WHITE GUY DEFENSE FORCE GO!

[MB202]

Oh man, when they made the Zimmerman joke... Yeesh, talk about edgy, considering how unbelievably divided people are about that whole fiasco. Honestly, though, I freaking love this comic!

 

[JonB]

Also, a lot of you guys seriously need to chill.

Take a deep breath, and step back from your computer keyboards (or touchscreens, whichever you prefer).

So let me get this straight. You have a comic that was posted for the sole purpose of inciting just this type of response, because let's be honest this is nothing more than thinly veiled flamebait you know full well it is. Then you get the desired response out of people only to turn around and tell them to cut it with the exact response the material was trying to incite in the first place? If you don't want people getting angry about something and reacting in this manner then this site shouldn't put content up that was designed specifically to get people to react in just this manner to begin with.

Emphasis mine.

You seem to be laboring under the notion that the Moderators, the Forums, the Website Staff, the Website, and the People Who Make This Comic are the same people. They are not. They are all parts of a large, moving machine. The things that get posted on this site don't change how you're allowed to behave in these forums. They don't suddenly change the rules. These forums have a certain degree of autonomy and separation, which is for the best. The moderators are doing their "jobs," which they are not paid for, by regulating discussion in this thread and ensuring compliance with the forums rules. I recommend you show them some respect for doing so in a polite, amicable way.

 

[lacktheknack]

Also, a lot of you guys seriously need to chill.

Take a deep breath, and step back from your computer keyboards (or touchscreens, whichever you prefer).

So you have a comic that was posted for the sole purpose of inciting just this type of response, because let's be honest this is nothing more than thinly veiled flamebait you know full well it is. Then you get the desired response out of people you tell people to cut it with the exact response the material was trying to incite in the first place? If you don't want people getting angry about something and reacting in this manner then this site shouldn't put content that was designed specifically to get people to react in just this manner to begin with.

Oh no, people are quite allowed to get as angry as they like.

But it's when it reaches the point that they become so angry that they start attacking each other, throwing insults around, and breaking the rules in various other ways, THAT'S when they need to chill.

There's a difference between getting angry, and getting *rule-breaking* angry.

Honestly it seems rather disingenuous to post something that is very much meant to attack a particular group of people then turn around and tell those people that attacking and insulting people is something reserved for the site's content creators. Again, I would say that if you don't want people acting in this way then don't put up content meant to make people act in this way. It's not like these people are spontaneously acting out without being provoked. If you are going to put up content like this then it seems you shouldn't be surprised when it devolves into this very type of mess.

Wat.

The comic is attacking White Defense knee-jerkers.

Other content AND users have attacked homophobic people.

Tons of people here have attacked mysoginists/misandrists, and even more have attacked "Nice Guys".

Etc.

Why yes, I did just put "'White' Knight" Caucasian defenders on the same level as homophobes, mysoginists, etc. That's because they are. And that's who got attacked. And frankly, most people are OK with that.

 

[DEALWITHIT]

Thanks god the White Guy Defense Force is here to defend my interests.

I get traumatized every time someone implies that the world should not revolve around me as an oppressed white male.

God bless you, White Guy Defense Force.

 

[lacktheknack]

Ok, honest question here for everyone:

Why exactly is this comic offensive? What specifically about it is insulting or demeaning or whatever else that would invite such umbrage? From where I'm sitting, there's literally nothing in it to get worked up about.

Is it the put-upon white guys taking up arms against the perceived racism with vaguely defined and poorly-quantified "facts"? Is it the Zimmerman reference? Is it the fact that the black guy dies, like in every action movie ever? Or is it... the fedora?

I can't see the reason why there's 10 pages of angry replies to this, nor why the entire first page is all about how the comic is pure flamebait. I just don't see it.

Someone explain please.

I'm pretty sure it's because it uses stereotypes to make a point, like every other topical comic.

Because SCREW topical comics, amirite?

