Poll: Do you agree with the Black Ops Swastika Ban?

[FruitFusion]

This is to bad. The more people use the swastika in immature ways the less meaning it will have.
And when the swastika finaly looses all its meaning we can start using the shape for usefull
things again. The swastika is a perfect shape for a 4v4 RTS map.

Also, for all those who compare the hammer and sickle, please stop, its not the same.
The hammer and sickle is still in use and represents countries and political parties.

 

[Ghostkai]

I report every BNP, swastika, penis, or any other vulgarity I see. Because in most cases, it's only there to troll and offend. Thankfully, Treyarch were nice enough to include a "report offensive emblem" button.

so your tring to stop trolls on XBL.... you do realise that thats like tring to hold back the ocean with a surf board right?

It takes me two seconds to report them, it's really no hassle. ^__^

 

[Vykrel]

its unfortunate that theyre right in saying that the majority of swastikas seen ingame are simply people trying to offend others or be funny.

very few, if any, would be using them to show asian heritage or anything like that.

still, they should also ban all the penises and tits if theyre going to ban swastikas

 

[Erecting a Sentry]

Emblems an emblems I say

 

[FlashHero]

I don't agree with it..to me it seems like they are trying to cover it up like it never happened...and that would be wrong to all the people that died.

How are they trying to cover it up? People are trying to put a swastika on their weapons and make it pop up on others screens in a game about war, they are not treading on grounds of historical and respectful recognition, they are just trying to stop people who are trying to use it to troll others with very sensitive material.

Things only troll you if you care...me..when i play online i mute everyone already as a rule...now having only played black ops for a bit, and not liking the online at all cuz of the shitty bullet lag, i only met one nazi symbol he/she killed me and i saw it..then i was like that symbol is stupid but whatever...then i went and killed him/her and that was that. I don't see anything wrong with people using it however they want to..do you want to ban it from real life as well because the only people using it are neo-nazis?..they have the right to wear it no matter how dickish it is. That is complete and true freedom.

 

[Para199x]

If you ban the swastika, then you also have to ban the hammer and sickle, no if's, ands or buts. Double standards much?

No, not really. The Hammer and Sickle was representative of a series of leaders and time periods in the 20th Century Soviet Union, many of which varied from Stalin. However the Swastika is associated (primarily, any fucking idiot who says it has a different meaning is wrong. I don't care what it meant before the Nationalist Socialists, it's a Nazi symbol.) directly with the one leader and regime - Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.

Sorry, I think I'm a bit muddled, you're saying that the Hammer and Sickle was not ONLY representative of Stalin?

But someone's an idiot for saying that the Swastika is a symbol that was never intended for Hitler's use, and so was not ONLY representative of Hitler?

Or am I getting it wrong here?
(Not trying to start a fight, just confused)

OT: Nope. Simple as that. I have nothing new to contribute.

Actually, yes. You were essentially right. The Hammer and Sickle has an association with the Soviet Union, since the symbol was introduced in Stalin's day (early 20s), but remained the flag up until the early nineties. As such it is harder to tie that symbol to Stalin's crimes specifically, whereas the Swastika was only in use during Hitler's reign. The Hammer and Sickle can be used to mean Communism, not Stalinism but *actual* Communism, but the Swastika again has its sole function - the symbol of the Nazis whose crimes were greater than those of Stalin.

I disagree you can't link any symbol used by any government to communism, because that in itself it a contradiction.

 

[Arawn.Chernobog]

The Swastika existed and for many people it had many different meanings, but when we analyse things without the clouded judgement of petty emotionalism... it's just ANOTHER symbol, it stands as a religious icon for some (Certain Buddhists), a political icon for others (National Socialist Supporters) and a threat to another group (people that think symbols have magical powers).

If one is to ban the Swastika, fine, but apply the same regulation to all symbols if the filter is that said symbols is iconic with genocide (this would extend to ANY symbol of a judaic-christian or even Islamic faith as SOME groups have utilized it to symbolize genocide).

To generalize the Swastika and ban it's use for it might hurt those sensitive or ignorant to what it may stand for has no more value than banning any other of the following symbols: The Christian Cross (Pagan cultures; Modern-Era SPQR mentality supporters; etc. are sensitive to it); The Star of David (I'm pretty sure any non-Jew in Israel doesn't look at it too kindly); The Islamic Crescent Moon (US Republicans don't care for it, that's for sure).

Have we arrived at an age that we censor the artist, the hobbyist, etc. for some might not care kindly for one's image=? Perhaps because they are simply ignorant to it?

There are many ways the Swastika can be used:
- Icon for a sect of Buddhism (it's original meaning);
- Icon for National Socialist/Fascists doctrines;
- Icon of Hate, Intolerance, Racism;
- Icon of Human Corruption and/or Ignorance;
- Realism for a WW2 re-enactment in-game;
- Etc.

And all of these would be fair use of the symbol, one human should be allowed to express his/her opinion, regardless of whom it might POTENTIALLY offend and regardless if said opinion is valid and intelligently structured or a chaotic mess of incoherent statements and unjustified positions. But I suppose it's always easier to turn tail and run, to give in to censorship for the sake of "not causing a fuss"... in short, it's easier to be a coward.

 

[rainman2203]

I was playing last night and as soon as I got into a team deathmatch, a very loud guy on a mic asked if I was a Jew. I said I was not, but have nothing against them. I later noticed he had a swastika emblem on the Israeli flag background. The guy was obviously just trolling, but I could see how people could see it as offensive.

He was a dick though, so I reported him anyway. I hope he enjoys his ban.

TLNR- People on live are dicks, plain and simple. Treyarch is fully within their rights to ban for that reason, or many others. You signed the release at one point in time, whether you realize it or not.

 

[Arawn.Chernobog]

The word "swastika" comes from the Sanskrit svastika - "su" meaning "good," "asti" meaning "to be," and "ka" as a suffix.

Until the Nazis used this symbol, the swastika was used by many cultures throughout the past 3,000 years to represent life, sun, power, strength, and good luck.

Even in the early twentieth century, the swastika was still a symbol with positive connotations. For instance, the swastika was a common decoration that often adorned cigarette cases, postcards, coins, and buildings. During World War I, the swastika could even be found on the shoulder patches of the American 45th Division and on the Finnish air force until after World War II.

Personally, There is nothing wrong with using it as a symbol. Its not even Jewish people who are offended. Its nonconvertible people who have not experienced the world.. and so be it, thus is life itself.

I'm Jewish and I really don't care, Free speech is more important then a symbol.

Pretty much this

 

[Yagharek]

I was playing last night and as soon as I got into a team deathmatch, a very loud guy on a mic asked if I was a Jew. I said I was not, but have nothing against them. I later noticed he had a swastika emblem on the Israeli flag background. The guy was obviously just trolling, but I could see how people could see it as offensive.

He was a dick though, so I reported him anyway. I hope he enjoys his ban.

TLNR- People on live are dicks, plain and simple. Treyarch is fully within their rights to ban for that reason, or many others. You signed the release at one point in time, whether you realize it or not.

The problem is with the definition of being a dick.

Why does someone with a swastika get banned and someone with an equally offensive symbol not?

 

[Jabberwock xeno]

I wish they would have just made a swatsticka ONLY on a red background a ban, and even then you get a warning.

 

[Wow they sure are generous with the usernames]

ATTENTION ALL OUTRAGED READERS. TREYARCH DOES NOT ALLOW INAPPROPRIATE EMBLEMS OF ANY SORT. YOUR 'HILARIOUS' IMAGE OF A HORSE FUCKING A GORILLA WILL GIVE YOU A BAN FROM THE EMBLEM EDITOR FOR A TIME. PLEASE STOP ASKING WHY THEY ARE ALLOWED, THEY ARE NOT. THANK YOU AND RESUME YOUR ARGUING.

 

[Marci124]

How about Buddhists?
Think about them Micro$oft!
What if some monk wants to go online and he can't use one of their religious symbols? Let's also ban crosses and David's stars shall we?

 

[Danny Ocean]

I'm for it if it's the Nazi Swastika:

Spoiler

Otherwise, let them use the regular Swastikas like zis one:

Spoiler

Or any of these:

Spoiler

Point is that the first rendition is indisputably tied to the Nazi party. There are plenty of other versions that you can use that express only the positive meaning, so use those instead and deal with the fact that the black swastika on the white circle on the red background cannot be used.

Unless you want to genuinely represent yourself with an icon expressing intense racism, anti-Semitism, fascism, the greatest suffering the world has ever seen, and all-round evilness. If so, go ahead. Don't be surprised if people don't want you around them, or want you on their network, though. You have no free speech in the domain of Xbox live, and really, this symbol isn't covered under Amendment 1 irl either, so bully to you. The Nazi Swastika is almost certainly 'fighting words'.

 

[yami0333]

I am against it, I can see why they would, but it is still an infringement on first amendment rights. I personally am against all forms of censorship even if I don't agree with what they are saying.

 

[sapphireofthesea]

Uhmm, seems many don't know but the swastika symbol is actaully an Indian symbol adopted by Hitler because he was a fan of it. True it has become irreversably connected to Nazi history, but ultimately it is the ideas behind it's use that warrant banning, not the symbol itself.
As someone pointed out (and history also notes) the Hammer and sickle are a symbol (just as distinct as the swastika) for Soviet Russia. Where does the note from history come? Well History shows one undisputed fact, Soviet Russia was at the very least on par with Nazi Germany when it came to plain brutality towards and cencership of people. As a point, the guys who made the Tsar Bomb (biggest nuke) were seeing the brightside of only being sent to work in the Sibreian wastelands if they failed to make the deadline, it was better than being exicuted as some before them were.

So, as someone said, why no ban on the symbol of such a brutal regime (without argument, equal in many ways to Nazi) not banned, but infact actively shown everywhere, but the very mention of the swastika is considered an immediate reference and acceptance (or joke about) Nazi Germany.

I say punish the thought not the symbol, then you would see less dickishness in general, and not so many obviously offensive symbols getting through.

 

[Wow they sure are generous with the usernames]

I am against it, I can see why they would, but it is still an infringement on first amendment rights. I personally am against all forms of censorship even if I don't agree with what they are saying.

You are aware that freedom of speech is not absolute right? As in there are things you can't go around saying without any sort of repercussions.

 

[MrHero17]

I'm fine with them banning Nazi swastikas but I don't think they should ban the more historical renditions that aren't tilted.

 

[MikailCaboose]

Nope. But then again, I never payed much attention to symbols anyways. At least not like that.

 

[astrav1]

I personally am 100% for the ban.

Why so? It may be a terrible symbol, but it is freedom of speech. Also what if they ban the wrong kind? I have to say that I am against it.