Keep in mind, I am replying as a staunch libertarian here in america.
I run a roleplaying game. I limit ooc channels to a VERY small number.
Anything that goes on in the roleplaying channels is fair game, as long as
it can be defended as roleplaying in a mideival sort of context. (The word
homosexual did exist hundreds of years ago...as did the F word).
Where people are allowed to roleplay people who are baby killers and racists
and whatnot (a certain drow anti-paladin comes to mind who was an amazing
roleplayer...and the character loved baby blood and hated all non-drow).
Now, if it gets excessive, I will probably step in and take steps as it is
probably not really roleplaying.
I don't believe roleplaying games are for the very young, and the
environment in my game is rather adult (as it takes a certain amount of
maturity to roleplay well)
As for the one who said "All racism should be illegal." I have to
strenuously disagree.
There is an important difference between the word "Racism" and the word
"discrimination".
Racism is, in my moral compass, wrong. BUT, it is a point of view. It is a
"thought" or a "belief". And I strongly believe that NO government or
ruling body of any kind should attempt to legislate the THOUGHTS of it's
citizens. It SHOULD be legal to hate whoever you want, for whatever reason
you want....nomatter how stupid and wrong it is.
Discrimination, on the the other hand, is ACTING on a racist or otherwise
stereotypical belief in such a way that there are differences in how one
group of people is treated.
THAT is wrong. That should be illegal.
But saying fag, or chink, or beener....should not.
Why? because nowhere in the US constitution does it say "You have the right
to never be offended, and the Government will legislate that anyone with an
offensive thought will be punished."
Life is hard and unfair. There are people who won't like you for VERY stupid
and illogical reasons. That is a fact of life...It is more healthy to ignore
those people as utter morons, than to get "offended" and try to make it
illegal to say what they want. I believe that it is NOT the place of a
Government (Or an administrator of MY roleplay mud) to protect it's people
from anything that they might find offensive.
They DO have the right to ignore the offensive material, if they wish.
(so to answer the original question....I would never allow someone to have
the NAME homo-something, as that is just not a roleplaying name in my
oppinion. But saying homo, I would probably let slide. Fag, I would most
definately not let slide, as I don't think it fits in the atmosphere of my
world. I would not let slide beener, or chink, or any of the common racial
epithets of this century for the same reason...not because I wanted to
coddle my playerbase...but because I don't want it's particular roleplay
environment broken.)
_________________________________________________________________
MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos:
http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx
