Obama series...

Another in our Obama letters/prose/poems series...

I Wanna Obama

I wanna Obama
I know that it is wrong
He belongs to another
People say he is too young for me
That he’ll work all the time
And that he would find out soon enough that
I didn’t even vote for him.

And Stephen would be so pissed off
I know that Jack would tell me that I just being an old fool
Bob? Actually Bob wants him too, but can’t say so
The Liberals would be very mad at him then

But you know what?
I don’t care what any of you think!
Or even if later you will all say
“See, he’s not turned out to the man you thought he was”
Just now
And I feel this very deeply
I wanna Obama
Really I do

Forest Arbizu
Belfry Theatre, November 23, 2008

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Obama Letter, and notes from latest Feminist Network meeting

Dear President Obama

You must know that all around the world there are great expectations that you will deliver the changes you promised and more.
It’s not just that your election signals the end of the Bush years – any Democratic victory would have achieved that – and it’s not only that you are the first black US President – although I don’t under-estimate the significance of this particularly for black Americans.
Your campaign has raised hopes throughout the world.
Hopes that you will lead an end to American false imprisonment, torture and military aggression and unconditional support for the aggressive acts of the state of Israel.
Hopes that you will discourage the demonisation of people of the Islamic faith.
Hopes that you will ensure that American foreign and trade policies do not continue to contribute to death, disease and poverty in many parts of the globe.
Hopes that you join the rest of the world in combating climate change.
Hopes that you will bring peace to the people of Iraq.

I found the assertion made during your campaign that your election somehow proves that any American can achieve their dreams by mere application of hard work difficult to swallow. You know that the existing inequalities and lack of access to basic rights mean that for many of your citizens the so called ‘American dream’ is nothing but a cruel myth.
They don’t even have a basic right to health care!
I appreciate that your priority will be finding a way through the current economic crisis. As you may have guessed I am one of those who remain convinced that the capitalist system is inherently flawed and is being, once again exposed as corrupt, anti-human and to be based on greed rather than on our proven capacity to co-operate with each other for the benefit of all.
However I am not one of those who would wish for life to get worse in order to encourage the desire for change.
I hope that your election and whatever you are able to achieve will prove that engagement in politics can make a difference and that once people embark on that journey .... who knows .... they may want more.
Yours in hope

Zoe Parness




Notes of the meeting of the SLLU Feminist Network on 1st February

This was part two of the discussion on ‘Virtual rape ...fact or fantasy’ and again lots of people came to contribute.

We were given the link to the Women’s Resource Hub where the discussion is also featured

http://womensresourcehub.wetpaint.com/page/SL+Left+Unity+Discussion+Page

This also includes links to Linden’s official policy on this issue (and the interesting subsequent debate). To quote ‘ other depictions of sexual violence including rape, real-life images, avatar portrayals, and other depictions of extreme or graphic violence, and other broadly offensive content are never allowed or tolerated within Second Life.’

One well argued viewpoint was that some of the role play within SL should be viewed within a similar framework to pornography, which contributes to a culture of harm or potential harm and that this was not a moral position but raised concerns about the normalisation and validation of certain attitudes and the impact this can have.

While there seemed to be broad agreement with this view there was also a discussion about women being empowered to develop erotic fantasy and about how far even these fantasies have been determined by unequal power relationships and social conditioning.

The following views were added:-
‘I remember a time when women were not able to freely express their sexual fantasy and to explore erotic stimulation’
‘Yes, it is one of the things I like about SL’
‘I don’t want to see all erotic play defined as pornography’
‘ I think it's important not to impose on a woman’s desire for sexual expression in the name of morality...there is of course a balance to be struck so as to avoid exploitation’
‘I think it's important to have more openness about sexuality and sexual desire: but I also think it's important to reflect on how desires are sometimes shaped’
‘I have never been sure about how far women's sexual fantasy has been governed by a kind of sexual conditioning ...e.g. how far our fantasies are still about pleasing men ... and how far SL might actually be a way of exploring this question further’

***********

We realised that we didn’t really have a working definition on any distinction between pornography and erotic material.
The following were offered:-
‘pornography has more to do with power over a target person whereas eroticism is more mutuality of pleasure’
‘the vast majority of pornography is about a power dynamic’
‘Erotic material is the use of words or images to enhance sexual pleasure while pornography is using similar images but they are primarily for sale and usually exploiting those involved in their production’

***********
The main concerns expressed about the rape role play sims were:-
-That there were no warnings given
-That this activity desensitises those involved
-That there are links between such enactments and rl sexual violence
-It was felt that the mere rating of a sim as ‘mature’ was an inadequate description.

We discussed other possible ways of warning about the content of sims supporting sexual violence and how such a suggestion might be received since it admits that such sims exist and we talked about the impact these activities might have on rl victims of sexual abuse and about how far rape role play reinforced and legitimised
negative attitudes.

