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The Swastika: As I see it
Hi there.
Well, I got banned yesterday. I got banned for wearing a banner that had an odd, rectangular-squarish shape with 4 pointy sides sticking out. There was some red and white in the middle too, like a discolored pumpkin pie or something. The banner was that of a Swastika.
I don't particularly understand why I was banned. Especially since it was done in such a nice, polite manner. First, M_M God asked me on squad chat to remove it since it was against TW rules. Then Thorn made a joke and asked me if I minded taking it down. M_M gave me red warning, apologized on chat, and then banned me for a day. Naturally my ban will be upped due to my ban history, but that's besides the point.
The Swastika banner, previously ridiculed by certain staff members, was always supported by Priitk. He felt that people had an undeniable freedom to wear whatever banner pleased them. Putting restrictions on banners is not only unenforceable, but ineffective and illogical. In his absence, Overstrand and others have made up a rule that proclaims the Swastika to be a racist symbol of intolerance and therefore prohibited in TW.
SSCU Trench Wars Ban Guide reads as follows:
--
SSCU Trench Wars Banning Procedures
This guide was compiled to be an approximate list of how a ban should be
preceded in various categories
Before actual banning procedures are gotten into I think the concept of
"Warning" a player should be discussed because there are several ways of
doing it. Idly a warning should be done by a (s)moderator because they are
there for primarily handling cheaters. When I mention a warning I mean the
*warn command. The nice thing about that is; he player that's cheating gets
a nice un-ignorable red message that starts with "MODERATOR WARNING" then
whatever he is doing. This is a very nice way of catching attention, and
afterwards they should put something to the general effect of "(The specific
kind of cheating they are doing) is illegal in TW and is punishable by
banning". That's a mod warning, but once in awhile staff can't do this. In
pub ER's still capable of doing something similar. They just give you a
green message and end it with a sound and the tag should tip you off that
you are on staff. ERs will usually come if mods are busy dealing with
another cheater or there are no other available mods. Please note that for a
ban you must warn the perpetrator in your staff name, It is sufficient to
tell them that once they are warned the next time they are caught they may
be banned without notice. The severity of the case determines after how much
time a player deserves another warning, instead of a ban. If you watch a
cheater under an alt name and you have already given the appropriate
warnings you can ban if he continues to break the rules.
Racism and discrimination
Racism happens, to pretend it doesn't would be stupid, so instead it is a
ban-able offence. Basically if you type messages that are offensive to
someone's culture, heritage, physicality, sexual preference, or race
designed to hurt the general group/person will not be tolerated. If a
player does this privately and a log of the transcripts is sent that will be
counted as proof and you can ban for it.
Excessive sexual or verbal harassment is also not tolerated. Note: This
applies to Player names and squad names that are derogatory.
Swastika banners fall under this category and any Swastika banners that are
tilted are ban-able and those that resemble the Nazi banners are as well.
Others are ok!!
Staff can take it upon themselves to decide how many warnings to give and
then ban.
1st Offence ban time - 1 day
2nd Offence ban time - 7 days
3rd Offence ban time - 30 days
4th Offence ban time - 60 days
5th offence ban time - 90 days
6th offence ban time - 120 days
--
In the absence of the controlling brains of TW and leader of the inactive Subspace Council, staff has not only violated the rules of the person who wrote the code for the game they are in 'charge of' but also the freedoms and liberties that come with choosing your own name, your own squad, and yes -- your own banner.
"The Swastika" is the oldest cross and emblem in the world. It forms a combination of four "L's" standing for Luck, Light, Love and Life. It has been found in ancient Rome, excavations in Grecian cities, on Buddhist idols, on Chinese coins dated 315 B.C., and the Southwest Indians use it as an amulet.
It is claimed that the Mound Builders and Cliff Dwellers of Mexico, Central America consider "The Swastika" a charm to drive away evil and bring good luck, long life and prosperity to the possessor.
Of course, the Swastika has often been associated with hate, racism, predjudice, and needless violence due to the atrocity of the Nazi regime during the Holocaust era.
