So, this is still going on... and really off track. if anyone would like to read my previous post, its more humorous and expansive, otherwise, see the more concise statement below so that the heart of the matter can be settled: where should admins draw the line in the sand?
if ya'll dont want to be trolled on the internet, go watch cailou or something. i mean, do you really think people read the shit they see in game and their mascara starts running? racism, yeah, should'nt be there.
The word my old friend is an ambiguous term. calling someone a my old friend really is an expression of feeling cheated by someone, and therefore calling them a cheat, specifically that they cheated you with less than applaudable behavior. same as saying something is gay. I sincerely believe that 99% of the time, this word or related words are not used to denounce someones sexual orientation, and if it were, im sure 99% of the time it would be reported to an admin, and 99% of the time those 1% would be muted or banned and punished accordingly.
for instance, in battle, Hospitaller_Jeff_of_Canada called someone a my old friend, not to long before this post. insta-muted for a 2 word sentence. no warning, no trial, just Judge, Jury and Executioner guillotines falling down on a otherwise normal person.
case in point: an admins job is to promote order, rule following, and insure everyone enjoys the game, not to filter language. if that language offends, it is then the admin's job to stop the "offensive" behavior. language is only offensive if it is seen as such.
to play devil's advocate, i could say "well, n-word isnt bad, because people use it all the time in jest, or greeting." tell me, how often does anyone call someone a n word as a term of affection, other than someone who is black? never.
how often is my old friend used by someone who isnt gay as a term of... well as a jocular term? all the time. people say things are gay all the time.
so if you're appalled at my lack of respect for the lgbt community, its time to go watch some fucking cailou you my old friend.
*note: no homophobic reference intended.
p.s. my aunt was a lesbian. she used/uses the term all the time in a non-discriminatory manner
Admins are not baby sitters, and they are not sunday school teachers. ethics should not come into play with their decisions.
there are certain things which intersect with ethical hot zones, like racism, sexism, harassment, and unwanted sexual advances.
the key here is CONTEXT. below are some examples of absolutely inappropriate social context, and ambiguous social interaction.
Racism:
hey, you friend, get me a coke. -- damn zipper heads didnt cook my noodles right. -- stupid southerners and their incest
hey whazzup my nigga. -- ok mr.arigato, give me a call when you're free then. -- wow you should watch "you might be a redneck skits once in a while"
sexist/orientation related
hey, stop sucking that dick you my old friend. -- you like it both ways dont you dirty bastard. -- are you top or bottom
i really thought it was gay they nerfed horses. -- you and your "flexible" playstyle lol -- gay archer dude.
harrasment
i hope someone hangs you by your mothers ovaries. -- im going to track you down and murder you -- im going to fry your hard drive after i hack you.
hope you get raped by melee, stupid thrower pure asshat. -- ill get you next time ya sack of crap. -- man you stink, stop playing or open your eyes and come back.
and i'll save the sexual advances since that REALLY doesnt happen much...
as you can see, there are right ways and iffy ways to say words. one is absolutely unacceptable social behavior, the other is risky, blunt conversation.
now obviously not everyone will agree what is offensive or not, and someone will be offended occasionally, but generally speaking noone cares, noone is crying in the bathroom after a game of C-rpg.
Specifically, it is the job of admins to maintain a mostly peaceful operative state to the server, and to rectify caustic or inflammatory situations, as well as enforce fair play.
case in point:
i will call all HA's my old friends if they delay the round and lose my multi by their gay behavior,
i will insult level 10 weaboos with board shields and strait swords that get me killed or team hit me.
i will damn the 10 to 1 hero that keeps raping me in battle
i will call people idiots, morons, and jackasses at my discretion for stupid, thoughtless, or asinine behavior
and with people i personally know or people that i have a good relation with, i might make the rare risky joke to their amusement, although i personally would keep in it TS only so noone misconstrued my jest as racist trash talk.
and if any admin here feels that that is crossing the line, i think that it would be wise to evaluate the nature of the internet and of culture. despite what anyone thinks or feels about it, i personally will continue to express my thoughts and feelings in a manner with discernment, and if i offend anyone i feel it is the right of an admin to tell me to cease and desist the behavior to which i will happily adjust the behavior. i have only been warned a handful of times for risky comments, less than 5 for sure, in my 3 ish years of playing CRPG.
In closing, I think it is offensive for an admin to have the gumption to act as a moral watch dog for everyone on the server because they have a pet peeve and become judge, jury and executioner for behavior that to 99% of the world noone could care less about. i think an admin should only do something if it is reported or becoming inflammatory.
therefore... either act intelligently about it and take words on a case to case basis, or tell people they cant harrass or belittle eachother, make dirty jokes, say expletives of any kind, and absolutely be sure to say nothing more than what needs to be said to communicate.
