EA Hosting Panel on Homophobia in Gaming

[squid5580]

When the rest of the world becomes pacificistic except for gay bashing then you will have a valid arguement. Until then you are a target just like every other human being on the planet. That is the problem VIOLENCE. Not some demographic targeted violence but violence altogether. Why not try to end that instead of the violence just directed at your group?

For one, return on investment. Trying to end violence targeted against demographics yields a greater net decrease in overall violence levels than trying to end violence itself per unit of effort.

Two, the greater fear that demographic targeted violence instills. Because that's the other reason we fight violence: fear of that violence affecting even those who are not victims of violence. Demographic targeted violence results in more fear per violent act than Generalized violence.

Three, quite often, the efforts to end Demographic targeted violence often are really just efforts to end violence itself. However, by doing so in the context of Demographic activism, it allows one to attract more effort and resources to the cause--it acts a a rallying cry.

So really, your life is probably better thanks to the efforts of those who have fought against Demographically target violence, even better than if they had poured all that effort into dealing with Generalized violence.

The rising tide floats all boats

Agreed. I just find it offensive when one specific demographic tries to claim the "we are the most targeted" award. It is also easier to try and curb the demographically targeted violence vs ending all violence (which lets face it is impossible at this time in history). At least then you have a target to shoot at. (Hmm probably not the best choice of words when in an anit violence arguement.)

Just because your demographic group is a target in the area where you live don't try and tell me that anothers in another area doesn't matter as much. If that is even the case. Just because you have been targeted personally doesn't mean that the problem is happening to everyone of your demographic everywhere. I got jumped by 4 guys once while walking down the street and as they had me on the ground laying the boots to me they kept calling me a "skid" and telling me to get a haircut (along with alot of other names). So am I to assume that every male with long hair is a target? Should I and my long hair brethren get any special rights or privileges? Should they have gotten charged with a hate crime? Of course not because I am a HWM. How can you not feel the equality?

SO how do we stop this anti gay violence? Or the racial violence? Or the violence against fat people, elderly people, hippies and the lsit goes on and on. Make more commercials exposing these demographics as weak cuz if life has taught me anything it is weakness to bullies is like blood to a shark. They can smell it miles away and it sends them into a frenzy.

 

[squid5580]

And can you offer any other base reasoning behind a violent crime.

Greed--a person wants the watch you are wearing. If you put your watch down and they could take it without doing violence to you, they would. However, they can't--you keep the watch on, so they take your watch off you using physical violence.

It's not that they hate you, it's that they are indifferent to your suffering, while their only motive is greed.

Or it could be argued that they hate you because you have something they want that lead to the greed.

But then, aren't we really just calling any negative emotion "hate"? Wouldn't it be more accurate to say they are 'jealous' or 'envious' of you?

Again it could be argued all those negative emotions stem from hate.

It could. Not very well and you'd basically have to develop a psychology that looked like something out of the 19th century that would have to ignore 99% of all the empirical research done in the field of mental health, but it could.

I really can't see how anyone would *want* to, though.

Hey that is what I was going to say. Although I have heard it used by some uber religious folks.

 

[squid5580]

IMHO a murderer should face life inprisonment plain and simple. No parole. You rot in a tiny cell eating tastless gruel for the rest of your days inbetween being put to intense physical labor (the chaingang). No matter if it was a crime of passion or premeditated murder.

I'm guessing that opinion has a lot more to do with your own desires than any sort of consideration for making society a safer and more civil place.

Umm no the reason is for a safer and civil society. Can you imagine any worse fate than that (that is humanly possible without actual torture)? I don't think of my death (when it comes) as a bad thing. I know it will happen (not when but will) so I have just shrugged off the worst thing the law could do to me. What kind of detterent is that?

 

[lostclause]

Well fuck it--if you're that into deterrence, why not make every crime punishable by that penalty?

Anyone read 'catch me if you can'? That sounds a lot like the french jails from the same book. They had some benefits like a low re-offence rate. Had some drawbacks like not a very high rate of the inmates surviving.

 

[blaze96]

snip

I have to respectfully disagree. I can understand your point that it is a choice like religion, but I must counter with this. Did you decide who you loved or were attracted to? Did you make a conscious decision to like women or did you just like women? Is it entirely possible if not probable that your answers are those of gays or lesbians as well? Is it possible that this is not actually a choice, but like all attraction, something uncontrollable and unpredictable? If this is true, then wouldn't it mean that attraction is not a choice as religion is? Finally, wouldn't that mean that being gay would be to some extent be closer being Black, White or Asian and not Christian, Jew, or Muslim.

