Memorial Day

Memorial Day is often thought of in the United States as the unofficial start of summer. A day off to relax, maybe fire up the grill for a barbecue.

Not what the real reason the day is for: a day to honor those who lost their lives defending the country. And Second Life has it's share of places where memorials to fallen have been placed.

Probably the best known of these memorials is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Second Life, sometimes known as "The Wall." Opened in November 2007, it is still up and continues to draw many visitors.

"The Wall" sim has it's own website at http://www.thewallsl.com.

To get to the Vietnam Wall, Click Here for the SURL at The Wall (39, 32, 25).



Other memorials in Second Life are less well known. Among these is the TLE Memorial in the Raziel sim. The TLE (The Learning Experience) area is more noted for it's building classes and classroom lectures. But one building was set aside as a memorial, where for a donation one can have a stone set up to honor someone. Not just Americans are represented here, but Canadians, British, and others.

Jacob Barton, one of the soldiers dedicated in this picture (second down on the right row), was Lothi Aeon in Second Life, whom lost his life trying to save a comrade one year ago.

The TLE War Memorial is at Raziel (59,61,22).

* * * Addition added later in the day * * *

There are also numerous smaller memorials. Memorials set up as simple reminders for those who gave their all. Among them is the one set up at the Southern Colorado sim by Daaneth Kivioq.

“I have had for a long time a small memorial located on my sim. I invite you to come here for a few moments to reflect on the gift those brave men and women have given us.”

The memorial isn’t much compared to The Wall, a flowerbed and a couple flags. And a plaque reading:

“My Angel, his name is Freedom - Choose him to be your king;
He shall cut pathways east and west, And fend you with his wing.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dedicated to all those who have given life or limb
in the service of the Angel named Freedom

The Southern Colorado memorial is at (129, 41, 25).

"A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a 'Blank Check' made Payable to 'The United States of America', for an amount of 'up to And including my life.' Veterans didn't have the luxury to choose Where, When, How, or even IF they will 'make that payment'. They merely do their duty day in and day out knowing that they've written that check that some day may be 'Cashed!' That is Honor." - Author Unknown.

Bixyl Shuftan

Second Life Veterans Tribute

Veterans Day/Remembrance Day may have come to a close, but the money one group of volunteers raised will be helping soldiers for some time to come. They also built a sim full of detailed memorials in tribute for the week-long event in honor of US Veterans, and those from other countries.

Read the article in Community.

Veterans Day/Remembrance Day

To veterans, an honored Veterans Day/Remembrance Day from all the crew

War Memorial & War History Museum Annex

By Bixyl Shuftan

I was recently shown a link to a You-Tube of a VE Day ceremony at a memorial area in Second Life, the War Memorial & War History Museum Annex. Taking place on May 8, 2009, on the anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany, there were a number of people there, including Fanny Starr whom gave a speech through her daughter’s avatar, Explorer Dastardly.

Going to the memorial, there are a number of signs of statements against war from the Bible to modern speakers such as Isaac Asimov. There are also lone helmets on pedestals and in the middle of the memorial a symbolic torch, “All Mankind is one author and is one volume.” There are also a couple sets of free clothes plus a free t-shirt, and a Betty Grable avatar up for sale.

The memorial’s biggest feature is the wall, made up of many bricks on three sides of the land. A notecard explained why the wall was made, “It became clear that many expressed the fact they personally knew someone who either served their country, was killed or maimed in warfare or killed during a terrorist attack or act of war. And it also became clear that the wars mentioned covered a span of over a century and were all over the world. We then decided a way to memorialize these people should be incorporated within the War History Complex of the TLE Interactive World History Museum. This is how the War Memorial Wall was born.“

People going to the Memorial can purchase bricks for 180 Lindens, the cash going to the upkeep of this and other museum areas. Those who can’t afford 180L are asked to contact Anmarerlice Mayo, Spicy Koba, or Kitvel Silberberg for help in getting a plaque. Upon getting a brick space, the resident then gets a notecard in which one fills whom the brick will be dedicated to, and then drops into a mailbox. The plaque will appear within 24-48 hours. One can “pay tribute to those who served and are thankfully still alive, those who were killed during war or acts of war, or those who were killed during terrorist attacks. This applies to all religions, creeds, nationalities, and beliefs. This is NOT a political wall. This is Tribute to those who served and still do serve.”

Dozens of bricks have already been memorialized in honor of veterans from the United States, Britain, Canada, and other countries, and civilian targets of terrorists and Nazi Germany. There is still plenty of space to fill.

Next to the Memorial is the Military Strategy and Vehicles Annex, which shows a number of military war machines, mostly modern ones. The detail on some is very good, and one can get into the Hummer near the gate, though can’t drive it away.

The War Memorial and History Annex is part of the TLE (The Learning Experience) Interactive World History Museum. It is located at Ileina Cove (101, 194, 21). For those wishing to pay tribute to those who gave their lives to freedom, this is one place they can pause and reflect.

The You-Tube showing the VE ceremony is located at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1qUrI0T0Ug&feature=channel

“They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” - Isaiah

“History teaches that war begins when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap.” - Ronald Reagan

Bixyl Shuftan