Racism On Fibs

[don]

Since its creation in 1992, only one rule has been stated and restated consistently:  No racism on FIBS.  I believe the following quote an all-too common violation of this rule, and I'd like a discussion on the topic.  I've left names out and changed language to avoid using FIBSboard for an individual flame AND to accomodate FIBSboard's built-in editor/bowdlerizer.

Saturday, January 28 15:51:23 PST   ( Sat Jan 28 23:51:23 2006 UTC )
[note:  I have substitutud *ruser* for the name of the shouter of racist remarks in this quote.]
[note:  FISboard made me substitute [four-letter word for fornification] for actual text.]

*ruser* shouts: you want a rematch, jew[four-letter word for fornication] ?

You shout: It's a sad day for FIBS when "*ruser* shouts: you want a rematch, jew[four-letter word for fornication] ?", is tolerated.

*ruser* shouts: it is sad, don, now stfu while kikeboy thinks it over

I think *ruser* should not be tolerated on FIBS.

--
don

[socksey]

Fibs has a "gag" feature.  Use it.

socksey



"Every time someone predicts the date of the end of the world, God pushes the date back a little just to be funny." - Anonymous

[ronquixote]

Would you tell Rosa Parks to just use her "gag" feature?

[socksey]

No, but I'll betcha that's what Patti would say to don.   ^_^

socksey



"I can make the distinction between religion and superstition very easily. If I believe in it, it's religion. If you believe in it, it's superstition." - Mellie

[DirtyHarryII]

It don't matter if we're green, blue, orange, hindu, jew, muslim.. etc..
We're all humans and we should treat each other respectfully.
So guys and dolls....

BEHAVE !!!

The world is bad enough as it is, don't make it worse... !!!!!

[NIHILIST]

I personally think that any FIBS user sending 27 messages to another, all using the F-word, shouldnt be tolerated.

I prefer also to not divulge that user's name; let's just call him donuser.


NIHI

[dorbel]

Even when don has a reasonable point, one instinctively wants to throttle him! Removing people who use shouts for mindless insult (racist remarks are invariably mindless) means censorship don. This is something that you are opposed to isn't it? Keep fibs shouts free I say, even if he have to put up with an occasional halfwit boring us with an offensive epithet.
We all have an idea of those that we would rather not hear. It's only a guess, but I suspect that don appears on most of them! Gag or ignore, the choice is yours.  

[don]

Perhaps the only reasonable solution would be to remove the hypocritical comment about "all sorts of racists" from the FIBS' intro.  Then there would be nothing to complain about.

--
don

[ronquixote]

For what it's worth, FIBS is the single most racist environment I have encountered since I left Alabama in the late 1970's. I'm sure that a lot of it has to do with the anonymity that the FIBS community enjoys, but it doesn't change the fact that it is a racist community and even the non-racists among us allow this hatred to grow and foster. It doesn't take much effort to not tolerate racism, but still bicker and banter in the dysfunctional style that we all enjoy here.

[diane]

It doesn't take much effort to not tolerate racism

Unfortanately that is still more than the average fibster is prepared to give    

[Tomawaky]

Not agree with you at all.
I met there many pleasant, interesting and enjoyable fellow. I don't care about all the other ones, even if it would be the majority.

And I never understood why so many people seem to complain always about Fibs and are staying here.  Is it the human being nature ?
In that case I must be an extraterrestrial  

[diane]

I met there many pleasant, interesting and enjoyable fellow. I don't care about all the other ones, even if it would be the majority.

Why do you think we are all still here? I am not saying there arent lovely people here - this is what brings us all back despite all the bad stuff.  
The point being, idiots can be idiots here because it is not only tolerated - but because enough fibsters enjoy it. These losers are like the clowns in a schoolroom - acting up because there is always someone to laugh at their nonsense - if you all stop paying attention - I promise they will stop.  Since we cant take away their forum - all we have is to take away their audience - their reason for doing it.
Dont validate their existence with attention.

[diane]

Perhaps the only reasonable solution would be to remove the hypocritical comment about "all sorts of racists" from the FIBS' intro.  Then there would be nothing to complain about.

This was suggested by 'someone'   as long as two years ago change the intro and I am sure it wasnt the first time then.  It isnt within any of our powers to do that - and I think if it were going to be done - it would have been.  Without wanting to sound defeatist - I think we have to find another route - and keep repeating their words is not reducing the amount of racism on fibs - is it?

[NIHILIST]

This is really pretty funny stuff. According to ronquixote, FIBS is the most racist environment he's experienced since his segregated lunch-counter days in Alabama. Tomawaky disagrees completely.

Diane pontificates about "idiots" on FIBS while, at the same time being, herself, perceived as an idiot, and worse, by a large number of FIBSroids, including myself.

Don "I'LL ARGUE WITH A TREE STUMP " Hanlen chastises me for addressing resh in, what he considers, a racist manner while never saying a word about the "racist" response resh gives to me.

Did anyone ever consider that people shout the words they do just to jerk people like Don off ? Has anyone ever asked resh if he considers my shouts racist ?

It's a very easy thing to leap to erroneous conclusions based on words on a screen that lack inflection or facial expressions which might show true malice. At the end of the day, your conclusions are your own. That doesn'tmean they're accurate.


NIHI

[diane]

Being percieved as 'worse than an idiot' by NIHILST is high praise indeed    

[ronquixote]

Nihilist....
In the literary arts, it is commonly acknowledged that once the writer is done with his words, he is also done with how they are interpreted. Furthermore, it is a rare day when the reading public does interpret a writer's words in the exact manner in which they were intended. The point is that words are powerful, and usually concise... intentions are vague and ephemeral at  best.
You present yourself as an intelligent man, but I have my doubts. If you are capable of independent thought, then you will be able to see that your words are racist quite frequently. And, unfortunately, that makes you a racist too... no matter how noble or funny your intentions are.
Later....

[NIHILIST]

The writer may be done with how his words are interpreted, that doesn't mean his READERS are.

What makes your interpretation any more  more accurate than Tomawakys ? What makes Diane more or less of an idiot than those she considers as such ?

I doubt you have a clue regarding what I consider myself to be since we've never chatted one-on-one.

None of it matters; we aren't exchanging Christmas cards, we aren't going on a cruise together. Your opinion is your own and it is no more or less valuable or accurate as anyone else's.

Shalom.


NIHI

[ronquixote]

KKKihilist....
If you don't like the way you are perceived by others, then change your words. It really is that simple.

[NIHILIST]

You miss the point, I don't care how others, especially faceless names on a screen perceive me. I have no more intention of changing my words than you do.

NIHI

[ronquixote]

And you have missed my point entirely too....
What you perceive yourself as being has nothing at all to do with who you really are. It is your words and actions that define you, not your intentions. Consider yourself precisely defined.