I am not by any means saying you are wrong, sexist, etc. I am just giving the other side of the issue to maybe help you understand where supporters may be coming from. Also I should probably thank you for helping me to understand the opposing sides views a little better.

 

[Orange Monkey]

Unbelievable. This makes me sick! Why are we catering to certain groups of people? Just because they complain, then we have to make "special" rules for them? I'm not just talking about queers, I'm talking about anyone: Religions, nationalities, races, etc. No special treatment, and no conferences to discuss how we should cater to the needs of these groups who think that they are some-how more special than the rest of us.

I better end this rant before i get the moderators called on me, but it really pisses me off when ignorant stuff like this happens.

I think your missing the point. This panel is do disencourage a pointless hatred and to educate everyone on the importance of equality. I mean how would you feel if someone began irrationally hating you because, say, you had blue eyes or brown hair? It is something about yourself that is impossible to change, so you would want the hate to stop wouldnt you? It has nothing at all to do with groups of people believing they are ''more special'' but it is a way to help brings different groups of people together as equals.

Teh difference is that race and the color of my eyes/hair is not a choice. It is their chloice to be openly gay, and put that into their profiles. If you put it in your profile, then you need to deal with the consequences.

For example: Lets say that I have a 1/2 inch penis. I do not of course, but for the sake of this arguement, I'm going to use this as an example. If I put that into my profile, and then I get made fun of, then it is my fault. I put it in my profile, I deal with the consequences.

But being gay is not something that you should be made fun of! People should not have to deal with consequences of being honest about themselves!

People should also not be made fun of for:

Being short, being tall, being fat, being ugly, being bald, being black, being brown, being white, being multiracial, wearing name brand clothes, wearing ratty old clothes, being rich, being poor, being good at an online game, being bad at an online game, being a virgin, having a millimetre peter, being handicapped, being old and being young. And that is the short list.

Wow I think I just put an end to comedy

I dont mind at all if it is made as an honest joke, but when these things are motivated by a real hatred, you know there is a problem.

 

[Sebenko]

I work in hospitality and some of the people I work with are gay and guess what, they are sick and tired of others crying about being descriminated against. All it does is just fuels the trolls as they are getting the reaction they want, also it just takes normal people who just want to get on with their lives and rubs the whole issue in their faces making them want to just tell them to stfu. The gays I work with constantly get even more flack because of the media whiners pissing other people off more.

This fag agrees.

Also, I think we need to STFU with the parades. If straight people can't have "straight pride" parades, I don't see how we should have gay pride parades. We'd all get along better if we didn't make such a big deal about it.

 

[Chicago Ted]

*Snip*

*Snip*

Ya, I agree. There shall now be a new policy for online shooters and other online games. We shall call it the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy. Here are the rules. Shut up about personal opinions and preferences and just play the damned game!

 

[cobra_ky]

I can't see any situation in which online communities will have reform forced upon them by their respective companies. Discrimination is rampant in these communities and companies (like EA) will be very reluctant to try and change that if it is likely to put a damper on their patronage.

companies can easily force reform on the communities they own. they make the rules and they can change them at any time.

EA and microsoft are so willing to support this because they think they can increase patronage by not alienating the LGBT community.

Ya, I agree. There shall now be a new policy for online shooters and other online games. We shall call it the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy. Here are the rules. Shut up about personal opinions and preferences and just play the damned game!

"don't ask, don't tell" has been such a disastrous policy for the american military, i can't imagine why we should want it implemented anywhere else.

 

[S53]

I work in hospitality and some of the people I work with are gay and guess what, they are sick and tired of others crying about being descriminated against. All it does is just fuels the trolls as they are getting the reaction they want, also it just takes normal people who just want to get on with their lives and rubs the whole issue in their faces making them want to just tell them to stfu. The gays I work with constantly get even more flack because of the media whiners pissing other people off more.

This fag agrees.

Also, I think we need to STFU with the parades. If straight people can't have "straight pride" parades, I don't see how we should have gay pride parades. We'd all get along better if we didn't make such a big deal about it.

Thank you for that. I'd always see those parades on TV and think WTF?

 

[Sebenko]

I work in hospitality and some of the people I work with are gay and guess what, they are sick and tired of others crying about being descriminated against. All it does is just fuels the trolls as they are getting the reaction they want, also it just takes normal people who just want to get on with their lives and rubs the whole issue in their faces making them want to just tell them to stfu. The gays I work with constantly get even more flack because of the media whiners pissing other people off more.

This fag agrees.

