Second Life Israel Protests Draw International Media

by Ernest Newman

An independent blog report on Gaza protests at SL Israel sim was picked up by major international commercial mass media and widely reported, focusing mainly on the most negative aspects of some protest rhetoric, and largely ignoring the more positive aspects of dialog that ensued.

While Tel Aviv sim was immediately shut down by right wing ultra-nationalists to prevent any criticism of Israeli policy, Beth Odets, the principal manager of the Israel sim chose to try to keep that sim open, allowing avitars to congregate at a boardwalk by the beach to discuss the attacks on Gaza, and the broader issues of the Israel / Palestine conflict. 

On some occasions, the exchanges got so heated that she was compelled to ban or eject some elements, and to briefly shut Israel down, but she has also repeatedly re-opened it and continued to allow the demonstrations. 

Ms. Odets has gotten a lot of heat for this from the extreme right, due to the media coverage, for her supposedly being a "jew hater" for allowing criticism and debate about the Gaza attacks. She has appealed for calm and a voluntary moratorium on demonstrations, while she attempts to negotiate a formal debate as a major media event.

Initial protests were large, and very raucous, including missles being lobbed over the border into the sim, and some very hateful provocations coming from both "sides" of the issues.  That calmed down considerably after a few days, into a more long term presence of mainly just a few peaceful demonstrators, attempting to engage in dialog and appeals for peace.

However, they have been confronted primarily by right wing ultra-nationalist extremists spewing violent, hateful, racist, sexist and generally abusive rhetoric in "defense" of Israeli policy.  And some of the protesters showing up have also contributed their own share of equally vicious talk, either in deliberate provocation of such elements, or in response to their baiting. 

Google Second Life Israel for more links to other major media coverage.  Faux "News" was particularly disgusting.

http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2009/01/israel-attack-o.html

http://online.wsj.com/video/second-life-a-new-weapon-of-war-in-middle-east-conflict/1BF97340-B5CC-4DC1-AC88=11CECC0E21EC.html

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ACTION - tell Obama what you think...

On 22^nd January Barack Obama will be inaugurated as the next President of the United States of America. His election is being seen as a significant landmark in the history of that country and by many as a significant landmark in the history of the world. . This is especially true for black Americans many of whom will remember a time when the idea of a black President would have unthinkable. Therefore for many, the young, the poor, people from minority groups and for progressive Americans who despair of the Bush years, this is a time of hope.

People in the rest of the world will also be hoping that military aggression, state sponsored torture, the demonisation of the Islamic faith, the support of Israel’s actions, the failure to support initiatives to halt climate change may end now.

Is any of this hope justified?

Half of the American people voted for a very different agenda. Is his election only an extension of the myth that in the US anyone can succeed and that poverty is merely individual failure? The economic climate will demand more attention than the implementation of progressive policies. Will there be any significant changes in foreign policy? Can one person, even in such a position of power actually achieve any meaningful change?

Are you hopeful or cynical?

Share your thoughts at this time. This can be in the form of an open letter to Obama, a poem or any other way you wish to express your thoughts.

You can send your note card to Zoe Parness or Plot Tracer or come to the SLLU Unity station parcel - http://slurl.com/secondlife/Oculea/159/152/43 - or the SLLU Freebie shop - http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gaori/160/115/37 - and deliver it personally and see what others have written. A sample of contributions will be posted on the SLLU website.

We look forward to hearing your views.

Half of the American people voted for a very different agenda. Is his election only an extension of the myth that in the US anyone can succeed and that poverty is merely individual failure? The economic climate will demand more attention than the implementation of progressive policies. Will there be any significant changes in foreign policy? Can one person, even in such a position of power actually achieve any meaningful change?

Are you hopeful or cynical?

Share your thoughts at this time. This can be in the form of an open letter to Obama, a poem or any other way you wish to express your thoughts.

You can send your note card to Zoe Parness or Plot Tracer or come to the SLLU Unity station parcel - http://slurl.com/secondlife/Oculea/159/152/43 - or the SLLU Freebie shop - http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gaori/160/115/37 - and deliver it personally and see what others have written. A sample of contributions will be posted here on the SLLU website.

We look forward to hearing your views.

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Brotherjim Jonesford on...

The American Health Care System

I personally know what it is like to have health insurance and then suddenly have no health insurance. Talk about being left high and dry. When I was growing up I was on my parents health insurance. Both of my parents had Union jobs. As I write this I am thinking about the excruitaing pain I am experincing in my feet. Of which I can do nothing about. Even if I were to seek medical attention through the Emergency room they would bill $2,000 dollars.

Did I fail to mention I have a college degree and have been looking for work for over a year now? I was hoping after the 5 years I spent at the Univeristy that I would be worth something in the work force. Application after Application I am turned away. I was hoping to have health insurance by now. But hoping in an unfair system will never get me anywhere. I have experinced the evils of captialism on a first hand account.

You know the people who dont complain about this type of system are thoese who are rich or were born with a silver spoon in there mouth. They've no idea what it is to experince gut renching hungry. Or how to deal with sickness without medical insurance and without being able to see a Doctor.

I see men who wear crosses on there business jackets who wont lift up one finger to help oppressed men. They've no idea that the God I love is also the God of the poor. Who had no place to lay his head because he was homeless. They've no idea everytime they pass by a broken man, a sick man the lonely man in prision. That what ever they have done to them they also have done to Jesus.

