This is gonna be a long post, but I hope that most of you read it because it will clarify a few points :-
In defense of CV, who introduced the retard rickshaw:
Quote:
retard [Show phonetics]
noun [C] OFFENSIVE
a stupid or mentally slow person:
I'm not playing with him, he's a total retard.
You will see that the modern definition of 'retard' refers to a 'stupid' person, which is why it is actually, technically, an appropriate name for a forum for 'stupid' posts. While it is of course an offensive slur, this is towards the threads in general rather than the person at hand. 'Stupid is as stupid does' etc...
This is entirely different to the ultimately old-fashioned definition that you are taking severe offense to:
Quote:
the retarded
plural noun OFFENSIVE OLD-FASHIONED
people with slow development, usually mental development:
The programme offers intermediate care for the mentally retarded.
...which seems to imply a medical mental deficiency. This is the OLD-FASHIONED definition.
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In addition, by definition this also does NOT constitute 'racism'. You are getting your terminology confused:
Quote:
race (PEOPLE)
noun [C/U]
any group into which humans can be divided according to their shared physical characteristics, such as skin color or hair color and type, or their common genetic characteristics, such as blood type
This rules out people with medical mental deficiencies as a 'race', because there is no shared common ground to define them as one - whether in terms of genetics, or shared characteristics (too many variables other than being mentally slow, which as we can all agree transcends race).
Quote:
racism
noun DISAPPROVING
the belief that people's qualities are influenced by their race and that the members of other races are not as good as the members of your own, or the resulting unfair treatment of members of other races:
The authorities are taking steps to combat/fight/tackle racism in schools.
The report made it plain that institutional racism (= racism in all parts of an organization) is deep-rooted in this country.
You can see that all this points towards traits of a particular race in terms of beliefs, origins, skin colour etc, not mental capability.
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Next, on to your conduct on the boards (again):
Quote:
f*** head...please stfu for you have no knowledge what so ever if you do not see how it is....
so in short stfu your an ignorant fool and should be shot then skull f***** until i say other wise.
-Impe
If this happens again I will be forum banning you for a week. I don't care what your motives are - there are ways to present your views and this is most definitely not it. While I agree that alot of what you have said is correct in principle - two wrongs do NOT make a right, and I will not tolerate this sort of language or flaming here. You have ignored numerous moderator warnings, and you don't even play anymore.
As for Hiroshi's statement, yes I believe he is correct. I myself have allowed myself to get drawn into a few arguments of late and after discussing this at length with GM Hydro I have rectified this situation. This is not hypocrisy, it is more that as staff we are constantly on a learning process and I know that I must remain diplomatic at all times. I was kinda dropped in the deep-end with little opportunity for training from the higher staff, but I hope that I have done well for Obsidian and will continue to do so.
However, I disagree with Impe in that we are not picking and choosing who to punish, or going easy on our 'friends'. Many of you will know behind the scenes that I most definitely HAVE jailed several people I would consider friends in accordance with the rules - and they took it completely on the chin. We have a job to do and must remain impartial.
I am concerned along with Hiroshi, however, that some of the comments from a few moderators of late have been entirely different and I will be keeping an eye on it.
I hope that you guys will understand that it is difficult to keep track of every small offense that happens on Obsidian. It would be entirely hypocritical of anyone (including impe) to dare to complain that we have not jailed some offenders while jailing others!
We can all put our hands on our hearts and admit that there is very few if any players here with a 100% clean sheet (be it a little flaming, macroing or whatever) - we are all human. Does that mean I should jail everyone? Jail party w00t!
Anyway, the fact of the matter is that when a single incident is brought to our attention by a player complaint with screenshot evidence then we must be seen to follow it up and make an example of an offender. Likewise if I see something with my own eyes I will act immediately. We are not an all-seeing eye, so we cannot be blamed if we miss one offender and discipline another.
Ultimately it is the responsibility of every player here to conduct themselves appropriately on this shard.