A quick survey of this thread says otherwise.
I’ll fall back on the old argument that only the powerless punish.
Yes, authority is the final arbiter of what is right.
This isn’t a democracy you dope. Freedom of speech applies to the United States, not small segments of community within it. Your sarcasm-laced post is actually non-sarcastically true.
It’s not even about all the little girls on this forum who are clearly incapable of manning up.
It’s really just about not being a dick. And not being a dick entails modulating your output so you don’t offend people. If you think that’s an infringment upon Ye Olde Libberties, you’re a mistaken fool.
I don’t agree with Toms stance on certain words (although I’d never use them, either) and I’ve had many discussions with him here about game ratings and the ability of nudity or sex to warp a fragile young mind. We just don’t agree.
But that doesn’t really matter. It’s his place and his rules. I could somewhat understand the outrage if his rules were a big mystery or he applied them arbitrarily, but that is just not the case.
It’s sad that the guy on the right side of the “being an asshole”-line in that particular argument was banned, but he knew the rules and apparently he even had a quite recent warning to remind him.
Nothing in his statement relates to freedom of speech or democracy. You really don’t get his meaning at all, apparently.
Ah, this I didn’t know. Well if that’s the case then I understand the ban completely. Intentionally crossing that line again is just silly and on his own head be it.
Oh and on the whole c-word debacle, I know exactly where Tom is coming from. I know a ridiculous number of ways to insult someone, as do most people, but over here that word is probably one of the most offensive things you can come out with. I’ve seen more then one insult match come down to punches once that word is thrown about and well… Come on, it’s really not hard to respect someone and not use it.
Tyrannosaurus Reich rules.
And let’s not lose sight of the fact that the individual in question used the freaking n-word. I can’t think of a context in which it’s not offensive and hateful. He may not have been directing it toward anyone in particular as a racial slur, but the word is SO loaded he should have known better without being warned. This isn’t about whether Tom is a schoolmarm; it’s about whether someone is capable of being a civilized human being.
And when he used the c-word, he was pretty much asking to be banned.
I get the meaning fine. “Admins who tell us what to do without having a rational basis* are thugs.”
- Rational means “a rational argument I agree with”
I understand we are adults and use bad words and all. Furthermore, I get that this is an internet forum where, evidently, you have license to be a little more “expressive” than you would normally be, but do folks debate in this manner with acquaintances, co-workers or random people on the street?
Co-workers, no, because I have a no-swearing rule at work. Acquaintances and random people, yes.
My friends and coworkers are adults who can handle a little naughty language, so yes. Hopefully Tom will grow up one day.
I mean I say fuck/shit/damn/hell/piss/son of a bitch, but it is never in a heated manner and the words are never directed at someone with whom I am having a discussion. Probably do not use the c/n words ever, but maybe that is just a personal preference. One co-worker hates the word moist, so I intentionally use that whenever it is hot outside or we have cake.
So, I get the using naughty words with co-workers/acquaintances, just not in agitated way at them. Some might say I am ever-so-slightly non-confrontational though…
They’re not alone. I thought this was funny when it was a character trait of the mom in Dead Like Me. Knowing there’s more than a handful of people out there that are this dysfunctional scares me though.
Oooh, denied! Work has blocked social networking sites. Probably because people’s status updates use naughty word (actually, its the occasional virus infested applications).
Yes, rules are often arbitrary. To an extent, it doesn’t even matter what the forbidden words are. Everybody knows there’s some words you shouldn’t use around here, it’s been made very clear. Deliberately flouting the (very few) rules is equivalent to saying you don’t want to be here anymore.
Tom could arbitrarily say that “hopscotch” was a ban-worthy word, and could rightly expect everybody to stop using it. Every club has rules, and if you don’t want to follow them, you should rightly be expected to leave.
I would think if he hated the users enough to make up petty reasons to ban them, then he should probably consider letting someone else take over.
