three of us to shush for the ceremony
[8:59] Trouble Streeter: in IM
[8:59] Trouble Streeter: he chose to not do so
[8:59] Trouble Streeter: and was rude
[9:02] Trouble Streeter: folks, mute is your friend
[9:02] Elizabeth Spieler: all party poopers should be ejected
[9:03] Plot Tracer: but when he was shushed he had said nothing!
[9:03] Anango Magic: unity my ass
[9:03] Michele Mrigesh: Hi JPT!
[9:03] Michele Mrigesh: WElcome
[9:03] JPT Hastings: Hi Michele !!!!
[9:04] Michele Mrigesh: Jillan!!
[9:04] Michele Mrigesh: Hi Abraham!!
[9:04] Michele Mrigesh: Welcome :))
[9:04] Elizabeth Spieler: Love an orchestra SO CLassy
[9:04] Elizabeth Spieler: oh the smiles - the light beaming from their joy is amazing
[9:04] JPT Hastings accepted your inventory offer.
[9:04] Jillan McMillan declined your inventory offer.
[9:04] Josiane Llewellyn declined your inventory offer.
[9:05] Trouble Streeter: FWIW Smoke is behind the arena plot
[9:05] Trouble Streeter: so go look at his sign, and be glad we are all here
[9:05] Michele Mrigesh: Hi Dire!
[9:05] Michele Mrigesh: YES!!!
[9:05] Dire Lobo: Hey Michele
[9:05] Elizabeth Spieler: WOO HOO
[9:05] Michele Mrigesh: HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
[9:05] Dianna Eberhardt: Lovin' Aretha!!
[9:05] Elizabeth Spieler: ¤º°`°º¤ "Excellent!!" ¤º°`°º¤
[9:05] Michele Mrigesh: YAYYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!
[9:05] Smoke Wijaya accepted your inventory offer.
[9:05] Elizabeth Spieler: ·.·♪°·.· "Lets Rock This Joint!!!!" ·.·♪°·.·
[9:05] Jillan McMillan: Plot, I'm going to ask kindly that you please refrain from passing out that stuff during this celebration
[9:05] Michele Mrigesh: He's so eager to get started...!!
[9:05] Michele Mrigesh: hahahaha
[9:05] Elizabeth Spieler: he's IN
[9:05] Jillan McMillan: HOOOOOOOO!!!
[9:05] Elizabeth Spieler: rejoice
[9:06] Michele Mrigesh: WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!
[9:06] Elizabeth Spieler: look at all those smart people WOW
[9:06] Michele Mrigesh: HOOOOORAYYYYYYYYY!!!
[9:06] Trouble Streeter: yayayayyaya
[9:06] Michele Mrigesh: wowowowowowo!!!
[9:06] Nakaima Oh: At long last!
[9:06] Michele Mrigesh: Hi General!!!
[9:06] Dianna Eberhardt: You mean us?
[9:06] Michele Mrigesh: woooohooooo!!!
[9:06] Plot Tracer: jillan - it is merely an invitation to write to obama. people can decline or accept -they are adults.
[9:06] Michele Mrigesh: YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYA!!
[9:06] Elizabeth Spieler: ding dong the witch is dead the wicked witch the wicked witch is dead
[9:06] Michele Mrigesh: TEARS OF JOY!!
[9:06] Trouble Streeter: history arrived
[9:06] Dianna Eberhardt: JOE!!!!!
[9:06] Maggy Portello is Offline
[9:06] Trouble Streeter: held my kid's hand while it happened
[9:06] Dianna Eberhardt: YIPPEE
[9:06] Smoke Wijaya accepted your inventory offer.
[9:07] Dianna Eberhardt: Cheney! Buh-bye!
[9:07] Trouble Streeter: YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!!!
[9:07] Django Debbel: Today I'm fully, completely, to the bone proud to be an American.
[9:07] Elizabeth Spieler: 44th President YEEEEEEEEE HAAAAWWWWWWWW
[9:07] Plot Tracer: Hopefully cheney is being wheeled off to jail...
[9:07] Elizabeth Spieler: <--PROUD to be an AMERICAN
[9:07] Michele Mrigesh: LOOK AT THAT!! It's a sea of people!!
[9:08] Elizabeth Spieler: that sea of people are the smartest people in the world - giggles - a long with us here . . and every american who voted for OBAMA
[9:08] Dianna Eberhardt: Gettin a little weepie
[9:08] Dianna Eberhardt: Where is Springsteen????
