When anyone asks me, "Why Raglan? Why Tinies?", I tell them that Raglan is the nexus of innocence in Second Life. It is the nexus of all the great qualities of experience that you have when innocence is in such abundance! I've been to Disney and I really believe Raglan has it in much greater quantity. I love Raglan--Sometime in my first weeks in Raglan I walked by a pink cat who bid me welcome. Soon after, I watched one of the most touching memorials of my life--A New Orleans jazz procession for that same little pink cat. Great and tender hearts are attracted to tinyhood and to Raglan--hearts that know and cherish innocence.
But "innocence" does not mean the same thing to all people. For some, like myself, it means unabashed kindness--easy forgiveness--seeing the best in our neighbours. For others, it is all about defining boundaries around "being and doing". For example, "I am innocent when I do this or I am like that". Not long after moving to Raglan, I met someone like this. This "someone" IM'd me and began to explain the terrible deteriorating condition of Raglan's morality--citing, nudity, homosexuality and male "cat" calling... Every incident a threat to Raglan's pg status. And our "gendarme du moralitay" complained heartily, that Raglan's leaders were lax in attending to it. As a result, this person had come to declare themselves, (I quote) "the self-appointed morality police"--dedicated to making sure Raglan residents are people who do things right. I tried to be nice and did not confront--after all--we each have a right to our opinion and if this person had no real authority...
What harm could they do?
Over this passed week, I have spoken to two individuals who have felt forced to distance themselves from Raglan as a result of the influence of our morality cop. I spoke to each separately and never told them that I had spoken to the other. Both had the same story--they were approached by someone who indicated that they (in some way) were not acceptable in Raglan--and had heard from other tinies who agreed. One of my interviewees recited the names of tinies who were "said" to be in agreement. That other tinies could be cited to be in disapproval and wanting action against theses so-called, "violaters", raises some questions.
First, if there is a real list of tinies who were disapproving, did they know their names were going to be used? Did they actually give the "self-proclaimed-cop" permission to use their names to inform our two so-called "violaters" of the mounting dissent against them? Or is it possible that names were gathered in private IMs and used as ammunition without knowing their names would be used to "run tinies outa town?" Is it right to allow someone to go about running tinies outa town?
I have to agree that there must be circumstances when action is taken to protect the pg status of Raglan. But I disagree with actions that are expedited in secret, by people who do not have the authority to make the determination. I don't like controversy and I know this is going to be controversial--but it has to be brought into the open. Many tinies know about the morality cop and, like me, ignored them, until I learned a tiny I hold very dear was affected by it. It must be made clear to all that, community cleansing and by surreptitious means, is unacceptable in Raglan.
If you find something so loathful that you want Raglan to be rid of it...grow some waffles and say it publicly...
