Race in SL

I guess so. I hope so. /me hopes for an early frost.

The bridge is flooded and they're looking for a new home. I've been hearing from a lot lately.

We will agree to disagree.

Play your comfortable games. I am disgusted with the crap I have just read here.

Okay maybe I am being a bit bossy but this is really only a request.

Jig if you add something of substance (as opposed to just clarifying a wee bit or fixing a typo) like the above, would you please create a new post, instead of just adding things in or on the old post after people have replied?

I see now that you just sometimes are busy and don't want to add a new post (I guess) and I'm sorry what I said before about it being 'dishonest' - I did not really mean purposely so at that time btw.

But please...now it looks as if the rest of us just ignored this part when we replied. (It can also change the tenor, even the meaning, of what's said after in other ways.)

New post (instead), PLEASE?

Do you know were that came from Jig? During one of the numerous US/Euro flame wars in these forums, one of the Euros gave that title to all Americans.

Tell me Jig, what are my views? List them for me. Can you?

Oh man. What a letdown. I read a thread title called "Race in SL" and I was expecting this:



And instead, I found a flamewar...

sigh.

It's still a valid topic of course, just not anywhere near as fun...

Hi, Shu!

Actually, I've met quite a few people from China in SL, mostly in classes, but that's where I spend a great deal of time in SL.

I have a Japanese avatar I created when I was going to study to become a geisha in one of the SL tea houses (before I realized I didn't have the time). I found a decent number of Japanese skins and shapes, primarily in Japanese sims but I'm noticing more variety in skins lately.

Have you checked out any of the Chinese sims for skins, etc.? Or maybe take a look on XStreet SL like the OP did. (Going to send an IM to you of someone who might be able to help.)

Jig, Scylla, et. al...

Let's remain rational, shall we? First of all, it's not "racist" for Chris to call Al Sharpton a racist. He is. He hates whites, just as George Wallace hated blacks. His actions prove his racism, over and over.

I can detest people. Just because they happen to be of a certain ethnic background does not thereby make me a racist, although many try to pin that label on those who disagree with them. I detest them because of things quite apart from the color of their skin. I would detest them no matter what skin they wore. I'm sure that if I met Mr. Sharpton in person, he'd shout at me, "You hate me, bitch, you fear me because I'm black!", and I'd tell him "No sir...I hate you because you're you. Full of hatred and intolerance and anger."

Scylla, I disagree with your point. In SL, you can be anyone, or at least dress up as them for a day. Your avatar does not have to reflect anything about your RL. That's YOUR choice, not a requirement.

A person who puts on a (for example) black avatar and goes to a place called "The Aryan Club" (for example) is, in my view, a race baiter. He or she is asking for controversy, trying to provoke it. So is the muscled male avatar who pops into a "women only" club.

On the other hand, I agree with Scylla up to a point. My main avatar reflects, I think, my inner self. One of the prettiest compliments I ever received was not "you're beautiful", but "what a beautiful self you've imagined". I do think that we are more comfortable being "ourselves" in SL...and I think that we do wind up being ourselves, whether or not that's what we intended. But that "self" may or may not reflect our Real Life physical appearance. So race or age or gender need not enter into it, unless you consider those things as an integral part of your core identity.

For some, it obviously does.

I'm glad Mecha has found an appearance that is more to his/her liking, and sorry that he/she had a bad experience with others' reaction. The OP should deal with that by talking directly to those people, not by trying to create further controversy here.

I made one!
I do think she looks better "punked out" than in traditional settings (well, and I think this one is Japanese ):

One of my FAVORITE movies of all time! I laughed so hard.

Someone should re-create that race in SL. I wanna be the saloon girl who swung on the moon. "Welcome to Borracho, honey!" *Smooches Tony Curtis*

I don't post here often, but today I feel inspired to speak my mind. I could give a crap who sides with me and who doesn't, I'm only here to say my piece, and then drop the subject.

I have been an SL resident since October of 2006 (yes, I'm still a newbie!). I am 3/4 Apache and 1/4 Afro-Cuban in RL. I generally made my SL avatar to represent the two sides of my racial heritage. I spend many hours each day in Second Life, always as a person of "color". In my 3 years of being an regular, faithful SL resident, I have been the subject of racism maybe half a dozen times in total. Usually they were just a single rude remark, and that was it. I would hardly call it an issue or a problem.