The following ideas were generated:-
-A campaign for an in-world rape crisis and counselling service and/or information about existing services
-Sims supporting such activities being required to publicise support perhaps in the form of a kiosk or an automatically dispensed note card
-Linden being required to acknowledge the problem and contribute to support systems
-A conference on these issues (a grant for such a conference has been applied for)
-The need to collect information about resources and landmarks for sources of support

***********

There was further discussion about our responses to sexual slaves appearing in clubs shops etc, the whole Gor thing, going undercover as an ‘investigative reporter’ and bringing these activities into the light of day, the nature of sl marriage, reclaiming the night activity and a discussion about other oppressive behaviour which might take place within a relationship and which may result in intolerable behaviour including stalking activity.

An interesting theme developed on the level of emotional immersion in sl and how differing levels of immersion might colour behaviour and lead to emotionally disturbing encounters.

As well as following up on action and after various suggestions were made about next week’s topic the following was agreed for next Sunday.

'When sl love turns into obsession ... a feminist perspective'

Same time (12 noon)
Same place,
Sunday 8th February

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Imagine 20 Jan 2009

by DonJuan Writer

Imagine no Obama,

And no saying, "Yes, you can."

No saviour of hope and duty,

No symbolic man.

Imagine George Bush Junior,

Staying another term...

Seems we've been in the hands of a schemer,

Now it feels the vote has won,

Let's hope this day isn't just bullshit,

And this is something new under the sun.

Imagine a global president,

Saying, "God bless the Earth,"

Doesn't just keep it local,

Projects some human worth,

Imagine all those bailouts,

Tackling human need,

You may say I'm a dreamer,

Now I know I'm not the only one,

Let's hope this day isn't just bullshit,

Because I'm sick to death of the rule of gun.

Stop the fighting!

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Dear President Obama

From Johninnit Ni

Congratulations on your historic achievement, and that of your supporters. And congratulations too for coming out so strongly in favour of Employee Free Choice. In the current economic climate, you're going to get a lot of vested interests asking you to slow down on EFCA, so as not to 'burden' business. Please hold your nerve here. To transform America and build your way out of the downturn, you need a strong democratic civil society. And that means strong unions to make change happen in their workplaces and in their communities.

America's attempts to support democratic civil society in countries around the world looks hollow if you don't practice this at home. Please put EFCA in your inbox from day one.
Johninnit Ni, member Union Island SL community

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Obama in Fayetteville

“Socialist! Socialist! Get out of here!” she screamed,
As Obama enters the Cape Fear Barbeque restaurant.
The demons of Ravana howl their hatred.
At the same time, a short distance away,
12,000 Shabaris wait for the arrival of Rama
Like the long-suffering low caste devotee
Their darshan was promised by the King
More than two score years ago
A prophet standing before
The marbled emancipator.
Shabari’s guru died before Rama arrived;
The emancipator’s prophet was martyred
In a southern city much like Fayetteville.

Obama arrives with several Secret Service Laxmans
These Laxmans would also reluctantly eat Shabari’s taste-tested fruit.
Obama mounts the podium
His strength, his baracka, flows out over the crowd
Where is Siva’s bow?
Obama can surely bend,
Yes, even break it!
---Uskala Hidayat

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Framework document...

as part of our "Obama" series, we are publishing a link to a document being circulated by Noam Kiranov inworld and over the web. This has been drawn up by Noam and others. The document can be found in PDF form HERE

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To Obama...

Leading up to the inauguration of Barack Obama to the U.S. Presidency on January 20th, we asked people across SL to write a letter to him/ express their feelings on a world led by him (see HERE for details if you would still like to contribute). Some members put their thoughts straight to blog (see below) and some sent their contributions inworld to Zoe Parness and Plot Tracer- and some placed notecards in the collection points at our builds.

We will be publishing, intermittedly, those posts sent inworld, starting with a view from the U.S. and a view from France.

How Do I Fuck My Base? Let Me Count The Ways.

A poem by Barack Obama

(as translated by GenJCChristian Homewood)

How do I fuck my base.

Let me count the ways?

I fuck them by reaching out to homophobic pastors

and the bigoted throngs they represent.

I fuck them by embracing war-mongering apparatchiks

and the neo-con wet dreams they blindly followed.

I fuck them by allowing war-criminals and torturers

to escape the punishment they so richly deserve.

I fuck them by endorsing domestic spying

and allowing the telecoms to profit from their complicity.

I fuck them and smile

as I reach out to everyone but them.

Mister President Obama

I am French artist and as well as mine,i like your country , Mister President… and I am like many people in this world… happy of your election; I would say that is a great step for American and a step of giant for humanity… You carry in fact our desire to all to fraternize!

...And certain minds as mine believe in the possibility a better world, I wish that you be able to profit from all inspiration and energy necessary to manage to carry out this hope which share of the citizens of the whole world.

Mer Dreier

Mr. President of the United States

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