[9:09] Elizabeth Spieler: WE the PEOPLE
[9:09] Plot Tracer: is springsteen the new president?
[9:09] Trouble Streeter: of course not Plot
[9:09] Dianna Eberhardt: :-)
[9:09] Elizabeth Spieler: Springsteen Loves america - famous songs by him - we want to hear it is all
[9:10] Plot Tracer: springsteen for pres!
[9:10] Elizabeth Spieler: were up for the task
[9:10] Cat Elephas: POTUS??
[9:10] Elizabeth Spieler: we will succeed
[9:10] Cat Elephas: what's that?
[9:10] Cat Elephas: oh
[9:10] Cat Elephas: president of the us
[9:10] Cat Elephas: got it
[9:10] Elizabeth Spieler: We chose HOPE over FEAR
[9:10] Michele Mrigesh: Great speech
[9:11] CoolDude Luik is Offline
[9:11] Dire Lobo: Michele - who built this new stadium - it looks great!
[9:11] Elizabeth Spieler: the light shining from these peoples faces must be messing up the satellites in space giggles
[9:11] Jillan McMillan: PB built it
[9:11] Cat Elephas: thank you so much for getting me here
[9:11] Dianna Eberhardt: According to the ABC News...the 20th Amendment says the transfer of power occurs at 12:00PM Eastern time. 12 minutes ago George W Bush became a former president.
[9:12] CoolDude Luik is Online
[9:12] Elizabeth Spieler: BETTER DAYS ahead
[9:12] Elizabeth Spieler: were hard workers - we can't lose
[9:12] Marc Montague: My goodness what a speech
[9:12] StGermain Halley is Online
[9:13] Plot Tracer: Genjcc has just said i am to be banned? why?
[9:13] You are no longer allowed here and have 15 seconds to leave.
Gen on his tips/ proceeds from his blog -
[16:09] Plot Tracer: me; lazy luminos - perhaps a call should go out to those who disagree with gen. u said last night that u were rather "left” - perhaps stalinist?
[16:09] GenJCChristian Homewood: you are welcome to say I'll keep all the proceeds from my tip jars (although, I actually recycle them and more into tips)
[16:09] Plot Tracer: where do your tips go?
[16:09] GenJCChristian Homewood: to me.
[16:10] Plot Tracer: where do the proceeds from your blog etc go?
[16:10] GenJCChristian Homewood: then i tip dj's singers, venues, causes
[16:10] GenJCChristian Homewood: proceeds from my blog go to me
[16:10] Plot Tracer: in a democratic way... cool. you are so benevolent
[16:10] Plot Tracer: tax returns?
[16:11] GenJCChristian Homewood: I often buy things or pay bills with them--mostly bills.
[16:11] Plot Tracer: ok thanks spk soon.
[16:11] GenJCChristian Homewood: yes, I file taxes
Short convo at Progressive Island at the Obama inauguration:
[2009/01/20 9:11] GenJCChristian Homewood: just so you know whom to blame. I'm the one banning you ;)
[2009/01/20 9:11] Plot Tracer: from?
[2009/01/20 9:12] GenJCChristian Homewood: if i can find you
[2009/01/20 9:12] Plot Tracer: i have just spent the past few hours trying to get people over heree to help u lot celebrate... really dont understand u at all.
From Amnesty chatlog on night of inauguration
[2009/01/20 9:14] Plot Tracer: i was banned fro progressive island for either 1 questioning why smoke wijaya was banned... or two having a palestinian flag in my hand? shameful.
[2009/01/20 9:21] Michele Mrigesh: Divisive much, Plot??
[2009/01/20 9:21] Plot Tracer: yes - you and genjcc seem to be very divisive.
[2009/01/20 9:23] GenJCChristian Homewood: Nah, I banned you for simply being an asshole
[2009/01/20 9:23] Plot Tracer: thanks oh great leadert
[2009/01/20 9:23] GenJCChristian Homewood: Evil Michele
[2009/01/20 9:23] Vivienne Schell: damn, can´t you discuss this in private?
[2009/01/20 9:23] Plot Tracer: madness. total ,adness.
[2009/01/20 9:23] Anango Magic: whats going on?
[2009/01/20 9:23] Michele Mrigesh: don't let him divert you from listening to this speech...
[2009/01/20 9:24] Kaitlynne Karu: what?
