Editorial Comments

by Special Correspondent Rhett McMahn

Much like life, our SecondLife surfing community is in turmoil. I don't speak of turmoil in a negative sense, as it is really not. Turmoil is just part of our day to day world. Turmoil as in the gut wrenching feeling associated with what we know to be true and factual changing. The ending of a relationship; the loss of a loved one; the stresses associated with work, business, community, finances. All of these things play a factor in who we are at any given moment.

The SLSA was formed as a group of surfers who wanted to be connected personally as a community. They have transcended their original organizers’ hopes and evolved into a highly efficient sport sanctioning body. Every step along the way, there has been turmoil. It is all part of the evolution process in any SL group’s history. At some points, the turmoil seems larger. As adolescents, we call this turmoil "growing pains."

I read everything I can about our community. I study and write articles as a journalist. I listen to people discuss their issues. Not one person I have encountered has said anything wrong. Of the 10-20 IMs a day I receive discussing various things, everyone has valid positions on every side of the situation. Not everyone in a community should have the same agenda, life would be boring. As I read other postings here in the SurfWatch venue, I observe tons of evidence supporting the entire surfing community’s "growing pains."

It was my pleasure to investigate this story about the SLSA's historic events surrounding the 2009 Season 1 Topanga comp. I have been able to spend time with some amazing people getting their feelings on the matter. I first interviewed Kimmy and learned her feelings on the matter. Always stern and intensely passionate to her beliefs, Kimmy laid out why she was so upset that day. She shared conversations she had with SB, and made you believe she was absolutely right about her reasons for creating a scene at her own hosted competition in her own sim. She was up front and frank when she stated that, even though she felt bad about how she chose to handle the moment, she would not back down from believing that what she did was right. Not only that, but that was done for the betterment of our sport. Even though Kimmy faced the turmoil of making that choice, losing her best ever finish in her competitive career, she acted from her heart for something she believes in.

After completing my first interview on my first lead assignment (within two hours) I got reminded of two well known SL facts. Loose lips abound and note cards travel fast. I still have not figured out why we as a species love our gossip, but I make my living now as a reporter so I don't argue. As I was interviewing, the interview was being cut and pasted by one of the people present to at least one 'trusted' friend, who note carded it and distributed it. I got my first introduction to SB within the two hours.

My first interaction with SB was brief. He pasted into my IM excerpts of the interview I had just finished. He told me quite convincingly how he felt about it, and what I was and was not going to do with my interview. Yeah I was pissed at first, but then laughed it off as this is nothing new. It happens in RL all the time. It is part of a community. It's part of my job. Of course, his view of what is right is his and yes, they are right. My views and understanding of journalistic license and laws lets me know I'm right. I followed up with him when I returned to work, we had a frank but professional conversation. I was surprised SB thanked me for staying objective and taking my time to care about surfing enough to write about it and stay on top of it. I actually was very surprised knowing my lead in article was about him posting as a non member in the SLSA's forum (http://surfwatch.blogspot.com/2009/06/sexyboy-oh-speaks-out-illegally-in-slsa.html) had ran just hours before.

SurfWatch Editor-in-Chief, Tauri Tigerpaw, interviewed SB on the matter, and he held true to his beliefs that the SLSA does not invite true competativeness, and that someone comes along and invests thousands of hours becoming good, they are not accepted, that other competitors are scared. He grasped at every available angle as to how the laws were flawed, unclear, that you have to join to enter, but not have to stay in the group to compete, others who had left the organization and come back. Not a stone unturned. I gained a lot of respect for SB in this process. As a true competitor, I respect how intensely he fought to get what he believed right out into the public eye. I, too, had opportunity to go to SB's new home and have a little face to face with the man who took the SLSA by storm in his rookie year. I tried to offer him suggestions of places he could find quality builds for his new place, and I started to understand more of what drives SB. He literally will not settle for anything he has not mastered and done himself. I understand that type of personality. I have it somewhat. My father was almost identical in philosophy to SB.

Is SB bitter? Yeah, but who could blame him? Was he wrong in fighting tooth and nail even though the SLSA has no appeal process? Absolutely not! SB is standing firm by his beliefs and even though his efforts will not correct his mistakes as seen by the Disciplinary Board of the SLSA, they will affect the thoughts of the people involved to make their organization better in the future. Perhaps some day maybe a structured rule for an appeal process? Who knows. But SB was right.

Nowhere in this process did I see evidence of huge amounts of pettiness. What I did see was tons of passion, tons of right opinions, and, yes, tons of turmoil. One thing occasionally being able to write editorials does is let me give MY opinion. Here are my thoughts. In my almost four years in SL, I have seen groups go through about a one year cycle of extreme issues as well as a major effort to self destruct themselves at about three years old. As a community, we all need to be aware that these turmoils are natural. As much as we would like them to never happen, they compound. Just last night new turmoil erupted, starting the next news cycle. SurfWatch is a news organization. We objectively report the news. By staying informed we reduce the effect these turmoils have on the negative side of our world and gives us information to think through our actions. Embrace the growing pains, stay involved to make a difference. Like my departed, father would have said. "Be part of the solution, not part of the problem." He would have liked both Kimmy and SB. I know I do.

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