A wordpress blogger has posted a Blacklist of names from Second Life. The blogger has claimed that these names represent traitors and terrorists. No evidence is written, just a claim. The list is incredible. I saw so many people I knew there. That blacklist probably has the most well-known and visible avatars in the virtual world of Second Life. The list is astonishing with names of players who are sanctioned by Linden Labs.
The names I recognize are mostly artists, creators, musicians, writers, event planners and promoters in world. My blood is boiling. The art community or art politics is the first to be hit by any entity trying to silence a political or business stronghold. In the days of McCarthyism, the art community was nearly silenced due to the threats of prison. Yes, the United States of America jailed people for their political beliefs or artistic endeavors. This was one of the most shameful chapters in US History.
We as US Citizens learn about this Second Red Scare in our history books in school. We are taught to never bow down to that kind of pressure. We learned that our country, and our US Constitution protects the art community by allowing us to speak or create our beliefs or passion. Our writers are allowed to write what they want even when it is inflammatory or political incorrect.
The avatar who sent me the links to the Blacklist was upset and wanted to move forward as a group to initiate a lawsuit against the writer. I have to allow this writer for his right to print what he wants. But, I want to let all of you know that there are solutions in combatting his blacklist of untruths. In my country, we have legal recourse : slander, defamation of character. In other countries, the action of this writer may bring him/her prison time. For the rest of us, I suggest another recourse.
Contact the network where the blog resides and demand that this writer be exposed by his/her real name. We need to know who is accusing us behind that post. Otherwise, it means nothing. Ignore it. Don't link it and do not give it any other attention.
As for the art community or political art, do not let this list silence you. Create your art and know that SL community appreciates your work. As far as the inflammatory blog, we should applaud that this will bring us together to fight the accusations that he/she has written.
And for me, I continue to be an environmentalist. I continue to lean left. I continue to fight passionately for the conservation of our planet's water, streams, rivers, waterways and oceans. No blacklist will stop my words.