[2009/01/20 9:24] Plot Tracer: i was here to listen to the debate - and am in rl... but was banned from the celebrations for questioning why smoke wijaya was banned?
[2009/01/20 9:25] Plot Tracer: total madness.
[2009/01/20 9:25] Michele Mrigesh: THis is not a debate...this is an Inauguration
[2009/01/20 9:25] Plot Tracer: marred by dictators on "progressive" island?
[2009/01/20 9:25] Anango Magic: so when gwb was inagurated, we had to shut up?
[2009/01/20 9:25] Plot Tracer: anangpo - have u been banned as well?
[2009/01/20 9:27] Anango Magic: i guess not, i can log back in, but whats the point
[2009/01/20 9:27] Plot Tracer: can u go onto the land - progressive island?
[2009/01/20 9:28] Anango Magic: yeah
[2009/01/20 9:35] Plot Tracer: well we got banned
Gen on ejecting Plot from his group (Plot was using im to tell people in Café Wellstone about some of the Human Rights Festival events)
[2008/12/12 17:20] Plot Tracer: you attack me when i use your group im. if u donot want group ims used by your members - make that an express rule - and switch it off until u are online.
[2008/12/12 17:20] GenJCChristian Homewood: You have been ejected from 'Cafe Wellstone' by GenJCChristian Homewood.
[2008/12/12 17:22] Plot Tracer: i cant understand u gen on one side u seem a good left wing lib from the states. on the other hand u seem v controlling and do not want to entertain politics - only your own. you have the attitude that your words are precious and everyone else should be hanging on to them. no-one elses opinion or issues (lw) count - only the ones you want to raise. soz - i mistook u for a democrat. i wont bpother you again.
[2008/12/12 17:23] Plot Tracer: havent got time to chat - i am doing political work in rl and sl. bye!
[2008/12/12 17:24] GenJCChristian Homewood: Oh christ. I'm quite a bit to the left of an American democrat, but i don't like spam. I'm protective of my group. kiss my ass
[2008/12/12 17:24] Plot Tracer: dont kiss ass. thats the mistake u have been making all along. have a good one. i hope they fawn over your next diktat...
[2008/12/12 17:26] GenJCChristian Homewood: As always if you have an event that you think my folks will be interested in, send me a note. I won't let the fact that you're an asshole get in the way of good politics.
[2008/12/12 17:27] Plot Tracer: i think u are mistaking me for u. and no - i will reach people through more democratic groups thanks. go dance or watch tv or something.
Gen on his missionary position:
[2008/12/13 18:13] Plot Tracer: so your organising is about your views
[2008/12/13 18:13] GenJCChristian Homewood: I come to SL to relax and talk politics with friends and hopefully get a few apolitical people thinking
[2008/12/13 18:14] Plot Tracer: rather than about organising around agreed
[2008/12/13 18:14] GenJCChristian Homewood: my organization is about talking politics in a non-political envoronment
[2008/12/13 18:14] GenJCChristian Homewood: I work hard on political issues in RL
[2008/12/13 18:17] Plot Tracer: ring fence your group - make sure people kow it is YOUR group - and no other views are acceptable. and when u say, "pass messages on to me first" - make sure that you add, "but if ity does not fit the parameters of my political understanding, i will say it is wrong/ anarchistic etc and ensure you are mobbed"
[2008/12/13 18:17] GenJCChristian Homewood: And I really don't care whether you agree with me or not
[2008/12/13 18:18] Plot Tracer: cool. bye.
[2008/12/13 18:18] GenJCChristian Homewood: yes, it's all about vanity
I find you guys way funnier.
Comedy gold, man.
-ls/cm
@Plot Thank you for posting the chatlog.
I rescind my upthread comment about not booting you: I would have kicked you both no matter the message. You were chat spamming, proselytizing and argumentative during the single most important 10 minutes of the event that many present had been working toward for eight years. It was egregiously rude and counterproductive. You succeeded in pissing away goodwill from an otherwise receptive audience. Shame on you.
I hope people take the time to read the chatlog - and not just take you word for that... and they will see I wasn't. I had a convo about Springsteen initiated by another... and after Smoke Wijaya was ejected, I asked why? I certainly was not proselytizing - this is a patent lie - proselytizing is something I do not do AT ALL. (And as far as I am aware, the fight to have proper black representation in the U.S. goes backl much further than 8 years... a comrade of mine in rl wrote about Alice Walker's letter to Obama here - http://eastdunbartonshiressp.blogspot.com/2008/11/we-all-rise.html )
Which reminds me - there is an inworld request for letters to Obama - see this post... http://slleftunity.blogspot.com/2009/01/action-tell-obama-what-you-think.html
@Anonymous
"I rescind my upthread comment about not booting you: I would have kicked you both no matter the message."
I think I have to paste the relevant part of the chatlog again with some simple editing (in between[]) and then you tell me again if you agree with the *initial* ejection. Don't blame me for asking why that ejection was necesary when I came back without sign to that stage.
And please explain to me how saying something in text-chat, in between all the outcries of joy, makes people not able to see, follow and celebrate the inauguration.
[8:45] Michele Mrigesh: Hi Smoke!!
[8:45] Smoke Wijaya: Greetings
[as said, stayed at the top of the podium, behind everyone...and attached the placard]
[8:45] Michele Mrigesh: Hi Aeris...:))
[8:45] Michele Mrigesh: History is happenin' !!
[8:45] Plot Tracer: hi aeris and smoke
[8:45] Michele Mrigesh: yayayayay
[8:45] Aeris Betsen: hello everybody
[8:46] Michele Mrigesh: glad you joined us!
[8:46] Michele Mrigesh: wow..if anyone is watching tv..LOOK AT THAT CROWD!
[8:46] Aeris Betsen: hey Plot
[8:47] Plot Tracer: hi Aeris!
[8:47] Trouble Streeter: omfg the crowd is amazing
[8:48] Trouble Streeter: am glad you're all here sharing it together
[8:48] Elizabeth Spieler: yay OBAMA
[8:48] Dianna Eberhardt: THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[8:48] Elizabeth Spieler: Let Freedom Ring
[8:49] Trouble Streeter: only if we were lucky
[8:49] Dianna Eberhardt: I am proud to be an American again.
[8:49] Trouble Streeter: me too Dianna
[8:49] Michele Mrigesh: Yes, Dianna!
[8:49] Trouble Streeter: I always was.. but today... even more so
[8:50] Smoke Wijaya is Offline
[this is the moment Trouble ejected me for the first time]
[8:51] Smoke Wijaya is Online
[8:52] Smoke Wijaya: Trouble, I am just standing still with a sign .. how was I a threat to your messiah celebration??
[8:52] Dianna Eberhardt: OH-BAMA!!!!
[8:52] Smoke Wijaya: you dont have to eject me
[8:53] Trouble Streeter: Smoke, take it to IM
[8:53] Dianna Eberhardt: God bless America
Very strange, Gen, that you have not been able to dig the chatlogs out of your own computer... the dates will be on them... along with the fact that i have published them in full (no mention of Amnesty Candles at all - I would gladly have published this if it had have appeared). Very strange that you should also focus on that one.
All of this is VERY disapointing... atttackes on a group set up by rl left groups - a group that has been reaching out to left groups across the world and has recently taken part in the Human Rights Festival as an equal partner/ has stood with real life strikers in IBM Italy and has helped to stem the predicted flood of fascists into this environment by it's well publicised actions against the french Front National. A group that has educational parcels on "rape", the Greek protests and has in the past led education on the Bush threat to Iran and the Guantanamo Bay travesty.
Attacks on a group who had representatives who wanted to stand with American people as they saw the end of a disgusting ewra in their history.
The petty-ness displayed here by some is astonishing... it speaks volumes.
Wind your necks in and get on with changing the world.
Divided we fall.
@ General
"I'll need them for the AR."
You know damn well that publishing of chatlogs on third party sites is out of reach for LL and it should stay that way of course, if we want any ammo to the diminishing of freedom of speech, by individuals, groups and/or LL within SL. Don't try to scare people with this shite.
If you do not stand behind your words, why you say them? And if you do, what are you afraid of?
That you prefer crying with LL (asking authority to interfere) instead of solving problems as rational responsible human being is also not a good sign for the "better world" you might envision.
Well, I was reserving judgment and hoping it was all a misunderstanding, because I know Trouble and the General and can't imagine them being as unreasonable and heavy-handed as you were painting them.
But now that you've posted the chat logs, I can come to the conclusion that you were being an asshole on what was supposed to be a celebratory day. They gave you request after request, which escalated to warning after warning, and when you didn't listen, you were bounced. Seems pretty clear to me.
