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[Vespasian Cortes]

Tank Driver: Guillaume Mistwalker
in C.D.S

[Bagheera]

The tank was an interesting choice of symbol but I appreciate what Gais was trying to teach us about.

In fact, Ves, when I arrived at the scene where you were sitting in front of Gais' tank saying you were emulating the lone man in Tainamen Square, you were actually embodying the spirit of what Gais was trying to teach us about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisian_revolution

Isn't the Internet amazing? One learns so much!

[Guillaume Mistwalker]

I'm glad to see that there are people who remember history that happened a year ago!, well -- 354 days ago. I'm not shamed that I am celebrating the first anniversary of a democratic revolution for Tunisia.

[Bagheera]

Gaias - remembering that CDS is a big experiment and part of its charm is we can play out scenarios in what is a pretty safe environment, so please take this in that spirit - the spirit of educational play - it is an interesting note that a military tank was what you chose, which seems to me more like the symbol of the oppressor, not a symbol of the people who took to the streets to claim their independence.

I did not really know about the Tunisian Revolution (so I didn't remember it) but what happened yesterday made me curious enough to look it up (see wikipedia link above), so - in that way, what you did was a good thing.

However, one thing I have noticed about many who cast off the yoke of their oppressors is they then follow up by taking on the trappings of those same oppressors. Your choice of a tank, for me, was just another example of that. When you were confounded by the protestors in the road, you were getting a taste of the other side, so to speak.

I am not qualified to say who was right or wrong. I was hoping to infuse the whole thing with a bit of amusement, because people tend to see clearer when they are amused.

[Guillaume Mistwalker]

Gaias - remembering that CDS is a big experiment and part of its charm is we can play out scenarios in what is a pretty safe environment, so please take this in that spirit - the spirit of educational play - it is an interesting note that a military tank was what you chose, which seems to me more like the symbol of the oppressor, not a symbol of the people who took to the streets to claim their independence.

I would have uses the tank as a symbol of the victory of the Revolution. Yes, you could say it is the repression of bin Ali, as he attempted to use the Tunisian military and tanks themselves to maintain order, but we know today that the President fled the country. Furthermore, flags on tanks tend to represent conquest in war -- in this case, it was the conquest of the Tunisian people in their revolution against president Zine al-Abidine bin Ali. This entire event would have been a symbol of the great democratic achievement of the Tunisian people over the former Constitutional Democratic Rally, the ex-ruling party in Tunisia.

I did not really know about the Tunisian Revolution (so I didn't remember it) but what happened yesterday made me curious enough to look it up (see wikipedia link above), so - in that way, what you did was a good thing.

Good! I was hoping, primarily, to have been able to educate people on the event, as it catalysted the Arab Spring that is still playing itself out to this day. After all, it was only recently, on the 22nd of November, that the Tunisian Constituent Assembly was inaugurated, featuring Islamic, Liberal and Social Democratic parties in the government coalition.

However, one thing I have noticed about many who cast off the yoke of their oppressors is they then follow up by taking on the trappings of those same oppressors. Your choice of a tank, for me, was just another example of that. When you were confounded by the protestors in the road, you were getting a taste of the other side, so to speak.

Such a sentiment is very true, though it was not my intended symbol. My intended symbol was more that this was a victory for real democracy in Tunisia. And, unlike its neighbours to the East, Tunisia is not a state under the power of rebels as Libya was or was left with the military being in charge when its president fled as Egypt was. Tunisia, however, transferred rather smoothly to a transition government after Ghannouchi assumed the presidency and was later struck down by the acting President Fouad Mezabaa. This entire event would have been a larger artistic use of Second Life to celebrate the event but, sadly, due to a few out-spoken citizens, I have decided to save our Chancellor our work in mediating both sides so that he can focus more on governing our sims. I will compile a few things for the CDS to enjoy, instead, for the occasion.

[Bromo Ivory]

IN my opinion as long as you don't shoot or run anyone down (without their express permission), it is all in good fun - though the symbol of the tank is a little "wrong side" message.