A Day of Reflections

The Alliance Navy, the leading military group on Second Life, surrendered earlier today… and the Merczateers, a rival group to the Alliance Navy, similiarly surrendered.

Not a single bomb was dropped, although some gunshots were fired. This reporter was even shot by a few. However, gunshots didn’t tear down the Alliance Navy or the Merczateers. Nor did they surrender land or group. They surrendered their will to fight, and they surrendered it to Memorial Day. In respect for this day, the Alliance Navy has turned off damage in most of their sims, and is waiting for damage to be turned off in Tethys and Dorien.

 

And while I could write about all the things that they have done to celebrate, I would not be honoring the reason why if I did not honor the day itself.

 

In the midst of the current war in Iraq, this day has a bittersweet meaning for some and a more ridiculed meaning for others. It’s easy to criticize the way the war is being run – how congress attempts to set deadlines for funding, and then goes back on those attempts. How there seems to be a lack of a definite plan, even now, even four years after the end of ‘Major Combat Operations’ was declared from the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln. However, Memorial Day is more important than just the current war in Iraq. It isn’t about criticizing mistakes made – It’s about remembering those whom fought for freedom. It’s about remembering those whom were brave and courageous, and loving enough to take up arms to protect their fellow man. And that is something that can transcend to all countries – not just America.

 

The last several decades have not seen much in terms of conflicts. The Vietnam and Korean wars have been the last wars besides the First Desert Storm, which was praised as the ‘Perfect War’. Perhaps there is a need for more bloodshed, for more tyrants to rise to power, to massacre those around us to make us see how important it truly is to fight – not just for freedom, for the ability to live. Indeed, in a way, freedom is the freedom to live rather than be put to death. It’s the freedom to come home, to criticize the wrongs and not be tortured, strung up and hung from a ceiling while being tortured as you can barely breathe. To be cut, have salt smeared into your skin, or worse chemicals, as your blood drips from your form, and you are powerless to stop it. And if there is anyone you care about, to have it happen to them, while you watch and hear their screams. I’m not trying to gross you out, but the statistics don’t do any good to show what cruelty exists in the world. But if you want statistics, try this from the front page of my local newspaper today: “U.S. frees 42 captives from Iraq torture cell”.

The fighting that has taken place in the world, at least for soldiers, hasn’t been just to go over and take someone’s oil. It’s been to stop injustice – injustice in its weaker forms, and injustice at its very worst.

 

The people whom died back in World War I and II, the people whom died in Korea, the people whom died and are missing in Vietnam, the people whom died and are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan – they aren’t dying to protect the mistakes of a government. They are dying in order to protect others. In the light of these real life incidents, it can seem even silly to imitate warfare in a game like Second Life. Why waste your time on a game when you could be doing something to make life better in the real world? Why fight to protect a virtual base when you could fight to protect children?

 

Regardless of the reasons why, however, there will always be some form of combat in video games – whether it be Second Life, Counterstrike, or so on. People like to shoot things for recreation. So with it be said that it will occur, it becomes not a question of why, but how it is done that makes a difference.

 

Whereas some people would accuse the Alliance Navy as being tyrants, of trying to make Second Life more like Real Life, of being griefers and so on, it’s nice to know that the Alliance Navy are willing to respect real life events. That the AN honors real life militaries, real life war veterans. The Alliance Navy even has some real war veterans that call themselves members. To see that accusations can be made, while being told that someone has does not care about Memorial Day, and that attacks on the Alliance Navy bases can be performed on the basis that ‘The Alliance Navy are griefers’ and ‘I have no love for the Alliance Navy’… well, it seems almost silly and sad at the same time that someone would make a claim while attempting to lay a victory claim during a day that the Alliance Navy can rightfully reserves a holiday. Perhaps it’s even a good thing that the Alliance Navy would try to make Second Life more like Real Life, because how else would a day like today be honored?

 

And similarly, it is nice to see that the Merczateers invited enemies and allies alike to their base to celebrate Memorial Day. The Merczateers played a modified Merczateers theme, pipes, and performed a twenty one gun salute. Both Militias enjoyed a two minute silence. And so, I have to congratulate them for a job well done.

 

It is nice to see that within all the Chaos and Griefing of Second Life, that Memorial Day and that the veterans are remembered, and are thanked. Follow the suit of these fueding parties. Thank a veteran – of your own country, of another country, wherever. Thank them for fighting to give you a chance, and thank them for fighting to show how deeply the struggles go to thwart true evil from looming its tyrannical heads over the world. Remember the words that inspired nations. Evil thrives as Good People do nothing. But these veterans stood up to evil. They stood up to Tyranny. They stood up to Hitler. They stood up to Kim. They stood up to Saddam. They stand up to Bin Ladin. Today is a day to pay our respects to those whom lost their lives, and to those whom lost their friends, their good memories, and their years… to sorrow, and for the chance of giving everything they had for us. There is no greater honor than that.

 Thank you all whom have served and all whom serve.