Sinister racism creeping into SL...

Edited this to say nothing since so many totally misinterpreted what I was trying to say. And to top it off continued to rip me apart after I admitted that I was probably wrong.

I learned something today. Did you?

I'm familiar with the product you're talking about, they're DMs, I guess they just didn't want to call them that. I interpret Oi the same way you do, but it was a long time ago, and not something most would have been aware of, especially outside UK. I was a punk kid, so I ran into (and sometimes from) a lot of skins, so I know its meaning, but I'm thinking over time it could well have been forgotten or diluted. It could have been an appropriated reference, without awareness of it's history. It's sufficiently fuzzy me to be unable to conclude a person's intentions by using it in this instance.

Oi is also an expression people commonly associate with coming out of the mouths of a skin or punk. It could have been appropriated without thinking of its specific reference. In the old days I knew heaps of kids who wore Oi! t-shirts, with no idea what it meant. To them, it just looked and sounded punk. I'm not sure, but its meaning could be largely redundant now.

The Second Life ToS expressly forbids hate speech. Abuse report it and it will be dealt with. Unfortunately, ass hats will continue to exist in both Second Life and real life.

Regards,

-Flip

In view of the heading of your thread and of your join date, I take it you are an alt?

Have you contacted the people concerned? That would be the obvious thing to do. Perhaps they are unaware of the origin of their slogan. If you get nothing from them then you should perhaps contact the Lindens.

Having said that, there have been occasions in the past where racism has been allowed in Second Life. The Lindens like to take a 'hands off' approach, but sometimes that can lead to situations like the one you mention. Indeed, one individual with a racist avatar was allowed to continue, was allowed to carry on griefing, and subsequently brought the grid down. A little more proactivity might have prevented that.

However, I think we should all report such instances whenever we come across them.

No, not an alt, perhaps just didn't phrase the title too well.

I think its best to see -why- the term 'oi' was used. I for one only associated it with punk.. doc martens were good for kicking heads in, no matter what skin color.

This is like the confederate flag. You see one thing. I see another.

And for running from large groups also wearing them who wanted to kick your head in!

For what it's worth, and as far as I know, "Oi" is portuguese for "Hi"... chiefly brazilian, but gaining increased use in Portugal recently, especially by youngsters in large urban areas.

That it may well be, but I saw it on a poster with a shaven-headed invidual which was synonymous with the movement I previously mentioned. Not much Brazilian about that. I'm talking about the context in which it was used here.

But the point made by some others that "Oi" was also used by the punk scene is a valid suggestion. I just hope you are right. Thanks for all the comments and support

"Oi" is just a general exclamation, at least here in London. I'm not sure what the technical term for the role it plays is, but it's used when addressing someone - "oi, mate, got the time?" - like "hey". It's not particularly polite but it's not rude either.

There wasn't a band called "Oi", there was a style of music called "Oi", which apparently was taken from the song by the Cockney Rejects called "Oi! Oi! Oi!". There's nothing racist about the style either. The problem was that it was also latched onto by racist skins and got a bad reputation in the media because of it.

If someone is selling Skrewdriver t-shirts, that's one thing, but you absolutely cannot assume that the mere style of shaved head, big boots, loud fast stupid punk is racist, and the word "oi" is not racist in the slightest.

I'm sorry, I just can't give a damn about the possible racist connotation of a pair of shoes. I really can't.

Same with nazi uniforms.

Behavior is one thing. Shoes are another.

wtf?

so... you're saying Doc Martens, a short haircut and the word 'Oi' are racist? Can I have some of what you're smoking?

I didn't give a second thought to buying a pair when I saw them, whatever they were called. I wasn't going to pass on a pair of DMs. I didn't infer anything from it. DMs were not just the uniform of skins, and for that matter not all skinheads were about racism.

Reitsuki is right. This is a far reach, IMO. "Oi" may have racist associations to some people, but not even to most.

What you're risking here is to stifle individual innovation in SL just as government regs and litigation have stifled small businesses in the real world. When it costs more to meet OSHA standards and pay lawyers to write disclaimers than to actually make the product, what's the point? It all starts with small stuff like this.

Btw, some of my friends own these shoes and love them. They're well done.

Come to think of it, these neo nazi thugs used to mostly wear denim jeans and tshirts with their DMs.

Thus, anyone that buys, sells or wears Jeans or Tshirts in RL or SL is a racist (See OP's logic for details). Ridiculous? How is it any different to an assumption of racism based on what footwear they wear?

To play devils advocate for a moment, maybe, just maybe, you can't actually go round labelling people racists for wearing common casual clothing or having short hair even if a bunch of neo nazis did?

I'm jewish, and speak hebrew. This means I say "Oi" alot. Does that mean that I'm actually a racist?

Hmm. Borderline. Lets see if we can narrow it down a bit more. Do you have short hair or wear boots too?

I've started to cut my hair short, and yus. I almost never leave my house without my boots. Sometimes I wear sneakers.

ZOMGZ!

Yep, point taken. But again I was thinking in context. Starting to regret I ever mentioned it for all the flak you get.

I know the word "oi" in and of itself is not offensive.

Katrina:

Great....glad to hear! Now have a word with the maker and see what THEY intend. I own many pairs of Doc Martens in RL..... they're comfortable and go with pretty much anything. I've also been a member of various anti-fascist groups in the past and abhor racism. I grew up at a time when "skinheads" and "suedeheads" and the whole Crombie coat/red handkerchief/oxblood thing was a major statement. These days, I have amongst other friends, a gay couple who's chosen image is checked shirts, cropped jeans with braces, 18 hole DM's, and skinhead haircuts..... they'd be hugely aggrieved if anyone thought they were racist. Equally...they'd probably understand WHY some might.... and would probably hope that if someone talked to them, they'd soon realise this wasn't the case.
So follow the thrust of your quote above....and ASK them first.

I can tell you exactly what they've intended:

They've intended to make money.

Out of shoes.

I'm amased at how you could even come to the conclusion that oi is racist.

Some of the worlds leading racist lecturers wear grey suits and ties does that mean all office workers are racist?

of course not.

skinhead was a youth counter culture in the UK and yes some of them wear racist but not all of them.

some soccer players are racist but the majoriy are not does that mean we cant wear football tops ?

this thread is politcally correct gone crazy!

Dear GOD, it was taken in CONTEXT which so many posters seem to have missed.

READ, ABSORB and then POST. Please.

If you have nothing constructive to add, then please don't bother.