Also, I think we need to STFU with the parades. If straight people can't have "straight pride" parades, I don't see how we should have gay pride parades. We'd all get along better if we didn't make such a big deal about it.

Thank you for that. I'd always see those parades on TV and think WTF?

Don't worry, I think that too.
I also can't stand all the gays on TV- you know, queer eye for the straight guy, Alan Carr etc.
But that;s just because I don't like them, no other reason.

 

[shaltir]

i'm confused as to why your sexual preference is relevant in Xboxlive anyway. it is just a freaking fetish...why are we making special rules for a fetish?!? next i can't make fun of fat people...

EDIT: on a serious note, i completely agree with some of the posters above me that crying foul at every little thing only widens the gap between gays and straights (also blacks and whites...but different thread for a different day i guess..). i for one really don't care if you are gay, but does it need a uniform to let me know?

 

[Collymilad08]

"I work in hospitality and some of the people I work with are gay and guess what, they are sick and tired of others crying about being descriminated against. All it does is just fuels the trolls as they are getting the reaction they want, also it just takes normal people who just want to get on with their lives and rubs the whole issue in their faces making them want to just tell them to stfu. The gays I work with constantly get even more flack because of the media whiners pissing other people off more."

This. As other ppl in the thread have said, you don't get people going around saying "i'm straight" all the time. I don't care if people are gay and my opinion on it has no relevance either way to be honest, but I really don't see this need that a lot of people have to let everyone know they are gay, and i do not see what relevance it has on an online gaming service.

I don't agree with ripping on people because they are gay, but sometimes it feels as if you HAVE to know and acknowledge it, even when it adds nothing to a situation.

 

[S53]

"No homo!"

"No hetero!"

Get's me everytime.

 

[squid5580]

IMHO a murderer should face life inprisonment plain and simple. No parole. You rot in a tiny cell eating tastless gruel for the rest of your days inbetween being put to intense physical labor (the chaingang). No matter if it was a crime of passion or premeditated murder.

I'm guessing that opinion has a lot more to do with your own desires than any sort of consideration for making society a safer and more civil place.

Umm no the reason is for a safer and civil society. Can you imagine any worse fate than that (that is humanly possible without actual torture)? I don't think of my death (when it comes) as a bad thing. I know it will happen (not when but will) so I have just shrugged off the worst thing the law could do to me. What kind of detterent is that?

Well fuck it--if you're that into deterrence, why not make every crime punishable by that penalty?

Only the irreversible ones.

 

[Darth Pope]

Well it'll be interesting to see where this goes.

 

[Escapefromwhatever]

Unbelievable. This makes me sick! Why are we catering to certain groups of people? Just because they complain, then we have to make "special" rules for them? I'm not just talking about queers, I'm talking about anyone: Religions, nationalities, races, etc. No special treatment, and no conferences to discuss how we should cater to the needs of these groups who think that they are some-how more special than the rest of us.

I better end this rant before i get the moderators called on me, but it really pisses me off when ignorant stuff like this happens.

This, fellow escapists, is an example of something I would like to call attention to, and not neccesarily because of the direct implications of this post (that's another thing all together, something I believe has already been touched upon in this thread). In this post, That Dude With A Face gets upset because he feels he is being forced to make special accomodations for the gay community, as well as others. This is something I see all too often when things such as this panel come into discussion. "Why do they get special treatment?," "I shouldn't have to be forced to cater to those whiners!," or, my personal favorite, "People shouldn't come after me for disagreeing with this!" are common exclamations when a certain group (in this instance, the LGBT community) does something to help itself (in this instance, this panel). The problem with such a mode of thought is that those helping said group are, as in this case, often private organizations using their status to help that particular portion of the population. Nobody is forcing anybody to do anything, and nobody is recieving special treatment. Let's use this panel as an example. EA and GLAAD are using their power to help the gay community. That is perfectly allowed by law. They are not infringing upon anybody's lifestyle, rights, or viewpoints by hosting a conversation (which is basically what a panel is). The people who do work for various different groups (GLAAD, the NAACP, or even the NRA) aren't doing anything wrong by helping a certain section of the population. You're allowed to disagree with them, but don't get upset because they don't conform to your views, or even if they try to spread their own views. If you are that maddened by the work of GLAAD, or any of the above groups, then don't just ***** about, but actually follow their example and do something. Nobody is forcing you to just lay down and accept their viewpoints. Besides, even if a certain group is recieving "special treatment," special circumstances call for special treatment, no?

That said, I am in full support of this panel and hope that it all goes swimmingly.