Tomorrow, Thursday June 25, in Second Life there will be a candelight vigil on behalf of the people of Iran at 2PM PST and 7PM PST. The location is the Roissy sim (click here to teleport directly.)
The demonstration today at the beautiful Al Andalus sim was very moving, with 30-some avatars holding candles, sharing their stories and feelings of solidarity with the Iranian people. While the numbers can't compare to the levels of Twitter or YouTube activism, people's expressions of grief and anger and peace were more personal and collective than over these other media.
Here’s what you neglected to mention, Rik, and that is the following:
Al Andalus promotes the idea of a worldwide caliphate, which would be an Islamic theocratic global government. No thanks.
The announcement for this demonstration asked that women wear headscarves. It didn’t *insist* on them, but it browbeat people with political correctness by insisting this cultural norm should be followed voluntarily, and suggested that if one did, it would “enhance the experience”.
I didn’t come because it wouldn’t enhance my experience to be forced in a virtual world in particular to be putting on a head scarf.
We don’t have to become like an Iranian faction to support basic notions of human rights and dignity regarding democracy, freedom, the right to assembly, etc.
I’m waiting for a demonstration that stresses these universal values rather than solidarizes with particularities that in fact run counter to those universal values.
I’m unfamiliar with the particulars of the sponsors of the demo. I know that there were many female AVs there who did not wear any kind of head covering, and various kinds of SL “immodest” dress was in view. No one was reprimanded or told to leave, as far as I know.
If was a lovely , albeit small, symbol of international solidarity.