 

[Moth_Monk]

Ok, honest question here for everyone:

Why exactly is this comic offensive? What specifically about it is insulting or demeaning or whatever else that would invite such umbrage? From where I'm sitting, there's literally nothing in it to get worked up about.

Is it the put-upon white guys taking up arms against the perceived racism with vaguely defined and poorly-quantified "facts"? Is it the Zimmerman reference? Is it the fact that the black guy dies, like in every action movie ever? Or is it... the fedora?

I can't see the reason why there's 10 pages of angry replies to this, nor why the entire first page is all about how the comic is pure flamebait. I just don't see it.

Someone explain please.

I'm pretty sure it's because it uses stereotypes to make a point, like every other topical comics.

Because SCREW topical comics, amirite?

What point is the comic making?

 

[EvilRoy]

Ok, honest question here for everyone:

Why exactly is this comic offensive? What specifically about it is insulting or demeaning or whatever else that would invite such umbrage? From where I'm sitting, there's literally nothing in it to get worked up about.

Is it the put-upon white guys taking up arms against the perceived racism with vaguely defined and poorly-quantified "facts"? Is it the Zimmerman reference? Is it the fact that the black guy dies, like in every action movie ever? Or is it... the fedora?

I can't see the reason why there's 10 pages of angry replies to this, nor why the entire first page is all about how the comic is pure flamebait. I just don't see it.

Someone explain please.

I've been thinking about that myself, and although I don't see anything that's really worth getting up in arms about, I do think the Zimmerman reference is a little too soon. I mean, whether you agree with the courts decision or not, a kid is dead and a dude was hung by the media. Nobody really 'won', and thanks to the excessive media coverage and conjecture flying around it will probably be years before anyone can dig up the raw facts for themselves and come up with a personally satisfying answer.

 

[AkaDad]

Ever notice when someone says there's discrimination against white, straight men, they rarely provide examples?

The plight of the white, straight man makes me weep.

 

[Weaver]

You seem to be laboring under the notion that the Moderators, the Forums, the Website Staff, the Website, and the People Who Make This Comic are the same people. They are not. They are all parts of a large, moving machine.

I KNEW it! You guys had me fooled for awhile, but I think I finally figured it out:

Spoiler

 

[chronobreak]

If the authors had any conviction, or any courage, they would be in here to explain their work. They will stay far away and let the click money come in, all while probably having a good laugh at the fiasco they have created. To me, that is cowardice.

 

[Moth_Monk]

Had it been an Arab kid, they would have said: "Obama mode activated!"

 

[Taunta]

Why is the White Guy Beta version holding a Twilight Plushie?? How does that even apply to this comic's joke? I don't even XD

By the time I got to this post someone has probably answered it better than I can, but the serious question posed at the beginning is actually relevant to the MLP fandom.

As great as a lot of people in the fandom are, there are a lot of people who get really up-in-arms whenever a humanized pony is portrayed as non-white. (I can post some examples if you're interested) "Why is Twilight indian?!" "You idiot Rarity isn't black!" "You made Fluttershy a muslim how dare you" etc etc.

Go to any pony image site and find an image of humanized ponies and I guarantee you on most of them there is at least one comment on race.

 

[lacktheknack]

Ok, honest question here for everyone:

Why exactly is this comic offensive? What specifically about it is insulting or demeaning or whatever else that would invite such umbrage? From where I'm sitting, there's literally nothing in it to get worked up about.

Is it the put-upon white guys taking up arms against the perceived racism with vaguely defined and poorly-quantified "facts"? Is it the Zimmerman reference? Is it the fact that the black guy dies, like in every action movie ever? Or is it... the fedora?

I can't see the reason why there's 10 pages of angry replies to this, nor why the entire first page is all about how the comic is pure flamebait. I just don't see it.

Someone explain please.

I'm pretty sure it's because it uses stereotypes to make a point, like every other topical comics.

Because SCREW topical comics, amirite?

What point is the comic making?

