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We all wear hats. Sean Smith was no exception to that rule. To a precious few, he was a husband and father. Others knew him as a dedicated employee of the State Department, a testament to all Americans that serve this country. In the eyes of the perpetrators, just another American; to the news media, one of four killed in Benghazi; to us, simply Vile Rat. “Simply” Vile Rat. As if there was a vet within the proverbial thousand miles that didn’t at least recognize the name. Granted you won’t find a textbook recanting EVE’s history while spelling out the major players at any given time, but his name would have come up. Those of us who remember can understand what the EVE community lost Tuesday night.
As condolences, remembrances, thoughts and sadness spread through #tweetfleet, the senseless violence in which he was claimed became even more overwhelming. It was a sordid reminder that ignorance and hate, antagonists seemingly as powerful as the planning and foresight VR gave, could take from this community even the best laid plans. In a game that offers no guarantees but immortality, we were once again reminded that life continued to offer us the possibility of anything but.
Just as his life spurred action, so must his death. To continue moving forward is to do him the best memory. Moving forward together as a community, understanding and exercising our differences in-game while transcending to the understanding that we can be and are still united as one outside of it. ‘Cause if VR really taught us anything, it was that regardless of our differences, a little diplomacy can make the world go ’round.
In the honor and memory of Sean “Vile Rat” Smith, we present you with Episode 33, The Ripard Teg/CSM Edition.
-NT
Show Notes
-Special guests CSM Chairman Seleene, CSM Vice Secretary Hans Jagerblitzen, and infamously critical-of-the-CSM blogger Ripard Teg of Jester’s Trek fame.
-Alek and Seleene both shout out to Poetic Stanziel; coincidence or cloning? We report, you decide.
-Ripard Teg talks about his start in EVE and as a blogger
-Discussion of the CSM6 election and the experience of being a candidate
-Fierce debate over the role of the CSM
-Alek reads controversial parts of Ripard’s latest blog and shit gets real
-Real talk continues over Technetium alchemy and the accomplishments/shortcomings of CSM7
-EVE News: Massive ship graveyards in Tribute (CFC vs DotBros), big shakeups in Faction Warfare, DUST 514 hits Sisi
-Black Ops hot drop highlights from Noir.’s latest deployment
Examples cited by Ripard of Mittens using the bully pulpit to communicate a message to EVE players and elsewhere:
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/04/07/eve-online-audience-with-the-king-of-space/
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/14/feature/5582/The-Mittani-Speaks-Out.html
