Welcome to the new Miscellaneous Avatar Contest. See what I did there?
As society becomes more and more fractured into mutually hostile factions-- men and women, Blacks and Whites, north and south, Left and Right, and other things that may or may not rhyme-- it becomes increasingly clear how important it is to feel welcome. Whether you're starting a new job or moving to a new country, it's nice to know that the people there are happy to see you-- or at least that they don't want to kill you. By the same token, when you encounter someone who is not part of whatever arbitrary group to which you belong, there is always some gesture that can be made so that the newbie will feel welcomed into the fold. It could be as simple as a handshake or a message on a welcome mat, or as symbolic as a ceremony or a statue in a harbor.
Let's see all the myriad ways of welcoming a stranger. Normal avatar rules apply, which mean that media-based images are, ironically, not welcome.
(And thanks to the oddly named Rhubarbodendron for the idea.)
As society becomes more and more fractured into mutually hostile factions-- men and women, Blacks and Whites, north and south, Left and Right, and other things that may or may not rhyme-- it becomes increasingly clear how important it is to feel welcome. Whether you're starting a new job or moving to a new country, it's nice to know that the people there are happy to see you-- or at least that they don't want to kill you. By the same token, when you encounter someone who is not part of whatever arbitrary group to which you belong, there is always some gesture that can be made so that the newbie will feel welcomed into the fold. It could be as simple as a handshake or a message on a welcome mat, or as symbolic as a ceremony or a statue in a harbor.

Let's see all the myriad ways of welcoming a stranger. Normal avatar rules apply, which mean that media-based images are, ironically, not welcome.
(And thanks to the oddly named Rhubarbodendron for the idea.)