As a person of non-caucasian heritage, I find it laughable what people consider racism from others. "Loud Arrogant Redneck" means racism ey? I think not. It means "Country Boy with an Attitude". I have known Chris for most of my SL, and he is one of my closest, and dearest friends. He has been there for me in times of trial both in SL and in RL, and I can say without a shadow of a doubt, that Chris Norse is not a racist, nor does he act like one in any manner. He's just a country boy, and I grew up around those my whole life, having come from the farmlands of Oklahoma. Anyone who thinks otherwise obviously hasn't taken the time to get to know him, and in my opinion, is just looking for excuses to make an issue where there is none.

If on a rare chance, someone does encounter a truly racist situation in SL, then they are lucky it's not RL. Linden Lab has provided each of us with the tools to take care of ourselves. We have the option to mute offensive individuals, to teleport away from a location, or to even close the Second Life client and delete it from our computers. If you don't like something, nobody is forcing anyone to stay anywhere and subject themselves to anything.

/Pepsi spews on monitor as I laugh merrily

I was (extremely briefly...long story) engaged several years ago to a man who had been married for six months to a woman from Russia (and I actually think it may have been the Ukraine). She had come over to the US on a "fiance visa" (I didn't know those existed!!) and then didn't like said fiance, so her family was trying to find another American man who would marry her. The (stupid...which is one reason I broke the engagement) guy did so.

Good point, there is stereotyping on illegals as well.

Now THERE is a voice of reason. I wonder how I've missed putting you on my Friends List?

Jig...do you really think so? If you do, you haven't really heard anything Chris has said, for years, and/or you haven't really understood yourself.

I for one think that the two of you do have a lot in common. Good things, in case you were wondering.

Maybe where you come from it's a compliment but NOT where I come from.

Ooh, that's lovely. I tried to make an Asian shape once, and didn't quite get it. Can I have her slider settings?

That's what I thought too. I was thinking "foot races" or "horseback riding races" (since a friend just mentioned entering one in SL recently).

Back to the ole "frame of reference" adage I suppose.

Snail races.

I wouldnt give a man like that the time of day. Never equate me with that. There are no good things in what was said. The fact that you are all jumping to defend and tell me how wonderful the person is truly worrying me. What if I espoused some of those comments? Would I be treated with the same camaraderie? And I am the Flamer???

This really concerns me that people discern even a hint of good faith and decency in posts like the ones I have read in this thread. No one in my reality would have said such hurtful things about people's racial backgrounds. It's said with all the smugness of patronizing eurocentricity

That Jig is your problem. I said nothing about anyone's racial background. I commented on behavior. For some reason you can't separate the two. You choose to see yourself as a victim on many levels, your sex, your race, your profession, your social status.
I say, be happy with who you are. To hell with the rest of the world and what they think.

I dont need a lesson from you.

Now see...right there is a bit of Chris Norse in your attitude. Neither of you is willing to put up with crap from anyone. One of the things I admire about you both. Not to mention that you're both "irreverent and political".

You haven't gotta clue about who I am - even if we had grown up together, you stand on issues is so diametrically opposed to mine. I can't understand people like you. I don't say that screaming or insinuating anything untoward to you. I simply CAN'T understand people like you.

I love debate and I love to express myself and I do not consider myself a victim of sex, race, profession or social status. In all of those areas I have been incredibly fortunate or have worked hard enough to feel I deserve what I have.

But, frankly, I see no sense of "giving" in what you state or in how you present yourself. Admittedly I don't know you - I dont think I have ever met you in sl. In real, I am sure you are decent enough. YOU know what "redneck" means however, even if many don't. You're no "good ol'boy sucking on a straw".

I hate the idea of a person NOT understanding where I am coming from, which is the major weaknss in sl - you CAN'T know me, you don't know how I sound, react, touch, feel, laugh, love, help, provide or create. Yet you call me a victim.

Truly, I think we are so culturally and socially apart that even sl cannot bridge the chasm between us.