Please help me define 'offensive'

I'm a little late in replying to this thread. Please forgive me -- it's been a very busy day.

The original post was deleted, not because it was a discussion of the Gay Pride flag (or any other flag), but because it had deteriorated into hate speech, using epithets to refer to a group of people in the real world.

The Community Standards say:

"Our rules are simple: treat each other with respect and without harassment, adhere to local standards as indicated by simulator ratings, and refrain from any hate activity which slurs a real-world individual or real-world community."

We will not tolerate hate speech in the forums, or hate-based speech and/or activity in Second Life. Minimally we will delete the post. If it continues we will suspend the individuals involved from the forums, or if in-world, from Second Life.

In our opinion there were too many instances of hate speech in the thread to edit it, and therefore it was deleted. If you'd like to debate the merits of using flags as symbols for political causes, that's fine. But if you revert to name calling and slurs, your post and possibly the whole thread, will be deleted.

Reitsuki,
No offense taken. It was just something I was aware of for a quick link. Please, go ask your college. Although I'm sure the reply will be different from say, Saint Marys than it would be from Berekeley or UCLA.

Whoa There. You just insulted me and made two big asumptions:

1) That i have a problem with homosexuals.

2) That Im a biggot.

I have come to expect better of you Misnomer.

I am neither and am actualy pretty libral by many peoples standards. I accept anyones way of life as long as they don't push it on me.

However I will fight anything that people simply decide must be the way they choose to view it because it supports their view of the world or their chosen way of life, regardless of any proof to the contrary or their inability to proove that what they are seeing is correct.

The information I provided matches and execdes that given in the salon artical. You want to tell me how I am not willing to learn?

I just wish people would stop trying to justify their actions with some outside source and instead accept the choices they make in life as their consious choise that they are responsible for.

And while I'm not trying to rub the perticular point home I'd like to thank Reitsuki for making that point.

Gwyd,

I'm just not getting *where* you are at here. It's not appearing as you are pro gay rights. Granted (and already stated) the article selected wasnt the best but I knew where I could find it quickly.

I'm pro everyones rights. Right to do what you want. But I'm also very pro "Accept your choices" and "Don't try to justify yourself" especialy with theory, 'beleif' and speculation.

Somone is gay, Ok so?

Somone is gay and trying to make it right to me... No. You are gay ok, you have these attactions, likes, desires what have you. That is not something that can be justified in any way other than "This is how I am.".

I'm also of the belief that symbols are transatory, the confederate flag has been flown over atrocities.

It has also been flown over great deeds and merciful acts.

Is it completely bad or good? My answer to that is another question: Is any flag clean of mis-use?

I am pro Fact. I am also pro conjecture but not when said guesses are labled as fact or used as cut in stone 'truth'.

Robin,

As I said in my reply to you:- I had postings on that thread, and by deleting the whole thread the implication is that my postings were found unacceptable.

I don't like that.

I really don't see why the whole thread had to be deleted; someone could have gone through deleting individual posts that you felt violated legal guidelines. I don't think anyone would have objected to that.

I am very sensitive to this kind of censorship, because I have seen it before, and know where it can lead. Believe me when I say that there is a slippery slope, and by taking this action you are standing on the very top of it.

I ask you please to consider very carefully when you find yourselves tempted to take this action in the future.

where are you from? most non southern schools teach that but if you are lucky enough to get a good teacher you will learn the truth. I took AP US History at my school and we were taught the truth about the civil war. The north had no plans to remove slavery in the south, do you understand that the emancipation proclamation was made after the war started!!!! So why would the south secede because of slavery if slavery hadn't been threatened yet. It was because of high tariffs and other unfair practices of the north.


JV

And that is your own fault

Well, I did say 7th grade history. I didnt take us history again. Its depressing and full of contradictions and lies.

Anyhow I conced the point that I know nothing factual about the civil war enough to use that war in an argument.