Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Fun with Trade Chat

I was doing some basic research into the 3.0.3 changes and decided to log in tonight to see how my Riptide was affected by the buff (one of our few it turns out). Unfortunately I logged in right before they declared the winner of the Presidential election. So I'm running around Shatt jumping off bridges trying to injure myself enough to see the heal over time tick, when a fairly new guild member logs on. I don't know him personally, in fact I don't think I've ever spoken with him. Note to self: You are a bad officer. Shame on you! Seconds after he logs in I see a class-colored name pop up in trade chat signifying that he is either a guildie or standing near enough to me so that my mod can pick up on his class. This person proceeds to express his views about the election in non-complimentary terms, even going so far as to use a word that is not acceptable outside a rap video and even then you're probably not getting away with it.

Before my eyebrows could return to their normal position, I was frantically whispering him: "I understand that it is 'just' trade chat and it is out of control already, but do not use that word while wearing our guild tag."

His response? "Sorry, man. I didn't know. I'm not racist. I'm just pissed about the election."

Let's analyze this.

I've already confessed to being a bad officer and not speaking directly to this man before. But I talk in guild chat a lot. Enough that most people know what they can get away with when I'm online and what they can't. And last I checked, I'm not a man. This could have just been his generic address, like the way my niece says "dude" to everyone, but I don't think so. He's rather new to the guild, and I totally get that it's safest to assume everyone you talk to in WoW is male, but how oblivious is he?

Second, he didn't know. What exactly didn't he know? He didn't know that that word is unacceptable in polite society. (Yes, I know I'm stretching the definition of the word polite to apply it to trade chat, but stay with me here.) Probably not--especially since he immediately knew which word I meant. He didn't know that we frown on people making idiots of themselves while wearing our guild tag? Possibly. I guess he never took the time to read our Code of Conduct. The first rule in the Code says "Our members show respect for the guild by participating in raids, fulfilling duties assigned by Officers and Raid Leaders, and avoiding activities that do not promote a positive guild image." Oops, guess he missed that line.

He's not racist. Why is it that most people who feel the need to say they aren't racist still use words that people consider racist? If you weren't racist, wouldn't you pick a different word?

In the end I gave him a strong warning and he logged off. Maybe I should have gkicked him, but it's really hard to get kicked from our guild. Maybe he'll take my warning to heart and start thinking before he types. But I'm not holding my breath. After all, his biggest mistake of the night was speaking in trade chat, and I don't think that's something we can fix.

1 comment:

  1. Next time, you should just gkick em. Don't need racists-in-denial stinking up our ranks...

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