I took my laptop into work yesterday. Our school has filter upon filter so it necessitated me bringing my own laptop to school. I had downloaded a video to supplement that unit we are studying in English.
I've blogged previously about reading/analyzing Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird. The video I have is good: MTV style editing, all young people talking about hate and racism. Quite well done, ex-skinheads talking, victims of hate crimes relating their feelings. As I completed the lesson and my desktop icons were being displayed through a LCD projector, an interesting thing happened.
Doneeven, a 11th grade African-American student said "Mr. ^^^^^^^, you got a SL icon up there". "You do that stuff"? I said Yeah I do and he walked over to me.
I got this "arrangement" with my young African-American brothers. If they talk to me in confidence and maintain a quiet tone of voice, I let them use profanity in their conversation. Not gratuitous usage but its got to fit in with the stream of conversation.
D says to me,"I was over at a white friends house"... I told Doneevon's that he better be more careful who he hangs out with. He laughs and said," So they show me that SL stuff." I said "yeah, what did you think"?
Doneevon replies,"I ain't talking about you Mr.******* but that place is full of crazy white motherfuckers. Those people got some shit going on I'll tell you that. Again no disrespect Mr. +++++++++, but there are all some fucked up people in there!!"
I just laugh with him and say this place is hardly Normalville pal. We both laugh and he returns to his seat saying "SL, damn" and laughing to himself.
This is what hit me and prompted me to do some quick mental math. I’ve been on SL since late May 2007 and in that whole time I wondered how many avatars I have spoken to. Must be in the thousands. Lets say 2000 total. During that whole time, I have encountered two avatars that are African American. African American in appearance and as related to me in conversation. Two!
I know there has to be more African American SL’ers out there. But perhaps SL is such a white dominated venue that they cop a white avatar appearance so as to not stand out. God, I hope not because if that is the case this place isn’t the paradise some people espouse upon.
If, while reading this, you are saying to yourself, well he just isn’t going to the right places? Right places? Oh, you mean their places right? Shame on you if you just said that. Maybe the paradise might have some components of Maycomb, Alabama in it
and we are all sitting in that stifling July courthouse waiting for the jury to come in and render a verdict. Don’t think for a minute I’m not sitting right next to you waiting also.
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4 comments:
It would be interesting to know D. In shopping for skins, I find it easy to choose shades of tan but not as easy to choose shades of black. I would be curious too about the racial RL make up of the SL avitars and if race is more transparent on SL or if it is sadly neglected and somehow prejudiced. Definitely make you think about the utopian reach of SL.
Eh..
I've seen some really beautiful black avis. Done nicely with detail.
My problem is I have issues seeing things clearly. The darker the avi, the less I can see the really good details. I think it's SL. Blissie's as dark in SL as I am in RL..or..she appears that way to me. But pictures other people take make her look lighter to me.
But there's not a HUGE market for dark avis.
And in the line I bought my skin from..it's the darkest one available. LOL!
Go figure..
I've thought about that too, D. I think I've probably met two or three avis who were "piloted" by black people. I was going to say African Americans, but I know one was not American....lol. It makes you wonder, if they've chosen a different skin color or perhaps furry or whether they are just not on SL. I know, for a fact, that Whitey is crazy. I'm serious....lol. White people are nuts, and maybe we fit in to SL better cause SL is nuts?
Okay...now I have a freaking headache.....
So true.....
Some whiteys, crackers are way more fucked up than others. One thing I always tell my classes and individuals students of color is that I can go down a checklist, if you will, of human negative behaviors and invariably a anglo will fit the bill. Example: in my life....... biggest asshole I've ever met Anglo. Liar Anglo. Hypocrite Anglo and on and on it goes. The sad thing about this imaginary list is that the students be they Anglo, Hispanic, African-American will concur with me...
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