Genesis stance on black lives

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Amberlee
Myth
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Joined: 08 Mar 2010 19:50
Location: Kristiansund, Norway

Re: Genesis stance on black lives

Post by Amberlee » 10 Jun 2020 14:27

Well said Cherek.
The views posted by me on this forum is not the views of the character Amberlee in-game.
If you ask for my opinion here, you will get MY opinion, not that of my character.

Mona
Wizard
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Joined: 23 Sep 2017 23:12

Re: Genesis stance on black lives

Post by Mona » 10 Jun 2020 15:36

Amberlee wrote:
10 Jun 2020 13:47
#BlackLivesMatter

Where to begin..
Really funny how the organization suddenly appears when there is attention to be had.
When people get an excuse to riot and ruin peoples lives.
Yet they are never seen or heard of when it comes to other important issues that does not give as much clout or spark as much outrage.
Though rioting makes perfect sense these days in the era of COVID, putting even more lives at risk for the sake of what??
Ruining other people(black peoples) livelyhood?
Getting an excuse to shoot a black old retired police officer for defending his friends shop, just so they could get a couple of more extra TV's, leaving him to bleed out on the pavement.


The protests that are happening nationwide are largely peaceful. The protestors that were dispersed with chemical agents for example, were peaceful people engaged in legitimate assembly. It tends to be the case.

This is a frequent thing in the USA, as a means to draw attention from the masses of legitimate protestors. Both now and in the past, it is peaceful and large groups of protestors that the police focus their attacks on, leaving rioters relatively unchecked.

It is a way of distracting from the message and import in order to attempt to cause the masses to withdraw support for issues. Also there have been social distancing protests-- which were corralled together by the police. As there has been starting as far back at the WTO in the 90's, there is an agenda to distract from protests by creating, or allowing situations to get out of control in order to detract from the issues. This is why rioters are often allowed to continue, while it is the peaceful protestors are and have been at greatest risks for police attacks and brutality.

The police have taken an oath to support the constitution which includes the people's right to peaceful assembly, but they often work against that and attack and undermine the legitimate protests by provoking incident, and by ignoring and even inciting rioters.

I can tell you as someone who witnessed the WTO protests in Seattle in the 90's, for example, the numbers were under reported, many of the most relevant issues being protested were not reported AT ALL, the group of 15-20 young people all dressed in black who were rioting, were allowed to go unchecked while the police gassed protestors all seated in a row with hands clasped chanting "no violence". Similar strategy was also employed in anti-war protests during the 00s when I lived in San Francisco.

I am hearing similar reports both from people who have participated in the Black lives matter protests going on now, and from independent news organizations like The Intercept. It is no surprise that this very effective strategy continues to be employed. An aspect of USA media coverage that is helpful in understanding the level of censorship, bias and propaganda in the mass media, is that in the 1980s there were about 50 companies that controlled the mass media, now there are only 6.

Thalric
Rising Hero
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Re: Genesis stance on black lives

Post by Thalric » 10 Jun 2020 16:20

I feel very sorry for everyone who experience racism towards themselves, for the US citizens in general.

But it is an OOC matter, and it should stay out here.

Kvator
Champion
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Re: Genesis stance on black lives

Post by Kvator » 10 Jun 2020 16:48

Mona wrote:
10 Jun 2020 01:45
It feels like it is time to cross that small little line again, and be in the company of businesses like Amazon, Facebook, the YMCA, Intel, Youtube, Uber, the Gap, Levis, gaming sites like EA and Square Enix have broken silence and NOT ONLY spoken out publicly, but also donated large sums to Black Lives Matter, to the NAACP, to Civil Rights Legal Defense Funds, and the like. Because this is not a political issue, but one of human rights.
Lol. It's business decision for these companies (it's profitable to say such things atm and get some free woke points). Somehow all these companies are quiet when human rights are broken elsewhere (some cases from Dhez post for example).

Leave politics out of Genesis. Thanks!

Raelle
Great Adventurer
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Re: Genesis stance on black lives

Post by Raelle » 10 Jun 2020 18:59

Mona, thanks for raising this issue. I know there are a lot of loud and vocal people in the community who take issue with the attention the American political and sociological landscape is getting right now. Even "trash"y people calling Black Americans "animals" and the like. There are also a lot of quieter people who care deeply.

I'm fully in support of a message of support on the Genesis website or Facebook page, as well as any other reasonable OOC efforts. "What about the situation in -----?," one might hypothetically ask. Well, maybe we as a community can start educating ourselves and giving a shit, and maybe we do start posing small monthly messages about Hong Kong, Israel/Palestine, the War in Donbass, the political status of Puerto Rico, bias against refugees in Europe, treatment of the Uyghurs in China, the conflict of Muslim vs Hindus in India, and the tyranny against Venezuelans. and sure, the white folks in Africa. No one is implying that we care about one issue and one issue alone.