When you're at a party and you start agitating for your pet political causes, your hosts are well within their rights to request that you STFU. If you ignore your hosts, you get bounced. That's true in RL, why wouldn't it be true in SL?
Thanks for posting the chat and clearing that up for me.
@ zadig, and all the other selectivily reading readers, I feel compelled to also clean up the rest of that chatlog.
And btw ... there is something like a mute-button.
[8:53] Dianna Eberhardt: God bless America
[8:53] Michele Mrigesh: ok Smoke...let's just celebrate today :)
[8:53] Dianna Eberhardt: God bless Mr. Obama
[8:53] Smoke Wijaya: Trouble, so people dont have to know you eject persons that dont cause any trouble? but just because your patriotism stops you from taking any criticism?
[I am of course not going to discuss in private IM with the person that just ejected me. Ejected me even without the people present saying anything against my presence with placard]
[8:54] Plot Tracer: SLLU are running a "write to Obama" thing - if anyone wants instructions how to take part, let me know
[8:54] Elizabeth Spieler: smoke it's our right of freedom to ignore radicals
[this woman cracks me up, besides her other foolish ramblings, she is talking about ignoring, yet speaking directly to me]
[8:54] Trouble Streeter: I can handle criticism, we do it eveery time we gather
[8:54] Michele Mrigesh: Smoke..this is a celebration of a historic moment...let's keep it that way
[8:54] Trouble Streeter: but today is for celebrating, for unity, and for happiness
[8:54] Trouble Streeter: keep it that way
[8:54] Smoke Wijaya: yay
[8:54] Dianna Eberhardt: Just a few minutes away from the end of the bloody Bush years!! YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!
[8:54] Michele Mrigesh: if you want to have a party of your own...go for it on your own sim!
[8:55] Michele Mrigesh: :)
[8:55] Elizabeth Spieler: peace is never wrong
[8:55] Plot Tracer: SLLU are running a "write to Obama" thing - if anyone wants instructions how to take part, let me know
[8:55] Elizabeth Spieler: love is never wrong
[8:55] Elizabeth Spieler: Let Freedom Ring
[8:55] Michele Mrigesh: ARETHA!! sing it!!
[8:55] Plot Tracer: Aretha is doing her best...
[8:55] Smoke Wijaya: I dont understand what is so threathening to a little focus on Obama's lack of change in international politics ....
[8:55] Elizabeth Spieler: "crying for the joy of Freedom"
[8:55] Trouble Streeter: NOT TODAY Smoke
[8:56] Smoke Wijaya: and US's unconditonal support for the genocide of Palestinians
[it is 8:56, not yet inuaguration time. I would most likely not have gone further then this, at least not during the inauguration itself, which I also was following. And again, I was not there to protest NN, I was there because of the nature and focus of the event and international audience]
[8:56] Plot Tracer: SLLU are running a "write to Obama" thing - if anyone wants instructions how to take part, let me know
[8:56] Trouble Streeter: come join us any other day to discuss
[8:56] Michele Mrigesh: Smoke..the man is not even President yet...
[8:56] Michele Mrigesh: GIVE IT A BREAK if you want to stay
[8:56] Dianna Eberhardt: Can we not argue today. You don't see Clinton, Bush, Bush, Carter, or Obama arguing.
[8:56] Elizabeth Spieler: Smoke you blame one man for all the evils in the world - your mistake not ours
[After Michele again adressing me above, Elizabeth throws in another ridiculous statement about my views]
[8:56] Dianna Eberhardt: This is a celebration of America.
[8:56] Dianna Eberhardt: God bless America
[8:57] Trouble Streeter: everybody ready????
[8:57] Smoke Wijaya: Elizabeth, you show that your logical skills are poor ... I did not blame one person for evils in the world....
[I of course have to react to that ridiculous statement. Note: 3 mins before inauguration]
[8:57] Elizabeth Spieler: smoke your presence here is proving you are
[Crazy Elizabeth again wanting to have the last word, adressing me directly, again with a ridiculous statement: I did not say anything that would imply that conclusion .. and being at that event certainly does not since it is the inauguration of an US president, an event organized by US citizens, visited by people from across the globe, placard was not adressed to Obama specifically, but with Israeli and American flag etc (and btw did not even have the placard attached anymore at this moment)]
[8:58] Trouble Streeter: he is banned on progressive
But you know .... whatever
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