However, banning the Swastika is a bad idea for many reasons:
1) First and foremost, this is unfair and illogical. If a select group of individuals can persuade the authorative figure to punish anyone who does not conform, then the entire system is asking for trouble. Perception is not evidence, nor is it ground for punishment or justification for ridicule. What appears to be a symbol of hate and injustice to you, is simply a wobbly formation of lines to me. I was not racist, malicious, or trouble making when I had the banner on. I said no curses, no insults, no slurs. I did not stab, burn, or discriminate against an individual or a group of individuals. There was no malice behind me wearing a swastika; therefore I do not deserve to be punished.
2) If a symbol can so easily be affiliated with ultimate destruction, dare I suggest that there is a multitude of images out there that deserve to be banned. What kind of a precedent does this set? Why isn't the Cross banned? Wingzero says that the Cross, although affiliated with the Crusades in which thousands upon thousands of Islamic civilians were beheaded, the Spanish Inquisition where the Catholic Religion and the Cross were mandated as the law of the land and those that did not convert were hung, or the rosemary-cross I see today on UPN 9, hanging on the neck of the pedophile priest who just settled his multi-million dollar court case, presents a plethora of positive religious beliefs. Well, I propose that to some people, such as myself, the Swastika is a symbol of something entirely different from what the mainstream would have you believe. Apparently some of the oldest civilizations in Rome and Greece share my view. To some it's a symbol of the German might, others see it as a decoration of history. If the Swastika, ridiculed through perception, is offensive enough to be prohibited then I would like to make a request for the Cross to be banned, for the Star of David to be banned, for the NFL Bills logo to be banned (my uncle lost his wallet at the Bills game, you see), as well as the dildo, the leather pouch, and the George Foreman Grill (boxing is violent and promotes drug use, it also offends me) to be punishable by a heavy fine and a prison sentance. Since the following symbols are sure to offend about 14 people worldwide, we must seek justice in the name of democracy. Now that staff has the power and authority to ban one banner, who is going to stop them from continuing this tradition of idiocy?
1:WingZero <ER>> No other banners are being banned YET
3) This is about as unenforceable as it gets. Unlike a racist remark which is autologged by the server for mods to check up on, in case of a dispute, the banner can be switched on and off as the user pleases. When a mod comes into an arena, the person can easily switch banners and then proceed to be a Nazi boogieman all over again. This is entirely different from cheating and using programs, since those leave a more noticeable trace. RoboRef picks and up and reports unusual activity on staff chat. Staffers have the power to check lag levels for irregularities. A banner does not leave clear tracks behind, therefore, unless the perpatrator is caught at the instant of the crime, enforcing this rule will be a big, unneccassary burden. Besides the difficulties associated with it, one might want to ponder how these situations are handled in real life. If I were to have a nazi badge on my sweat shirt, I would not get arrested, fined, or castrated by the Governing body. My just and proper punishment would be the social ridicule from my fellow citizens. That should be as far as it goes.
4) The reasoning behind this is as fruity as Barney the Dinosaur's porno stash. The correlation between a racist action and a racist visual is non-existant. That's right, it is non-existant. IF, I wore my swastika banner while chanting "Kill the Jews, Fry Moses" and spamming pub with ZIEG HEIL, then it is an entirely different case. Swastikas in text books and soft-core German pornos seem to be perfectly fine. I never even had the Swastika banner in my directory until yesterday when I found out it became 'illegal.' Compromising freedom of expression and the liberty to choose just to satisfy outraged minorities is a crime in itself. I am not a racist. I am not a fascist. I choose to express myself in a manner which is different from the thinking patterns of the authorative rulers of TW. That does not make me 'bad,' it makes me different. Since my last ban, I have not caused any trouble, bothered anyone on staff, or ignited any sparks on the old flame. A 12 by 8 pixel equipped for 3 seconds does not automate someone into a demonic machine of intolerance and violent tendencies. I am not a Nazi, nor their supporter. The symbol in itself holds no value unless accompanied by verbal or physical discriminatory action. http://www.manwoman.net/swastika/
Well, I got banned yesterday. I got banned for wearing a banner that had an odd, rectangular-squarish shape with 4 pointy sides sticking out. There was some red and white in the middle too, like a discolored pumpkin pie or something. The banner was that of a Swastika.
