Photo of pro-Trump demons besieging Bernie's HQ. Image: Washington Liberals.
As Donald Trump continues to ride roughshod over much of the United States, there's multiple reports that Trumps' virtual fans are riding roughshod on Bernie Sanders' unofficial headquarters in Second Life as well. Sanders' spot is in the sim (Second Life region) of Caspoli, located here, with a Bernie 2016 banner that can be seen from satellite. It's a Roman-themed hangout space in a peaceful meadow, where Bernie supporters often gather to share news of their favorite candidate. But lately, the place has been besieged by pro-Trump griefers. I first read a report of anti-Bernie griefing from roving furry reporter Bixyl Shuftan (yes, that's a thing) and found out it wasn't an isolated incident:
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"There is a picture I managed to capture of one of the flags spewing from a particle dispenser at HQ, left there by one of Trump's supporters when no one was around," Sanders support group member Macaria Wind tells me, handing over an image file of a Trump swastika.But that was only the start. During a Bernie rally in Second Life, Mr. Wind goes on, Trump-supporting demons flew around Bernie's rally, endlessly typing "TRUMP! TRUMP! TRUMP!" into text chat."Pages and pages of TRUMP! LOL," Wind tells me. "[O]ne has to laugh at the childishness displayed by some of his supporters. In my opinion, they mimic their candidate. I must add though, what is not a laughing matter are the racial slurs and bigotry witnessed by one group member who visited Trump HQ when there were actually people there."You can read more about that incident here.To be sure, virtual landowners in Second Life can bar anyone from their property. But that effort was, well, trumped, by a Trump supporter's next move:
Image: Wagner James Au.
Yes: A giant Trump billboard/statue on a neighboring lot, spewing fireworks from his orange-colored head. A Trump supporter, it seems, went and bought property next to Bernie's HQ for that sole purpose. So no matter where Bernie's Second Life supporters go in his HQ, no matter what they try to say or think, Trump's sphincter-shaped face now looms down on them from on high, forcing them to keep talking and thinking about Trump.Which come to think about it, is not too far away from what all of us face every day, less a demon or two.Wagner James Auis the author of The Making of Second Life (HarperColllins) and writes about VR & virtual culture onNew World Notes, where this story first appeared.
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"There is a picture I managed to capture of one of the flags spewing from a particle dispenser at HQ, left there by one of Trump's supporters when no one was around," Sanders support group member Macaria Wind tells me, handing over an image file of a Trump swastika.But that was only the start. During a Bernie rally in Second Life, Mr. Wind goes on, Trump-supporting demons flew around Bernie's rally, endlessly typing "TRUMP! TRUMP! TRUMP!" into text chat."Pages and pages of TRUMP! LOL," Wind tells me. "[O]ne has to laugh at the childishness displayed by some of his supporters. In my opinion, they mimic their candidate. I must add though, what is not a laughing matter are the racial slurs and bigotry witnessed by one group member who visited Trump HQ when there were actually people there."You can read more about that incident here.To be sure, virtual landowners in Second Life can bar anyone from their property. But that effort was, well, trumped, by a Trump supporter's next move: