Antiwar and Anti-Bush Rally

There is an antiwar and anti-Bush rally scheduled for Tuesday night at 7:00 pm PDT in Neualtenburg in the sim of Anzere to mark the one-week anniversary of the election. Join us for discussions on how to use our virtual world to promote equality, freedom, and peace in the real world. I'd like to see all the wonderful egalitarians who post in this off-topic forum make an appearance.

On the agenda are discussions, sign making, and photographs! All those who attend will receive a "No W" button.

If you know someone who writes for an SL publication or is an avid blogger, invite them to the event to help publicize this event both in and out of world.


Kendra Bancroft and myself would like to use Second Life as a vehicle for change in the real world! How do you think we could best do that? Post below or let us know at the rally.

~Ulrika~

Bravo...If you need anything just yell.

W is for War.....

Let's see.. promote a different outlook in the real world based on actions and discussions here in SL?

My suggestions and comments are the following... and most seem to be commonsensical though I am sure that others will not agree.

1. Considering that a majority of voting Americans (a number of whom play here in SL) so recently voiced their opinions that the current President's term should be extended by another four years, having a rally directed against him personally (I quote, "anti-Bush" perhaps something a bit more inclusive as a title/event/purpose?

2. Considering that "anti-war" is bit vague in terms of being all-encompassing, how about something a bit more specific - for instance, "let's get the troops home quickly and safely?" Much easier to discuss, more likely to be something that Joe and Jane Average can agree on, dontcha think? More likely something that Joe/Jane might be able to actually have some kind of impact on - vis a vis calling on Joe/Jane to write their elected officials to actually pressure people to bring the troops home - if that is the extent of the purpose/rally's purpose...?!?!?
...(Note. I personally do not think it is in the nature of the human animal to "renounce war" once and for all... however, war (abhorrent as it is to those of us who have experienced it) is occasionally a necessity (how else would you have removed Hitler, for instance?), thus an anti-war rally appears to be a bit of an overreach to me..... Also note, I did not support going into Iraq either time, but once there, as a military retiree and a veteran of Vietnam, simply withdrawing wholesale at this point seems unrealistic... it would leave a huge vacuum... but that is for another thread.)

3. Considering that not all Republicans/people who atcually voted for Bush amy have been voting FOR him, but were voting AGAINST Kerry, isn't tying the "war" and Bush together counter to your desire if that desire is to end "war"/this war/American occupation of Iraq? Seems like you have set up a complex premise for your rally and you may be defeating your own purposes here.

4. I wouldn't expect that you are going to draw a very large "audience" (and if I am wrong, I will be the first to admit it) - because most people actually come to SL to escape RL. The forums are a bit different.... consider where many on te forums log in from --- work. So, what is the definition of "success" here? What are you REALLY trying to accomplish?

This is not a flame or an argument AGAINST your idea. It's simply something you might have considered... It's one thing to be political and an activist. It's another thing to shoot yourself in the foot while promoting "activism" - much less your stated goal of "to promote equality, freedom, and peace in the real world." Your rhetoric decries your stated goal.

As written, I certainly wont' be there... for somewhat obvious reasons outlined above.

Ulrika,
I thought this project was going to be an experiment towards a government run area within Second Life. I don't see how an anti bush , or any politician for that matter, rally has to do with what the goal of Neualtenburg was meant to be. I truly thought that Neualtenburg was going to be a place where the meeting of all minds would come together to develop a government where all voices could be heard and real world governments wouldn't be a backdrop to what could be.

It's dissapointing to hear that real world agendas are being brought forward into the project in this manner. Theres a chance here to be different. Within Second Life we have the opportunity to wipe the political slate and start with something new without relying on the agenda of the outside world.

Neualtenburg wasn't supposed to be bringing about change in the outside world....or was it and I was just too lost in what could be to see it? Either way this isn't what I signed on for and I don't think I can continue if this is just an exersize to further real world agendas.

Exactly why I left the projekt Talen ! See you there with Anarchy signboards ????

Don't need one when I have Anarchy tatted on my forehead

Hah Nice

I'm not much for protesting things I cannot change. For me the election is over and any time I am not pouring into 2006 is time not well spent.

If you have a rally for strategy to change control of power in 2006 I will be there with bells on.

I love anti-war rally's. Very convenient for the feds to profile and tag you all at once.

The anti-Bush portion of this is moot since the election is over, but I'll be there for the anti-war aspect of it.

I whipped together some t-shirts that are free for whoever wants them. You can IM me if you want me to drop these on you. I dropped them all on Ulrika too, so if I'm not in-world, you can hit her up as well (although she probably doesn't know this yet, since its still barely past 6AM California time... sorry Ulrika)

See attachments to see a few of the t-shirts.

- Ace

Ulrika, I'm saddened (and maddened!) to see you use the Neualtenburg land for this. This was NOT the purpose of that project... the Lindens did not give us that land to hold demonstrations and "change the outside world." The land was given for a specific purpose, and this is not it.

Aaron,

Neualtenburg is a city to be used by and for ALL it's citizens.
If you would like to have a pro-war, pro-Bush rally in Neualtenburg --by all means arrange one. Like ANY city -- there is room for ALL voices.