I don't particularly understand why I was banned. Especially since it was done in such a nice, polite manner. First, M_M God asked me on squad chat to remove it since it was against TW rules. Then Thorn made a joke and asked me if I minded taking it down. M_M gave me red warning, apologized on chat, and then banned me for a day. Naturally my ban will be upped due to my ban history, but that's besides the point.
The Swastika banner, previously ridiculed by certain staff members, was always supported by Priitk. He felt that people had an undeniable freedom to wear whatever banner pleased them. Putting restrictions on banners is not only unenforceable, but ineffective and illogical. In his absence, Overstrand and others have made up a rule that proclaims the Swastika to be a racist symbol of intolerance and therefore prohibited in TW.
SSCU Trench Wars Ban Guide reads as follows:
--
SSCU Trench Wars Banning Procedures
This guide was compiled to be an approximate list of how a ban should be
preceded in various categories
Before actual banning procedures are gotten into I think the concept of
"Warning" a player should be discussed because there are several ways of
doing it. Idly a warning should be done by a (s)moderator because they are
there for primarily handling cheaters. When I mention a warning I mean the
*warn command. The nice thing about that is; he player that's cheating gets
a nice un-ignorable red message that starts with "MODERATOR WARNING" then
whatever he is doing. This is a very nice way of catching attention, and
afterwards they should put something to the general effect of "(The specific
kind of cheating they are doing) is illegal in TW and is punishable by
banning". That's a mod warning, but once in awhile staff can't do this. In
pub ER's still capable of doing something similar. They just give you a
green message and end it with a sound and the tag should tip you off that
you are on staff. ERs will usually come if mods are busy dealing with
another cheater or there are no other available mods. Please note that for a
ban you must warn the perpetrator in your staff name, It is sufficient to
tell them that once they are warned the next time they are caught they may
be banned without notice. The severity of the case determines after how much
time a player deserves another warning, instead of a ban. If you watch a
cheater under an alt name and you have already given the appropriate
warnings you can ban if he continues to break the rules.
Racism and discrimination
Racism happens, to pretend it doesn't would be stupid, so instead it is a
ban-able offence. Basically if you type messages that are offensive to
someone's culture, heritage, physicality, sexual preference, or race
designed to hurt the general group/person will not be tolerated. If a
player does this privately and a log of the transcripts is sent that will be
counted as proof and you can ban for it.
Excessive sexual or verbal harassment is also not tolerated. Note: This
applies to Player names and squad names that are derogatory.
Swastika banners fall under this category and any Swastika banners that are
tilted are ban-able and those that resemble the Nazi banners are as well.
Others are ok!!
Staff can take it upon themselves to decide how many warnings to give and
then ban.
1st Offence ban time - 1 day
2nd Offence ban time - 7 days
3rd Offence ban time - 30 days
4th Offence ban time - 60 days
5th offence ban time - 90 days
6th offence ban time - 120 days
--
In the absence of the controlling brains of TW and leader of the inactive Subspace Council, staff has not only violated the rules of the person who wrote the code for the game they are in 'charge of' but also the freedoms and liberties that come with choosing your own name, your own squad, and yes -- your own banner.
"The Swastika" is the oldest cross and emblem in the world. It forms a combination of four "L's" standing for Luck, Light, Love and Life. It has been found in ancient Rome, excavations in Grecian cities, on Buddhist idols, on Chinese coins dated 315 B.C., and the Southwest Indians use it as an amulet.
It is claimed that the Mound Builders and Cliff Dwellers of Mexico, Central America consider "The Swastika" a charm to drive away evil and bring good luck, long life and prosperity to the possessor.
Of course, the Swastika has often been associated with hate, racism, predjudice, and needless violence due to the atrocity of the Nazi regime during the Holocaust era.