That people who jump in out of nowhere to make a fuss about the "retaliatory subjugation of whites" are irritating and bad.

It's the same kind of point that beloved comedy sources such as political cartoons or the Colbert Report use.

How on Earth are people missing the world's most obvious punchline? D:

 

[Agayek]

What point is the comic making?

As far as I can tell, it can basically be summarized as "Idiotic white guys who get butthurt by accusations of racism and immediately come back with bullshit responses are idiots."

That's most of the reason why I'm so confused on why people are getting up in arms over it. It's a comic about idiotic people behaving like idiots. What's there to be offended by?

I've been thinking about that myself, and although I don't see anything that's really worth getting up in arms about, I do think the Zimmerman reference is a little too soon. I mean, whether you agree with the courts decision or not, a kid is dead and a dude was hung by the media. Nobody really 'won', and thanks to the excessive media coverage and conjecture flying around it will probably be years before anyone can dig up the raw facts for themselves and come up with a personally satisfying answer.

Meh. Very few of the responses have actually even mentioned the Zimmerman bit, so I'm reasonably certain that's not the reason.

 

[madwarper]

If the authors had any conviction, or any courage, they would be in here to explain their work. They will stay far away and let the click money come in, all while probably having a good laugh at the fiasco they have created. To me, that is cowardice.

Granted, if he did enter the forums and repeat what was said in the comic, he'd probably be ban-hammered rather quickly.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/codeofconduct

Regardless of what some of our content creators may say, do or provoke within their videos or articles, this does not give members the ability to act in the same way. They are entertainers and if they brought their language or flaming into the forums, they would be held accountable, just as any other forum member of The Escapist would be.

 

[Bluelaughter]

Ok, honest question here for everyone:

Why exactly is this comic offensive? What specifically about it is insulting or demeaning or whatever else that would invite such umbrage? From where I'm sitting, there's literally nothing in it to get worked up about.

Is it the put-upon white guys taking up arms against the perceived racism with vaguely defined and poorly-quantified "facts"? Is it the Zimmerman reference? Is it the fact that the black guy dies, like in every action movie ever? Or is it... the fedora?

I can't see the reason why there's 10 pages of angry replies to this, nor why the entire first page is all about how the comic is pure flamebait. I just don't see it.

Someone explain please.

It's offensive because it casually makes fun of anyone who is fat, nerdy, short, likes fedoras or statistics, is a brony or works out, by making them negative points of the White Guy Defense Force, the obvious antagonists.

It offends people who are staunch defenders of Zimmerman and his actions.

If offends people who could make a civilized argument against the first man's point, but straw-manning the argument.

I personally only disagree with the first of these 3 'offenses'.

Racism seems harder to handle than sexism, as they do a pretty good job with this earlier strip:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comics/critical-miss/9116-Sexism-and-or-Racism

 

[lacktheknack]

If the authors had any conviction, or any courage, they would be in here to explain their work. They will stay far away and let the click money come in, all while probably having a good laugh at the fiasco they have created. To me, that is cowardice.

Grey's jumped in before (<link=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/6.825461-How-to-Talk-About-Games-3?page=5#20037008>occasionally to hilarious effect), and he says a LOT about his personal perspectives, even seeding his news stories with them.

Try again?

 

[Gasbandit]

Well somebody sure wishes their comic got more hits, don't they.

 

[sageoftruth]

Can anyone explain why White Guy Omega always had his hand on his fedora?

 

[carnex]

Well, Johnatan Grey Carter never changes really. He always thinks that if accidental ball to the groin is funny kicking someone in the balls dozen times, then jumping on his balls for a few minutes and inviting everyone in the surrounding area for a round of the same fun will be that much funnier.

I really love dry, dark, nonsensical and morbid British humor, they do it almost as good as we (Serbians) do it. And yet I find even Monty Python Flying Circus extremely subtle compared to this.

Can anyone explain why White Guy Omega always had his hand on his fedora?

I guess it's to do with "cool move" of riming the hat with two fingers.