Banned for using a racist name?

[jim the chin]

I don't understand why I was banned. The name I used is in the English dictionary. It is not slang for anything, it has nothing to do with race, it is a proper word with a proper meaning.

The word is niggard, which means a person who is stingy and miserly, like Scrooge in Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". I think it's a beautiful word, and it shouldn't get dumped on by ignorant moderators who see a similarity with a racial slur.

Here is the moment the English language took a beating:


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The only argument he could give is that I have bypassed a rule by placing a ! in my name. This of course is only a problem with the rule. For example, if I had used the name "Gold J3wellery" then this would be bypassing the rule against using "jew". Of course this is not racist either. So if I next go into TW with that name, will I be banned?

I tried to explain this to the staff member, but he was too eager to ban. Or rather, he didn't want to admit his ignorance.

What about the country "Nigeria"? Does that whole country now become a racial slur? What if I entered TW with the name N!gerian because I want to represent my country? What happens then, do I get banned? Ironically that would be racism from you! I hope you see my point.

[MaGi kOz]

The first part of your name shows up as "N!ggar"... which just sounds like a misspelling of the more common offensive racial slur. You prove this yourself in your screenshot. And why would someone named "Gold J3wellery" get banned?

And I agree... Niggard is a beautiful word.

[Twenty Four]

Welcome to TrenchWars forum!

-24

[gran guerrero]

Don't test the tw best about the boundaries of the racial jest or you surely will quest as to why you were banned lest you just put this all to rest and just enjoy this game with zest rather than being such a pest.

[Jerome Scuggs]

holy shit thread down I repeat thread down, gran wins by KO

[jim the chin]

The reason I was given for my ban is not that my name was racist, but because I have bypassed a control on usernames to stop people using the real racial slur. So by that logic the name "Gold J3wellery" should also get banned because it bypasses the control on the word Jew. Also, just because I happen to have ?namelen=6, and therefore my screen shows N!ggar, that doesn't mean anything really, I could just as easily have ?namelen=7 and see the whole name.

Here's an even funnier example. Imagine if the Star Trek actor Walter Koenig tried to play Trench Wars. He would find his name is illegal in Trench Wars due to the control on usernames having nig in them. He would then create the name Walter Koen!g, and promptly get banned for bypassing the control. It's so dumb it's funny. I hope I've highlighted a problem with the rules, if this rule even exists.

[LF]

[MaGi kOz]

Why would we spam new players who automatically enter the game with the namelength defaulted to 6 to type ?namelen=7 in order to find certain names unoffensive? Why would we make the accommodation for one person when it's much simpler to just ban the name? And the name 'Niggard' is not even allowed as it is considered "Obscene or restricted". You are even given this message as you try to enter Trench Wars with that name so that should have been your FIRST warning when you decided to use the exclamation point to get around that.

The name Koenig anything is not blocked. But, It's when people who play names similar to this with emphasis on the nig (koeNIG) and then run around spewing random racial euphemisms (koeNIG> I dislike dark meat) is when you're asking for it. And using it as Koen!g IS an emphasis on the nig, but even then, it takes great observation and scrutiny to determine true intent like I mentioned. Golden J3wellery is JUST GOLDEN JEWELRY. But when you start yapping off about hitler and killing jews is when you get what's coming to you. These names are NOT OBVIOUSLY RACIST but once you start pointing it out and begin suggesting racial content, then your intent has become evident.

[gran guerrero]

LF i saw that comedy special, it was hillarious

[jim the chin]

Good point. Pity I wasn't acting racist or it would have applied to me...

Moving on, your argument about namelength is flawed. What if I had the name N!gerian? That's not racist, but someone with namelen=3 would see a racist name.

Nevertheless, why are you changing the topic? The reason I was given for being banned is that I bypassed the controls on usernames. Seeing as I didn't do this to create a racist name, this is no different from banning someone for using the name Koen!g, N!gerian, or Gold J3wellery. That is the reason I was given. Trying to come up with unrelated, or quite frankly, bad, arguments after the matter is irrelevant.

Now, having thought about this, you could say that as many people don't know the meaning of the word Niggard, it could quite easily be mistaken as a racial slur. That is a valid argument, although I could just tell anyone who appears offended by it. Nevertheless, there's always those who might get offended and not say anything. Those people are pathetic, but that's who racism laws are there to protect. Thus, I don't mind not using the name again. Just don't give me stupid rules that are are too ridiculous for me to believe they will ever be actually used. LF gave me a countdown, but the reason he gave for the ban was so ridiculously dumb I thought he was joking. The fact he was serious stunned me enough to take the screenshot and make this topic. I mean, seriously, what is the application procedure for becoming staff in this zone? ...Human? (yes), Can type (yes)... You're hired! Surely they have to display some rudimentary intelligence? I mean look at LF's post in this topic, I think he's trying to troll me lol!