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SLLU Membership Meeting_4Jan09

SLLU Membership Meeting_4Jan09
[attendants: Red Roecastle, Zoe Parness, Sandree Aurbierre, Ernest Newman, Imper Fegte, Demo Ho, RGuilherme Zapedzki, Wanessa Gazov, Jamadagni Lefavre, Alexjo Magic, Deruub Pastorelli, Green Hawks, Canbu Braveheart, Smoke Wijaya]

AGENDA:
-proposals for SLLU projects around economic/financial crisis;

No proposals were submitted prior to the meeting, but several proposals came up:
Red will write up a proposal around a discussion/educational series of events; RGuilherme will write up proposal around idea of a webbased socialist store, or “donation ebay company” like.
Both proposals will be send to the group (by Red and RGuilherme) before next meeting to be able to be discussed and decided on by group.

-proposal: RL affiliation Wall for SLLU members at Unity Station;

[from chatlog]
“proposal....designated wall, where members can place a one prim object with their texture and notecards and stuff from their RL affiliation/party/org ... we ask people to propose an org before a meeting, and it will be discussed by that meeting. just decide on fixed size of one prim, ask for texture, notecards and stuff maybe .. and let that place here on Unity Station after it has gone through these meetings. ? Yes or No? “

*This proposal passed unanimously*

The open membership meetings on sundays will be the “committee” that checks RL affiliations with SLLU aims and principles.

-proposal around writing letters/texts by SLLU about Obama (presidency);

[from chatlog]
“PROPOSAL: We will ask SLLU members through invitation and drop box (Zoe wil get rez rights and posting rights, Zoe starts with making notecard to invite people to write article) for articles on/about Obama/US .. and we publish this on our webiste/forum for discussion (possibly a seperate page), and possibly follow them up with inworld discussions (public events) ? Yes or no? “

*Proposal passed*
[contact Zoe Parness if you are willing to contribute with setting up, or when you have article already]

-reportback on plans for feminist space;

[report send prior to meeting by Ledoof Constantineau. Contact Ledoof for more info or to submit your ideas.]
“Members have been contacted and a meeting will be arranged early in the new year.

Some feedback on what to do with the space, hoping for more ideas - and building volunteers - at initial meeting.
Temporary build is in space at the moment (feminist record and book library) to give us somewhere to meet and plan in meantime.

We've had some suggestions for good website/article links. Currently working on adding these to the library.

SLLU have paid for weekly classified ad for the land.

Ideas and new members welcome.”

-discuss sllu 2nd party end jan, begin febr 09;

Decided on date and start time: Party at Saturday 7th, start time at 11 AM SLT.
We will find this week ourselves artists/DJs and bring this to next week meeting, to decide on line up. Idea has been raised to have speakers as well (could easily be inserted in between music acts). Another idea has been to raise some social issues at the same time.

NEXT MEETING: Sunday, 11th of Januari, 2 PM SLT at the Unity Station

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Eyeless in Gaza

The Boston Globe has an outstanding photo essay from the Gaza attacks. I've set the photos to music by Desmond Dekker.

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Palestine Press Conference

by Ernest Newman

SLLU and IMC members showed up at a well attended SL press conference Friday morning at Islam Online sim, to get updates on the situation in Palestine.  Several people called in by telephone from Gaza, with eyewitness reports on the horrific conditions.  There was lively discussion among the crowd gathered for the event. 

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Viva Cuba Libre!

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. Despite my reservations about the course of post-revolution Cuba under Castro's rule, I continue to view the revolution itself as an important historic event, and to admire the many social accomplishments of post-revolutionary Cuba, not least the fact that it has withstood a half-century of U.S. blockade and aggression. Here's a video I made to mark the occasion, with music by Michael Hall.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR COMRADES!

HAPPY 2009!

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SL Palestine Demo

HAPPENING NOW! LET'S HAVE A PERMANENT OCCUPATION OF THIS SIM!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Israel/34/158/25

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To Exist is to Resist

By Remi Kanazi • Dec 10th, 2008

http://palestinethinktank.com/2008/12/10/remi-kanazi-to-exist-is-to-resist/

In my mind
I’ve freed Palestine
Envisioned a dream
That just needs to be seen
Olive trees and fields of figs
Orange groves
That lead to our roads
No blocks filled with cops
No ten-year-olds shot
Freedom
Is what I got

I understand my grandmother’s plan
To live on her bought and paid for land
And though it isn’t in her hands
It remains in her heart
Every time another is killed
We go back to the start

1948: the date you make us remember
The star and scars of David
And we’re the ones who’ve hated?
We’ve been raped and berated
By bullets and forced “immigration”
Squatting and settling
Left wrestling with the best Zionism has to offer
While the US fills its coffers
We’re seen as monsters

Our people blow up in pain
Black-eyed and half-insane
Wouldn’t you be?
If an Israeli bullet penetrated your child’s brain?

I envision Palestine in my mind
With the “chosen” frozen in time
To realize their morality’s blind
To take back generations of crime
And put an end to Apartheid

How many kids sit and wish
They could be labeled other than a terrorist
To exist is to resist!
Reads the graffiti in their cities

Give them chalk instead of rocks
They’ll use the blackboards
If you let them go to school

Give them chalk instead of rocks
Instead you bulldoze the block
Destroy their homes
Palestine is what you call the “no building zone”

But you can’t bulldoze our minds
Every time we’ll rise through ashes
Like Cassius Clay
We’ll bob and weave for infinity
There is no divinity
In bombing our cities
Setting up committees to treat us differently
We’re from Falasteen
The land where dreams are made

So just remember one thing
One day the bells of freedom will ring
And you’ll see me smiling
Loving life in Palestine

remi@poeticinjustice.net

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