Linden Lab Announces Support for Black Lives Matter, Donates to Civil Rights Groups, Promotes Community-Run BLM Fundraiser in Second Life

While many companies have come out in support of Black lives in the wake of George Floyd's killing, Linden Lab's statement last Friday comes with some extra heft:

We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, all victims of systemic oppression and violence, and with Black communities across the U.S., the globe, and the virtual world in condemning racism and any and all actions that promote division.

Our mission at Second Life has always been to help build a better world, and in support of Black Lives Matter, we will be donating $10,000 each to three charities that are active in helping to fight oppression and injustice including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

How can you help? This weekend, you can participate in the Stand for Justice fundraising effort dedicated to raising funds for Black Lives Matter, Black Visions Collective, Campaign Zero, the National Police Accountability Project, and a Split Bail Fund benefiting 38+ bail funds nationwide. 

More here. Promoting the community-driven Stand for Justice fundraiser is also notable, because as many reader comments suggest, some Second Life users object to it. ("I am making a list of all the shops participating in this and will boycott each of them", one angry reader even vowed.)

However, this is not even the first time Linden Lab has officially made a political stand on a potentially controversial -- to right wingers, at least -- issue:

In 2017, for instance, Linden Lab condemned Trump anti-Muslim refugee policy, and even joined in an amicus brief against it.

Given that, and this most recent statement, maybe the real question is this: If you're against Black Lives Matter, maybe you're in the wrong world?

Comments

[Wendy]

Frankly I'm all for racists being on SL. If they're on a computer, at least they aren't out raping children and murdering blacks. Just SL has to create an in world mechanism that allows normal people to pop their heads off like a cork. Now that's progress.

[Zenja]

Good marketing move! It's so popular to scream "BLM" nowadays and almost guaranteed - you'll be accepted by masses. Don't bother getting into details, don't analyse what's happening from all angles. Just pick one trivial position everyone else has picked and scream "BLM". Companies will definitely try to build their marketing campaigns around it to become "closer" to their customers by singing in unison together.

[AmandaMagick]

It's not about being popular or being in the in crowd. It's not about appropriation or the like. This is about basic human rights and I agree with LL's stand and support them in it.

[Sad]

Totally agree with LL and AmandaMagick. In the last four years, basic human decency has taken a steep dive. When you have world leaders legitimizing all the darker facets of human nature as acceptable, even commendable, and basically breaking the path for such behaviour, well then, sheep will follow a cleared path.

[jackson]

Black Lives Mater.. including abortions, black gang violence, fatherless children, drug violence, or is it just the one way street when it comes to LE issues?

[TD Gunner]

Grat, I am all for fund raisers.

I would like to see Gorean erased in SL. It is misogynistic at its core and has slavery as an element. Can we all agree that Gorean should go? Maybe this would make a good topic for coverage in this blog?

[Fed Up]

@jackson - you need to clarify

[George]

How about supporting the innocent police officers like David Dorn killed by the protestors instead? I can not and will never support making a criminal in to a martyr.

[Chestnut Rau]

What I want to know is how many Black people are in management at LL? How many are on the Board? How diverse is the workforce generally? How does LL ensure the work environment supports Black people and makes sure their voices are as loud as their White colleagues? If the LL workforce is not diverse and supportive of Black people what is LL's plan to improve. Tell me about that.

I am so sick of performative action I could scream.

BLACK LIVES MATTER. End systemic racism from the ground up.

[sick of lies]

david dorn was not killed by a protester he was killed by a looter. looters took advantage of the chaos happening with the protest to cause problems and wreak havoc, they are not part of the black lives movement.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/david-dorn-arrest-suspect-killing-st-louis-police-captain-protest/

[Remy]

I honestly hate seeing anything race related or political related on SL. I get that its a social media platform but its also an escape from RL troubles and issues. I am 100% tired of racism and politics in the real world let alone on SL too. I just wish I didn't have to see it in SL also. SL is a place to go to not be judged in any way shape or form and a way to express yourself in a positive way no matter what color you are or if you even play as an animal. Some info hubs in adult regions are just packed with ad boards with politics and other garbage. While I agree with some and disagree with some I just don't want to see it in SL even if I agree or disagree, keep that in the RL and lets be together as 1 in SL without the stupid separations RL has shown us. I love everyone no matter their color, no matter if they are a furry, or a dragon, or whatever someone chooses to be. We are all people nd we all have a common interest, Second Life. Politics, race, religion, and all that is not something everyone has in common and just creates separation when brought up.

[What is going on]

There are people doing fake BLM n Sl to rip you off of lindens one of them is a avi called bonafide luckstone she has a link in her IMs that is a fund to herself be careful i reported her but Sl has done nothing to stop her or this scam in sl.

[kelly]

I have a real problem now. LL has groups that promote black masters raping white women. I feel unsafe here and now an unwilling victim of funding a movement that harrasses gentle people simply because they are white. Goodbye. I will not be around to suffer the backlash. My friend in RL only two days ago in safe Hawaii was attacked for being a nice white girl by crazy lunatics. Like many things now sports corporations further alienate tolerant fair minded people. Goodbye SL