[Q] Use of Slurs

[United Islamic Commonwealth]

So, are slurs actionable or no? I've seen several contradictory rulings such as "muzzies" and "nigger" being ruled as allowed, but "khafir" was recently disallowed when it was not being used malevolently. I don't mean to question the mods or post in bad faith, I would just like some clarification on the matter for future reference.

[Farnhamia]

So, are slurs actionable or no? I've seen several contradictory rulings such as "muzzies" and "nigger" being ruled as allowed, but "khafir" was recently disallowed when it was not being used malevolently. I don't mean to question the mods or post in bad faith, I would just like some clarification on the matter for future reference.

Individual cases are judged individually. We won't rule on hypotheticals and we won't start a list of "This word is okay in this context but in that context we'll be sending black helicopters to your house," either. I know that's not giving you the clarity you seek but it is what it is.

[Katganistan]

So, are slurs actionable or no? I've seen several contradictory rulings such as "muzzies" and "nigger" being ruled as allowed, but "khafir" was recently disallowed when it was not being used malevolently. I don't mean to question the mods or post in bad faith, I would just like some clarification on the matter for future reference.

Can you link to rulings stating 'muzzie' and 'nigger' were allowed? I can't seem to find it in my search.

[United Islamic Commonwealth]

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=398028&hilit=muzzies here's muzzies. Quick search of the moderation forum turned it up,

Too tired to wade through the slimy sea of n-word ones right now, but I could try more tomorrow.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=398028&hilit=muzzies#p30677020 here, Monitor states that the use of a slur is not in and of itself actionable. It's the intention and way it is used.

[Frisbeeteria]

It's the intention and way it is used.

That's true of every moderator ruling. We don't have a list of forbidden words per se, but obvious examples such as slang terms for blacks, Jews, and Muslims (among others) will quickly get noticed. If they are used in a derogatory manner, it's highly likely to be reported and acted upon.

I'm sure it's possible to use virtually any offensive word in a way that disarms its power. George Carlin did it in the 70s with his "words you can't use on TV". Hell, damn, ass, bitch, and bastard have all lost most of their power just in the last few decades. I'm sure the upcoming decades will bring new terms to the forefront. In the meantime, it's going to be a judgement call every time.

[United Islamic Commonwealth]

It's the intention and way it is used.

That's true of every moderator ruling. We don't have a list of forbidden words per se, but obvious examples such as slang terms for blacks, Jews, and Muslims (among others) will quickly get noticed. If they are used in a derogatory manner, it's highly likely to be reported and acted upon.

I'm sure it's possible to use virtually any offensive word in a way that disarms its power. George Carlin did it in the 70s with his "words you can't use on TV". Hell, damn, ass, bitch, and bastard have all lost most of their power just in the last few decades. I'm sure the upcoming decades will bring new terms to the forefront. In the meantime, it's going to be a judgement call every time.

So, when an anti-Islam region who states their mission is to crush Islam uses the term "muzzies" to refer to us, it is not actionable, but when a Muslim uses the term "khafir" he gets a warning? Would it be better if he had said unbeliever or infidel, despite it being an almost literal translation?

[The Kiyaku]

Deus vult

[Katganistan]

Deus vult

*** Warned for spamming moderation and trolling ***

[USS Monitor]

That's true of every moderator ruling. We don't have a list of forbidden words per se, but obvious examples such as slang terms for blacks, Jews, and Muslims (among others) will quickly get noticed. If they are used in a derogatory manner, it's highly likely to be reported and acted upon.

I'm sure it's possible to use virtually any offensive word in a way that disarms its power. George Carlin did it in the 70s with his "words you can't use on TV". Hell, damn, ass, bitch, and bastard have all lost most of their power just in the last few decades. I'm sure the upcoming decades will bring new terms to the forefront. In the meantime, it's going to be a judgement call every time.

So, when an anti-Islam region who states their mission is to crush Islam uses the term "muzzies" to refer to us, it is not actionable, but when a Muslim uses the term "khafir" he gets a warning? Would it be better if he had said unbeliever or infidel, despite it being an almost literal translation?

It's different contexts -- GP vs. NSG. Posturing for regional politics or R/D purposes gets a little more slack than a purely OOC post in NSG would.

[United Islamic Commonwealth]

So, when an anti-Islam region who states their mission is to crush Islam uses the term "muzzies" to refer to us, it is not actionable, but when a Muslim uses the term "khafir" he gets a warning? Would it be better if he had said unbeliever or infidel, despite it being an almost literal translation?

It's different contexts -- GP vs. NSG. Posturing for regional politics or R/D purposes gets a little more slack than a purely OOC post in NSG would.

Isn't GP purely OOC, though? The description underneath the name pretty clearly says "not a roleplaying forum". So, it is alright if I were to go into GP and begin calling people khafir with malicious intent (as the above example was using muzzie) but if I use it in NSG using its literal meaning, I can get a warning?

[USS Monitor]

It's different contexts -- GP vs. NSG. Posturing for regional politics or R/D purposes gets a little more slack than a purely OOC post in NSG would.

Isn't GP purely OOC, though?

It often blurs the line between IC and OOC.

So, it is alright if I were to go into GP and begin calling people khafir with malicious intent (as the above example was using muzzie) but if I use it in NSG using its literal meaning, I can get a warning?

I don't recommend it. Did you miss the part where the guy using "muzzies" got an unofficial warning?

viewtopic.php?p=30676772#p30676772
viewtopic.php?p=30680032#p30680032

[United Islamic Commonwealth]

Isn't GP purely OOC, though?

It often blurs the line between IC and OOC.

So, it is alright if I were to go into GP and begin calling people khafir with malicious intent (as the above example was using muzzie) but if I use it in NSG using its literal meaning, I can get a warning?

I don't recommend it. Did you miss the part where the guy using "muzzies" got an unofficial warning?

viewtopic.php?p=30676772#p30676772
viewtopic.php?p=30680032#p30680032

No, I got that. But that's unofficial. Someone using khafir as a regular term no different from a Jew using Gentile or goy gets an official, though?

[Frisbeeteria]

Unofficial warnings are only given to players with clean records and minor infractions. We then move on to warnings and bans and deletions.

United Islamic Commonwealth, you seem hung up on the specific words too much, and this has devolved into little more than rules-lawyering. Time for a lock.

[The Archregimancy]

I know Fris has locked the thread, but if he'll indulge me for a second...

'Khafir' is not inherently actionable. The past post of mine that often gets quoted in these circumstances specifically allows for the word to be used in debate so long as it's A) being used in the Classical Arabic Koranic sense rather than the colloquial sense, and - and this is crucial - B) the post where the word is used makes it clear (explicitly or by unambiguous implication) that the word is being used in the traditional Koranic sense.

The problem is that the word has come to have two very different meanings in Classical Arabic and colloquial Arabic. Most of our posters won't be familiar with the distinction between Classical and colloquial Arabic, but they are often aware of the word's derogatory meaning in colloquial Arabic. This is why it's absolutely vital to specify the context in which the word is being used.

We're not going to warn people for quoting the Koran in theological debate (for example, the use of 'kuffār' in Sura 4:18 or the frequent use of 'kafir' across Sura 2).

We will consider warning people who use it in the highly derogatory colloquial sense.