[gran guerrero]

Dude you just don't get it because you are new to the forums, so I'll enlighten you.

You aren't the first person to have this problem (and I literally mean, there are hundreds of people who have posted something along these lines of what is racist and what isn't in the Trench wars zone).

Doesn't matter what you say, the tw staff are fucking adamant on their position and it will never change. They didn't change for the past 100 people before you, they won't decide hey fuck we had it all wrong this guy is making sense.

WRONG, wrong

They will think you are a racist, no matter what you say because that is what they deem it, so it stands that way.

Give it a rest, for your own good.

This path of fighting staff tooth and nail of what is racism will get you no where but eventual trolling and a ban.

Trust me, I was -there-

[Jason]

gimme a break pal... you enjoy the word 'niggard' sooo much (a beautiful word? really?) that you simply had to use it as your name?

get the fuck outta here. if you honestly weren't trying to push the envelope, why couldn't you just say "oh my bad. i'll use another name." thing is, you were trying to push the envelope, thinking you're funny. guess what? no, you're not. and neither were any of the hundreds before you that gran mentioned. bending the rules for the sake of bending the rules and then crying wolf when you get burned isn't going to garner you a bit of sympathy.

[LF]

Says it right in your screenshot holmes... I don't make the rules, I just enforce them.

Also in your screenshot, I gave you a lot more of an opportunity than just a 10 second countdown to comply. I even started off asking nicely in your PM, when that failed I gave you an official warning followed by several more PMs. When all else failed you got what you deserved. So don't accuse me a being banhappy when I tried everything under the sun to handle it without a ban. Next time don't be a stubborn ass about it and I'll just carry on doing with whatever I am doing.

P.S. Sweet Rhymes g4

[Twenty Four]

Welcome to TrenchWars forum!

-24

Welcome to Trenchwars forum!

-24

[MaGi kOz]

Good point. Pity I wasn't acting racist or it would have applied to me...

Moving on, your argument about namelength is flawed. What if I had the name N!gerian? That's not racist, but someone with namelen=3 would see a racist name.

Nevertheless, why are you changing the topic? The reason I was given for being banned is that I bypassed the controls on usernames. Seeing as I didn't do this to create a racist name, this is no different from banning someone for using the name Koen!g, N!gerian, or Gold J3wellery. That is the reason I was given. Trying to come up with unrelated, or quite frankly, bad, arguments after the matter is irrelevant.

Now, having thought about this, you could say that as many people don't know the meaning of the word Niggard, it could quite easily be mistaken as a racial slur. That is a valid argument, although I could just tell anyone who appears offended by it. Nevertheless, there's always those who might get offended and not say anything. Those people are pathetic, but that's who racism laws are there to protect. Thus, I don't mind not using the name again. Just don't give me stupid rules that are are too ridiculous for me to believe they will ever be actually used. LF gave me a countdown, but the reason he gave for the ban was so ridiculously dumb I thought he was joking. The fact he was serious stunned me enough to take the screenshot and make this topic. I mean, seriously, what is the application procedure for becoming staff in this zone? ...Human? (yes), Can type (yes)... You're hired! Surely they have to display some rudimentary intelligence? I mean look at LF's post in this topic, I think he's trying to troll me lol!

Can someone confirm for me what the default namelength for newly downloaded clients? I'm guessing it's 6 but I could be wrong.

When you attempted to create the name "Niggard", you were given a reason for why you couldn't make it: Obscene and not allowed in Trench Wars. So instead you changed it to bypass KNOWING IT WAS NOT ALLOWED and possibly obscene. Ban. Simple as that.

And I don't think I ever changed the subject. Maybe you're not reading through my text thoroughly enough. The other names you stated are not related because they are not restricted from even creating. So then these names are given the benefit of the doubt. But it throws red flags when you decide to use ! in place of the "I" as if you were trying to censor your true intent. And how about we just save you the effort of having to explain to EVERYBODY that you did not mean to apply racism to the name "N!ggard" and just ban it? Your logic is similar to those who bans the use of all airplanes for the sake of those who want to travel with explosives in their possession. I personally would like to see you try calling someone a "niggard" in real life and coming out successfully explaining what it means without doubt, malice, or a black eye. Try running around butt naked and attempting to explain to everyone that it is "just skin" and see where you'll end up. Then call everyone else pathetic. You must not be very social if this is truly how you think.

Nevertheless, I support you arguing my point and making your own argument seem pointless. Perhaps your efforts should be used for something proactive instead of counter-productive. Try applying for staff.