I ,of course, would be there voicing my dissent to your position.

More frickin politics! *Barfs all over Ulrika's shoes.*

Im afraid I feel the same way, Talen. I dont think I can support the project any longer.

Kendra, this project was never meant to be a sounding board for outside agendas. It was my understanding we were doing this to see if it were viable to CREATE a governmental system within second life not to bring outside agenda's to the table. How does this further the cause of Neualtenburg? How does this help the project at all? Neualtenburg was a noble idea thats time had come....by bringing outside political agend;s to to the project it cheapens it and thus makes it totally useless.

Bingo! I was trying to write a reply, but he worded it better than I.

I joined the project as a breath of fresh air from the political blather that goes on in these forums and, sadly, inside SL. I approached it with an open mind, putting ALL my true-life, outside influences aside. A Unitarian church? Fine. Social Democracy? Fine.

Can't we just leave real-world politics out of SOMETHING for once!? Every fucking conversation I've had with people for the past year has been included something about POLITICS. "Fuck Bush this. Fuck Bush that. Go Bush. Bush is the best. Kerry's the future of America. Kerry's a dick. Republicans drool and democrats rule. My political party's penis is bigger than your political party's penis." I'm sick of it.

Leave real-world politics out of SOMETHING, for crying out loud!

Neualtenburg seems like a good setting to me. It is a political 'zone'. I can't think of a better sim where people from ALL the countries who play SL can gather together and talk about the war and Bush. Current US policy really bugs me, I want the war to stop. I think all Americans need to have an anti-volient, anti-hate culture forced on them from birth. Forcing is not a great idea but maybe I'll hear a good idea at the rally. And maybe, just maybe, one of the Bush daughters plays SL, and she will go to the rally, and she will tell her Dad that the war is wrong and they will hug and cry and there will be peace all over, thanks to Ulrika and SL

Whee! I'm controversial again! All these forum "hugz" lately have been getting me down.

The main reason for this rally is that several of the main participants in the project have been greatly saddened by the outcome of the election, so much so that work on the city essentially stopped. I personally was crushed after the election and found it very difficult to return to spending time in a "game". After some thought it was decided that SL could be a useful medium for helping people express their dissatisfaction, disappointment, and anger towards the election. This is exactly what SL should be used for!

Secondly, I feel that it is critical for the 49% of us who did not vote for the current administration remain mobilized. The razor thin margin does not give the slim majority the right to ignore the desire of the other half of the country. Remember, it's not just 2006 we have to think about, it's now. Right now on NBC they are talking about "pounding the city with artillery" in preparation for a ground invasion. Right now they are talking about making changes to the social security system. Right now they are talking about nominating conservative supreme court justices.

Finally, Neualtenburg is a natural location for this protest. There is no other city in SL that from its inception has embraced politics. It's its raison d'être! In the great discussion between those who want politics and those who did not want politics in SL, we agreed that the best way to do this was to create a controlled political experiment in a single sim.

If you disagree with this action either politically or because you feel that this is the wrong direction to take in the city, I invite you to come down to the rally and discuss it. Everyone is welcome! Further feel free to post in the Neualtenburg group forum on the use of the city for RL politics. After all this city belongs to all members of the group and we should talk things over before, during, and after the event to decide if this is the kind of thing we want in the city.

For those who are interested, tell your friends and I'll see you there!

~Ulrika~

/me wonders what whaco world Jack lives in.... if Bush [edited as ->is] is the devil that so many paint him as, what dreamworld in what parallel universe could even allow such a distortion of "reality" as Jack paints even in his wildest imagination?

Bush is only the devil if he intends to force his religious beliefs and ideals on the rest of the United States.

I live 1 hour from the largest undefended border in the world. What reality am I painting? I'm talking about current events Korg. The stuff I see on the news. Are you saying there is no war? That Americans treat everyone equal, and they are an understanding, non-violent culture? That they don't antagonize and destabalize other nations?

Ulrika, Obviously the city doesn't belong to all of its members when the few make the decision for the many. Neualtenburg was supposed to be a political experiment ...but not one that used outside agendas...it was supposed to be unique and supported by all its members. For you and Kendra to bring your agenda to the table like this you are saying it's our place and we will do as we please. Why wasn't this discussed with members? Those of us who support the project are paying real money for land donated to the tier....did it ever ocur to you that we might not want to fund anything to do with outside politics?

I think this is setting a very bad example as to what Neualtenburg was proposed to be. I don't like how all of a sudden this is what Neualtenburg was supposed to be meant for when clearly those of us that signed on were led to believe the exact opposite.

If you wish to have rallies and political events to fuel your outside agenda by all means do so...but if you intend to use the project and group land for this then I have no choice but to pull my tier donation and leave the group.

For the record...

A) I am not involved in the Neualtenburg project in any way, and I'm ducking for cover if the location becomes controversial.

B) I am, and always have been opposed to the war, and welcome the opportunity to express that.

C) The Iraqi War Memorial IS NOT AN ALTERNATIVE LOCATION. I'll ban the whole damn world before I will allow politics to bespoil the memory of those men and women.

- Ace

Blah blah blah protest blah blah. *yawn*