As one of the faithful, I've been considering this for some time and thought I might benefit from the input of some other kin: how do you cope with prejudice, ignorance, and violence? I have been roaming this sector since the Holy Fleet of Avos had a detachment located here, and have always felt more comfortable around my own kin, but the amount of ignorance and hate for those who follow the teachings of the Winged Arbiter is astounding and has improved little over time. Weapons have been pointed at us, our views have been shunned and met with rapid violence, those who oppose us commonly defended by onlookers, and some individuals have even bragged of killing ours or flaunted it. So I ask kin for some advice on this matter, because I am not one for holding my tongue in the face of threats and I expect justice done for wrongs regardless of race or belief, though it may be a foolish expectation. My own anger grows and I tire of the slow, indifferent efforts of alien law enforcement to make improvements. Some might tell me 'wait' but I've been waiting long enough, and seen little improvement. How long until I can have an exchange with a Floran and tell them my honest views on them without being condemned or attacked? How long before these aliens that appear to have infinite knowledge on us 'birds' bother to accord our theological beliefs some respect or ask ours for information on our culture rather than relying on rumors and self-conceived truths? How many more times need I or other kin be assaulted before we see any real consequences befall the attackers? I hope some answers can help clear this dark fog in my mind. -A Curious Flightless (Turavis)
Allow me to tell the tale from a Grounded perspective. We are outcasts from our own kin, it is not a very big deal, ignore us we are fine with that. However, when the religious decide that it is Kluex's command that we be killed or sacrificed it makes a statement. There is a saying, "I cannot hear you for your actions speak louder than your words." It has never rang true than with our kind. I do not hate all Flightless, I know there are good amongst them but many have taken my friends and family, I am alone now. I have no one anymore all because of Kluex. I do not wish you harm because you are still kin and I hope you would do the same. The other races see us as primitive as we fight over something so trivial, leading other races to think they know us. I sympathize with you, I have been judged by people for just being an Avian, but there are the few who do not judge. Do not think of a race as a whole it will only lead to stereotypes and that is what you seem to be talking about now. -A Pirate Grounded (Raideck)
This is tiresome sometimes, so let me try again to explain some things reasonably. Those Flightless who are not fine with it would be very glad to see their lost kin return to the fold, I am certain. Within our own fold, there are few greater honors. It's one that the Grounded criminals who sack holy ground or harass Flightless settlements don't deserve, but receive anyways. And on the contrary, there is no commandment by Kluex that decrees the sacrifice of the faithless. If the priests decide on an individual case, there is always a reason, I'm certain. Within the fold, only the body dies. The only real fear is never ascending into the Aether. I pray these lost might repent in spirit so they ascend, but I also know this would not have happened had they been of the faith. It is NOT a trivial matter. But yes, it appears to be believed that this conflict defines us more that it does. I do not need your sympathy. I just desire to know how long I must peacefully express beliefs to only receive scorn and violence from the majority of foreigners and how long I must wait to see some respect accorded to me and mine. The more I think on it, the more I begin to believe the only wave that held back the tide of prejudice was the fear of retaliation by the Holy Fleet's detachment. The Flightless residents here no longer have the Fleet or the haven of Liberty Mills, so perhaps matters do need to be taken into our own claws to show we are worthy of respect. -A Curious Flightless
You want respect? You are truly the same as others before you. I will be honest with you, no one will respect you if you do not respect them no matter how peaceful you are. It is just the way everyone is, either live with it or go back to Avos where you can be respected for the rest of your life. -A Pirate Grounded
I am not from Avos, so it is no true home to me. And the desire for respect is common, but I do not need it from the fallen ones or the Flora. I treat others based upon their actions, but identity does not lack weight. I've met a Floran whom I came as close to respecting as a Faithful could, and I have met a lost Avian who was faithless without their knowledge and treated them well. Both taught me some lessons I have considered. Do not assume I lack respect for others. -A Curious Flightless
That is all the advice I have for you, some people are respectful of Flightless but actions outweigh words and we have been having a lot of actions from Flightless that have been... acts of harm.. stay safe. -A Pirate Grounded
I have survived this long, young though I may be. ... If you would ever consider joining us, I would be glad of it. The Aether's peace find you in the next. -A Curious Flightless
USERNAME: Hakachi'Nija Avian will not be attacked for Avian beliefs as soon as Hakachi is not attacked just for being Floran. Avian speaks of judgement because Avian. Hakachi is judged because of being Floran. More alike then Avian thinks.
I got a good idea for you. Leave Anatares, you dope. And take your sacrifices with you! -Joe Joferson.
[Sent from [email protected]] Look, pal. I don't really know who you are but it looks like you've been here longer than I have. We flightless gotta come together, ya know? We need to support each other if nobody will help us and just... Watch each others back and stuff. I read some stuff about grounded being killed by some Flightless and I guess the people will call us Flightless monsters so we gotta deal with that label now. Peace is something I ask for but it's clear there will be none, you know? Lets just hold our own and exact our own justices since nobody else will. ((Herx-Amman))
Wonderful. We Grounded do nothing but live our exile, and you come here and slaughter us. Now you are the victims and you seek to 'exact your own justices'. On us, I imagine. Certainly you are no monsters! Because we have not just given you peace and let you go the pluck away. Odd. If I remember correctly, that is ALL we've asked of you is to leave us be in the exile YOU inflict on us. Not spew libel at us from the streets. You are as much hypocrites here as you ever were on Avos. -Alo
If you wish to complain of libel, look to your own words. The same goes for your accusation of hypocrisy. You are right. I cannot hope to wait for justice any longer. It must be taken, for there is none to be found for ours here unless we create it for ourselves. -A Curious Flightless
This is a sector of self-righteous interventionists. That you live among them is your issue, kin. Only when the faithless have been brought to judgement and the meddlers have laid down their arms will peace return. Praise Kluex, Ashenwing
Ashenwing, unless I miss my guess, you were one of the ones that slaughtered that Grounded village a week ago. I saw you again yesterday. Who are you to say who deserves to live and who deserves to die? Why should you be the one that brings the Grounded before the Winged Arbiter? We only want to live quietly, away from religious prejudice. Your kind brought the fight to us. This sector as a whole would be safer without you. I wish I hadn't missed when I pulled the trigger.
[sent from [email protected]] Well shit! I'm not talking about killing these buttpeckers I'm talking about... I mean, the violent ones! I don't have enough claws on my talons to count the times I've been threatened with death by grounded! We do something about them or maaaybe try to tell the other grounded to keep them under control, ya know? I've already tried to talk like two grounded AND flightless out of fighting but... I'm just afraid of retaliation. ((Herx-Amman))
This is exactly what disturbs me. The Grounded occupants of this sector, or at least those in the largest group I know of, do not appear to know that many of their Faithless kin before them in this sector were terrorists, robbers, and general petty criminals. Not all perhaps, but many. They're hardly clean as a collective historical body, and it's the filthier parts that we need to be prepared to defend ourselves from and demand justice for. -A Curious Flightless