However, banning the Swastika is a bad idea for many reasons:
1) First and foremost, this is unfair and illogical. If a select group of individuals can persuade the authorative figure to punish anyone who does not conform, then the entire system is asking for trouble. Perception is not evidence, nor is it ground for punishment or justification for ridicule. What appears to be a symbol of hate and injustice to you, is simply a wobbly formation of lines to me. I was not racist, malicious, or trouble making when I had the banner on. I said no curses, no insults, no slurs. I did not stab, burn, or discriminate against an individual or a group of individuals. There was no malice behind me wearing a swastika; therefore I do not deserve to be punished.
2) If a symbol can so easily be affiliated with ultimate destruction, dare I suggest that there is a multitude of images out there that deserve to be banned. What kind of a precedent does this set? Why isn't the Cross banned? Wingzero says that the Cross, although affiliated with the Crusades in which thousands upon thousands of Islamic civilians were beheaded, the Spanish Inquisition where the Catholic Religion and the Cross were mandated as the law of the land and those that did not convert were hung, or the rosemary-cross I see today on UPN 9, hanging on the neck of the pedophile priest who just settled his multi-million dollar court case, presents a plethora of positive religious beliefs. Well, I propose that to some people, such as myself, the Swastika is a symbol of something entirely different from what the mainstream would have you believe. Apparently some of the oldest civilizations in Rome and Greece share my view. To some it's a symbol of the German might, others see it as a decoration of history. If the Swastika, ridiculed through perception, is offensive enough to be prohibited then I would like to make a request for the Cross to be banned, for the Star of David to be banned, for the NFL Bills logo to be banned (my uncle lost his wallet at the Bills game, you see), as well as the dildo, the leather pouch, and the George Foreman Grill (boxing is violent and promotes drug use, it also offends me) to be punishable by a heavy fine and a prison sentance. Since the following symbols are sure to offend about 14 people worldwide, we must seek justice in the name of democracy. Now that staff has the power and authority to ban one banner, who is going to stop them from continuing this tradition of idiocy?
1:WingZero <ER>> No other banners are being banned YET
3) This is about as unenforceable as it gets. Unlike a racist remark which is autologged by the server for mods to check up on, in case of a dispute, the banner can be switched on and off as the user pleases. When a mod comes into an arena, the person can easily switch banners and then proceed to be a Nazi boogieman all over again. This is entirely different from cheating and using programs, since those leave a more noticeable trace. RoboRef picks and up and reports unusual activity on staff chat. Staffers have the power to check lag levels for irregularities. A banner does not leave clear tracks behind, therefore, unless the perpatrator is caught at the instant of the crime, enforcing this rule will be a big, unneccassary burden. Besides the difficulties associated with it, one might want to ponder how these situations are handled in real life. If I were to have a nazi badge on my sweat shirt, I would not get arrested, fined, or castrated by the Governing body. My just and proper punishment would be the social ridicule from my fellow citizens. That should be as far as it goes.
4) The reasoning behind this is as fruity as Barney the Dinosaur's porno stash. The correlation between a racist action and a racist visual is non-existant. That's right, it is non-existant. IF, I wore my swastika banner while chanting "Kill the Jews, Fry Moses" and spamming pub with ZIEG HEIL, then it is an entirely different case. Swastikas in text books and soft-core German pornos seem to be perfectly fine. I never even had the Swastika banner in my directory until yesterday when I found out it became 'illegal.' Compromising freedom of expression and the liberty to choose just to satisfy outraged minorities is a crime in itself. I am not a racist. I am not a fascist. I choose to express myself in a manner which is different from the thinking patterns of the authorative rulers of TW. That does not make me 'bad,' it makes me different. Since my last ban, I have not caused any trouble, bothered anyone on staff, or ignited any sparks on the old flame. A 12 by 8 pixel equipped for 3 seconds does not automate someone into a demonic machine of intolerance and violent tendencies. I am not a Nazi, nor their supporter. The symbol in itself holds no value unless accompanied by verbal or physical discriminatory action. http://www.manwoman.net/swastika/
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