Hate speech is, outside the law, any communication which disparages a person or a group on the basis of some characteristic such as race or sexual orientation.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech

Sites which advocate hostility or aggression toward individuals or groups on the basis of race, religion, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, OR OTHER INVOLUNTARY CHARACTERISTICS;
www.adsafemedia.com/category_definitions.php

Those of you arguing in Sam's favor are clearly missing eharvey's point, or being argumentative for the sake of being argumentative. In the real world, would any of you keyboard heroes make down syndrome jokes in front of people with down syndrome? Probably not. Why? Because you know that it would be construed as offensive.

Granted, this is the internet, and nobody REALLY cares or gets offended when someone calls them derogatory names. Sam was obviously just talking shit, but i think the problem is the hypocrisy. If he's going to censor other people, then he most certainly shouldn't be speaking like that. Alternatively, if it is acceptable to make down syndrome jokes, everyone should be allowed to abuse others regarding their race, religion, sexual orientation, other.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

I do not care about harsh language (4rth time). I guess I really am talking to a tree.

By the way, diminishing Sams' words by associating with him ("Sam is well known on this site and is known to not be a hateful person") is dimishing your already very weak arguments. What would you have done if these sentences were shown to you and it was someone you did not know writing them? You would have banned the person?

Thanks Thrillo for going back to the point! I know you really do not like me, so I am sure it costs you to write that.

hervey i disagree. we shouldn't be consistent. we should be arbitrary. its more fun/unpredictable.

Boog, you should read "The Underground" from Dostoyevsky... It is one of my favorite book and I think you will like it.

I have never banned someone for using language similar to mine. While I have warned people over the use of some choice derogatory words I have only banned when someone has directed a derogatory word at a player because they think that player is of the persuasion that would be offended by being called such or if it was a situation of spamming the chat box trying to be disruptive.

I have been very consistent with my actions and behaviors. Also I am not here to be an ambassador of this game, sometimes I have been and have been recognized as being such at times but it isn't why I am here or why I am an "Advisor". Political correctness is the enemy of freedom and liberty and I won't change my liberal use of profanity and colorful language just because you all are whiny cunts about being banned for stupidity at various times or whatever.

Also veta you might want to drop your stupid talking point about cheating crews in 2008 or 2007 or whatever fucking fantasy land you live in where shit that never happened in reality happened in your head. Unless you want to elaborate on specifics you just come off like a desperate cunt trying to rake muck because no one likes you.

i.e. calling a player that claims to be black in real life a "nigger" in the chat box.

Since the syntax of that got convoluted in my post.

i called ali a terrorist, he got mad

Being that this is the Internet and everyone's anonymous Sam - wouldn't it stand to follow that simply acting offended or saying you're offended shouldn't be the grounds for banning someone who used hate speech? That seems liable to abuse and arbitrary banning - it stands to reason hate speech shouldn't be tolerated at all (whether a party is offended or not or pretends to be offended) or it should be tolerated entirely. I would draw a distinction between the occaissional use of the word "faggot" and harassment though.

You banning or threatening to ban for the use of these slurs suggests that you are in favor of banning the use of slurs, and if that is the case (it is under your own admission) that would make you a hypocrite for then going around and using hate speech against groups you perceive are not relevent, i.e. The mentally handicapped or homosexuals.

So either you only ban for harassment and ignore random slurs or you ban all slurs and reprimand yourself for such actions.

It is a balancing act based on my own subjective judgement of any given particular situation. The fact that you think it should be something different is rather immaterial. I draw the line at what I consider hate speech in one place some other mods might draw that line in another place. The idea that it should be a black and white line only appeals to fuckwits like you so you know how far you can push the limits instead of just using your own brain and not acting like such a little twat.