Bounty Hunter Archive

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our galaxy.

Twoscore years ago, a great Galaxian, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, started Star Wars Galaxies. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of citizens who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their boredom.

But two years later, thecitizens still is not free. Two years later, the life of thecitizen is still sadly crippled by the manacles ofbugs and the chains of nerfs.Two years later, thecitizen lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.Two years later, thecitizen is still languished in the corners ofGalaxian society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which everyGalaxian was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all professions, yes,Jedi as well as Bounty Hunters, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today thatthe Creatorshas defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her professions are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation,The creatorshave given their people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this game. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remindthe Creatorsof the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley ofnerfs to the sunlit path of justice. Now is the time to lift ourgame from the quicksands ofthe CUto the solid rock of pre-CU. Now is the time to makethis a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for thedevelopers to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of theplayers legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Two thousand five is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that theplayers needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if thedevelopers return to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility inthe galaxiesuntil theplayersare granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of ourgreat gameuntil the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the player community must not lead us to a distrust of all developers, for many of our developers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees ofgalaxy rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as theplayers arethe victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as aplayerinChilistra cannotplay and aplayer inBria believes he has nothing for which to play for. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."¹

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrowclone cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Chilistra, go back to Bria, go back to Wanderhome, go back to Chiamaera, go back to Valcyn, go back to theDWB andGeo Cavesof our northern planets, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in theStar Warsdream.

I have a dream that one day thisgame will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that allplayers are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Chimaera, the sons of formerplayers and the sons of formerdevelopers will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Chilistra, aserver sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four accounts will one day live in agame where they will not be judged by their profession but by the content of their play.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, wn in Infinity, with its vicious nerfs, with its developers having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there inBloodfinlittle Jedi padawans will be able to join hands with Bounty Hunters as brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day everynerf shall be exalted, and every bug andexploite shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the SWG with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of ourplayers into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able togrind together, to play together, tolevel together, to go tothe clonertogether, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And ifStar Wars Galaxiesis to be a great game, this must become true.

---

OSWC wrote:

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our galaxy.

Twoscore years ago, a great Galaxian, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, started Star Wars Galaxies. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of citizens who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their boredom.

But two years later, thecitizens still is not free. Two years later, the life of thecitizen is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.Two years later, thecitizen lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.Two years later, thecitizen is still languished in the corners ofGalaxian society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which everyGalaxian was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all professions, yes,Jedi as well as Bounty Hunters, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today thatthe Creatorshas defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her professions are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation,The creatorshave given their people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this game. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remindthe Creatorsof the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley ofnerfs to the sunlit path of justice. Now is the time to lift ourgame from the quicksands ofthe CUto the solid rock of pre-CU. Now is the time to makethis a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for thedevelopers to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of theplayers legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Two thousand five is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that theplayers needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if thedevelopers return to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility inthe galaxiesuntil theplayersare granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of ourgreat gameuntil the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the player community must not lead us to a distrust of all developers, for many of our developers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees ofgalaxy rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as theplayers arethe victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as aplayerinChilistra cannotplay and aplayer inBria believes he has nothing for which to play for. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."¹

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrowclone cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Chilistra, go back to Bria, go back to Wanderhome, go back to Chiamaera, go back to Valcyn, go back to theDWB andGeo Cavesof our northern planets, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in theStar Warsdream.

I have a dream that one day thisgame will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that allplayers are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Chimaera, the sons of formerplayers and the sons of formerdevelopers will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Chilistra, aserver sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four accounts will one day live in agame where they will not be judged by their profession but by the content of their play.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, wn in Infinity, with its vicious nerfs, with its developers having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there inBloodfinlittle Jedi padawans will be able to join hands with Bounty Hunters as brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day everynerf shall be exalted, and every bug andexploite shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the SWG with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of ourplayers into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able togrind together, to play together, tolevel together, to go tothe clonertogether, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And ifStar Wars Galaxiesis to be a great game, this must become true.

---