Originally posted by dfm65Yes, they are offnesive, but what is to be done? Life is full of offensive things. One only has to turn on the telly to be blasted with all manner of objectionable material. So what do we do about it?
On page 1 of the 'Public Games' display right now are usernames including 'TOILET BOY', 'andreilikeslittleboy' and 'checkmateBITCH'.
is it just me, or does anyone else find these offensive, or potentially so. i admit there is some ambiguity with the second, but it sounds very suspicious to me...
My suggestion regarding this particular matter is if one finds these people's id's offensive, one should simply not play chess with them. You can alert the mods and let them do as they think necessary.
We will never get rid of the offensive things in the world, but we can stay away from them.
Originally posted by dfm65
1. the books and records i mentioned above will only be encountered by me if i choose to read the books, listen to the records etc. and most records have warnings about potentially offensive lyrics anyway, so if i was concerned about it, i could avoid them if i wished. similarly, tv and cinema movies are rated, so that people likely to be offended canchoose not to watch. but having such stuff thrust in your face in a public place is a different matter - it's taking away my choice to encounter or not encounter material like this. that is why such names, in this a chess site, involve a colossal lack of consideration on the part of those who choose them.
This is not a public place. This is a private site; people similarly choose to be here. Russ and Chris have made clear that the forums are totally and inextricably integral to this site, and many posters have made it clear that the forums are the biggest reason they remain on the site.
Given that, for many, the forums are what make RHP special, the difference between an offensive username and an offensive post is negligible. How many people even knew (and cared) that 'Dogbollox' or 'Toiletboy' existed before they were mentioned in the forums? By contrast, how many people have read Shalixmir's 'penis post?' Probably more people. To complain about one and not the other seems to suggest that the username is public and the forums are private, which is patently not the case, or that former gets overwhemlingly more exposure than the latter, which similarly is not the case.
Who are you trying to protect by getting 'Toiletboy' to change his name while supporting 'penis talk?' Are you suggesting that someone who would be offended by seeing this name on the 'Most Recent Moves' list wouldn't be offended by the other (since it's clear you're not offended by either, given the 'literature' you read)?
It's a totally disingenuous argument. It's like saying it's ok for a television show to be offensive, but the commercials can't be (or vice versa); do you any more choose one but not the other? Similarly, I don't think it's reasonable to maintain that an RHPer can use a word in a post or title of a post, but not as his username.
Nemesio
edit: And I wouldn't condone either 'andrelikeslittleboy' as a username, or in the title/content of a post, just so you don't think I'm justifying it.
Ok well here's my opinion on the matter. Whilst such names are rather immature, and lets be honest, really dont pay their owners many compliments, I dont think they are really that offensive unless they are directed and an individual/group of individuls. Its not like they WANT to upset you with the name, I mean after all it is ONLY a name!
Of course, if they were directed at someone or certain people in particaular, this would be offensive but ultimatly, dosnt every user have the right to create their own name, however stupid!?
Still this is just my view which clearly, does not co-inside with that of many others who have posted in this thread! Does anyone else agree with me?
