Intolerance and Prejudice

LL's ToS and Community Standards are pretty clear in their condemnation of intolerance and prejudice against any group, and rightly have been known to be pretty strict on this issue, if somewhat lax in other areas.

It's a rule of civilised behaviour to not cause offence to any national, cultural, linguistic, sexual, racial or gender group through negative or hostile comments based on ignorance or blind prejudice. Even in so called 'fun' this kind of behaviour is totally unacceptable.

Yet, there are places in SL where this kind of behaviour is not only tolerated, but through leaving it unchallenged, it is actively encouraged. Imagine my surprise, and sheer disbelief when I went this morning to Eden, the club for 'lesbian and bisexual women' to be met by offensive comments of a stereotypical and derogatory nature. I make no apology for naming, (and hopefully shaming) the club in question. My only 'sin' was to greet someone in a language other than English, which was followed by a lot of comments, and a pathetic attempt at parody by one individual. I of course challenged the behaviour, and was initially supported by one individual, who then went quiet, whilst the abuse continued. Even the threat of my filing an Abuse Report to Linden Labs did not completely silence some particularly ignorant individuals, who continued making comments that they no doubt thought hilariously funny, but which I felt to be deeply offensive.

I am not someone who actually lets prejudicial comments and behaviour get to me, I'm far too thick skinned for that, but I do not ever let that kind of behaviour go unchallenged. What is particularly galling was the fact that these comments were coming from the mouths of those who are members of a sexual minority widely discriminated against itself – surely logic should have informed those individuals that the behaviour they were indulging in was totally unacceptable. The general gist of many of them is that we just have to 'grin and bear' these kinds of things, but why should anyone have to accept the unacceptable? Sadly it seems, even individuals who are members of a widely discriminated against group are capable themselves of being discriminatory. Perhaps the application of logic, and the taking of that to it's conclusion is demanded here. Or even just the engagement of brain before opening mouth.

I don't care if my stance makes me 'unpopular', I do not seek to be popular, as my concern is with doing my bit to build a more civilised society where such 'off the cuff' comments, said in supposed 'jest' are not only challenged, but are sanctioned against if repeated after a warning. Just before I left the club in total disgust, one of the managers did rather meekly ask for and end to the 'discussion', stating the it was supposed to be a 'fun' place. Some 'fun' place that tolerates prejudice isn't my idea of a fun place.

I could have responded with like comments as a repartee, but that would have lowered me to their subterranean level, and besides, that is exactly what I wish to avoid.  It's socially corrosive; the thin edge of the wedge.

Some of you may ask why I have adopted a 'zero tolerance' of any kind of prejudicial behaviour. The reason is this, and students of history will recognise that I am not exaggerating. The Nazi onslaught against any group they viewed as undesirable started apparently quite mildly... the creation of negative stereotypes that in themselves might appear to be quite innocuous, mildly derogatory, and something that could be 'laughed off'. However, as we now know, this was a ploy to 'soften up' the populace to accept the even greater atrocities that were to follow. I don't for a moment mean to suggest that any of this morning's sad individuals had any similar game plan, but none the less, it is the thin end of the wedge... As the Manic Street Preachers sang, 'If you tolerate this, then your children will be next'.

We are living at a time of increased social tensions, the far political right are gaining ascendency all over Europe and quite possibly elsewhere. These groups are trying to maintain a veneer of respectability, whilst at the same time stirring up mild tensions through the use of derogatory propaganda designed to inculcate the idea that it's acceptable to demonise individuals and groups in society amongst the majority: but who are the 'majority'? Lots of minority groups. We must take to heart the warning of Pastor Niemyer, and always speak up for the interests of others who are in a societally weak position being discriminated against.

About the club concerned here? Well, no doubt they have their rules, and they are entitled to run their club in any way they see fit. But if it were my club, (and it would be very clear in the rules presented on entry to every individual) anyone continuing the kind of abuse I was subjected to would have been unceremoniously ejected and subsequently banned with a warning that if heard indulging in further such behaviour elsewhere, an Abuse Report would be submitted.

But this did not happen, no one was ejected and so warned, so I did the only honourable thing left and ejected myself. I shall not be returning.