I do not support the inclusion of RL political messaging within the world of Genesis. I'm tired. Everywhere I look on the internet, I see photos of broken bodies and broken windows from last night's demonstrations. Lies and name-calling to justify it. Articles about yet another life senselessly ended by the very people who are supposed to protect lives. Statements from politicians whose words range from empty to inflammatory and dangerous. Posts from friends who may not stay friends much longer..
Genesis is one of the places where I go to catch my breath. My character in Genesis is so racist that she does more damage against certain foes. I'm a little conflicted on this if I take a moment to consider it, but I want a break. I wanna kill orcs, I wanna shout at goblins, I wanna find cool weapons and bring 'em home to share with my guildmates. If I get the plague in Genesis, I know just what to do.
It's a world that makes some amount of sense within the lore and RP boundaries provided, and to thrive there, we need that separation from RL.


p.s. I like Mona's BLM wiz title. Wizard titles are always weird, so they get a pass. and I'm happy/proud to know that we've got wizards on board who care about such things.

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Cherek
Site Admin
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Re: Genesis stance on black lives

Post by Cherek » 10 Jun 2020 20:33

Genesis, the game, should never be used as a platform to spread a political message. Even if it's a "good" message. Like you said Raelle, Genesis should be a safe haven where you can escape all the bad stuff iRL and go bash some goblins (or dwarves) without running into any sort of RL advertisement, political messages, etc.

We had someone creating new characters a while ago, spreading a message to "Free Hong Kong" on the ntell. Regardless of what we feel on this matter, and the message itself, Genesis ntell is NOT the place to spread that, and we removed these characters.

Regarding wizard titles, I think they are extra problematic actually. As wizards we are repsentatives of the game, and such titles can easily be seen as the official position of Genesis. Allowing political messages in titles would also risk opening a can of worms, because if you're allowed to support BLM, surely another wizard should be allowed to have "PRO CHOICE", "FREE PALESTINE", or "NO DEATH PENALTY" in their title as well, if that's how they feel on those topics? Or? If not, who decides which political messages are okay and which ones are not?

I think our stance must be to keep RL politics out of Genesis, be that on ntell, public boards, or in free titles (both wizards and some motals are allowed free titles). So, after having an admin discussion, I have asked Mona to keep iRL stuff out of her title from now on.

Now, I don't wanna sound like I am _against_ BLM, I am very much against racism of any kind, and if poeple want to use our FB page, Forums, or Discord chat to raise money for some good cause, or discuss politics (in the proper section) by all means, go ahead. But I think we should leave the game itself free of these things. It is, after all, a place where we come to escape RL problems.

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Mersereau
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Re: Genesis stance on black lives

Post by Mersereau » 10 Jun 2020 23:41

"Genesis shouldn't be political."

*looks at every single guild council in the game*
"Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die."
-Mel Brooks

Rincon
Great Adventurer
Posts: 196
Joined: 04 Jun 2010 23:37

Re: Genesis stance on black lives

Post by Rincon » 11 Jun 2020 00:07

Thank you, Cherek.

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Cherek
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Re: Genesis stance on black lives

Post by Cherek » 11 Jun 2020 01:11

Mersereau wrote:
10 Jun 2020 23:41
"Genesis shouldn't be political."

*looks at every single guild council in the game*
In-game Genesis politics is perfectly fine :)

raymundo
Wizard
Posts: 7
Joined: 14 Apr 2020 19:24

Re: Genesis stance on black lives

Post by raymundo » 11 Jun 2020 09:44

Amberlee wrote:
10 Jun 2020 10:14
Dhez wrote:
10 Jun 2020 09:18
If this does get implemented, could we also include other issues such as Hong Kong, Israel/Palestina, the War in Donbass, the political status of Puerto Rico, bias against refugees in Europe, treatment of the Uyghurs in China, the conflict of Muslim vs Hindus in India, and the tyranny against Venezuelans?

Not to diminish one very recognizable and real issue, but the MUD being represented by various cultures I would think it fair to give a voice of expression to them all equally.
Not to mention the persecution and systematic murder of white farmers in south africa.
How about we not do this and help glorify the death of a criminal that robbed a pregnant blck woman at gunpoint, putting a pistol to her belly in the process?

There are so many injustices in the world and picking this particular one regardless of how relevant is just being hypocrites.
More so I actually agree with Ody here.
Regardless of intention, Genesis is not the media to promote such things.
Have your own personal opinions about it but don't force it on everyone.

Moderator: Part of your post has been moderated for vilating our rule about being respectful to each other.
This seems very disrespectful and reprehensible, so I want to make sure I understand you correctly: A man committed a crime in 2007, and so in 2020 the police are completely within their rights to kill him on a public street in broad daylight? When you bring up the "How about we not do this and help glorify the death of a criminal that robbed a pregnant blck woman at gunpoint, putting a pistol to her belly in the process?" after he was murdered, it's like you're saying it's OK that he died because once he did a bad thing.

I just want to give you a chance to walk this back, since it sounds pretty awful.

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