PaperDemon Art RPG

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Freedom of expression

  1. Posted on Feb 21, 2010, 7:55:29 PM UTC
    ID: 25032 | #1
    Sliverbane
    Level 40
    XP

    I need to vent!

    Last night I noticed I had a new comment on some of my artwork on Deviant Art.  Oh, goodie!! I check the submission and I see that the commentor has asked me to delete my submission or change the name! 

    Er...what?  The submission is of a demon I created and I named his race Pathan.  I thought the word sounded cool.  I spend hours smashing words together to make cool names. 

    I followed their screen name to their profile and I realize this person is from Afganistan.  Evidently the title of my submission 'Pathan' offends him.  If you google Pathan you can find a decription of the origin of this word on Wikipedia.  It refers to a sect of people from Afganistan through Pakistan. They have a rich heritage and culture.  Very interesting people.  But no link to my demon character.  Not that it matters, but this character is a good guy.

    I thought about this person's request - and I thought to myself that Deviant Art states that it is a forum for open expression. I told the person that I would not change the name of my submission or delete it.  The fact that he used the comment section to tell me to delete/change my art irritated me.  A private note was certainly a better place to dispute the use of the word 'Pathan'.  I sent my reponse:

     Ah, I see. You dissaprove of the use of the word 'Pathan'. I will not delete my submission. I will not change the name. Perhaps if you had taken the time to send me a private note and plead your case I would have considered it. Writing a comment just to asking me to take it down doesn't make a good case for you.

    And this is what I get back:

    Dear Slave
    Pathan is the name of a nation you know them well (Afghans [link]), it will be better to change.

    (I disabled the link he provided because I have no idea where is goes)

    The opening is offending enough...  I don't know if I'm dealing with someone with horrible English.  Or if this person is threatning me!  Needless to say any kind of diplomatic negotiation or explanations are now completely gone as far as I am concerned.  I replied back that if he continued to harass me I would report him.  Then I blocked him.

    I signed off and went to bed.  But I was so upsetI couldn't get to sleep right away.  I can understand his concern, but calling a stranger 'slave'  and making vaguely threatening comments doesn't really help getting what you want, now does it?  I wanted to know exactly what his problem was...  Did he stop to think that perhaps it was a misunderstaning?  A collection of letters I put together to name a fantasy character...hmm?  I mean it happens all the time in Japanese anime...  Characters named. Chi-Chi, Phallus, etc.  I guess I'm trying too hard to rationalize things.  Anyhow.  I know where I stand and I hope he drops it once he figures out I blocked him.

    Thoughts?

  2. Posted on Mar 1, 2010, 6:26:15 AM UTC
    ID: 25036 | #2
    ArkillianDragon
    Level 273 BETA ADMIN
    XP

    I think you should leave it at that. Anything more then got to the moderators about it. It's pretty weird, but some people just serch a word to spread hate messages. One comment I got was on a parody of a penis I drew, and I got a hate message about how all men are evil and must die and stuff. Went to their page and a HEAP of people were flaming this new account for their hate messages so I just ignored it.

    All they want is a reaction. if they go further then just report them. Delete their comment and move on with life :)

  3. Posted on Mar 2, 2010, 2:09:37 AM UTC
    ID: 25038 | #3
    Sliverbane
    Level 40
    XP

    Yeah, I wanted to move on as soon as possible.  I made no further effort to communicate with that person.  I was worried I might get some of his 'goons' posting to my profile so  I made sure to read all about the 'no flame' policy at DA.  At this time... no one had made any further comments to my submission.  Thank goodness.

    Thanks Ark -

  4. Posted on Mar 3, 2010, 12:38:59 AM UTC
    ID: 25040 | #4
    Lilimayhem
    Level 81 BETA
    XP

    Some people get offended easily or are very touchy about things related to them. They have to realise that it's not the same with everyone. I would do like Arkillian said and leave it be. If we start to accomodate everyone we lose our identity...

  5. Posted on Mar 5, 2010, 10:19:55 PM UTC
    ID: 25044 | #5
    ladyHisoka
    Level 10
    XP

    On Feb 21, 2010 11:55 am, Sliverbane said:
    [quote]

    I need to vent!

    Last night I noticed I had a new comment on some of my artwork on Deviant Art.  Oh, goodie!! I check the submission and I see that the commentor has asked me to delete my submission or change the name! 

    Er...what?  The submission is of a demon I created and I named his race Pathan.  I thought the word sounded cool.  I spend hours smashing words together to make cool names. 

    I followed their screen name to their profile and I realize this person is from Afganistan.  Evidently the title of my submission 'Pathan' offends him.  If you google Pathan you can find a decription of the origin of this word on Wikipedia.  It refers to a sect of people from Afganistan through Pakistan. They have a rich heritage and culture.  Very interesting people.  But no link to my demon character.  Not that it matters, but this character is a good guy.

    I thought about this person's request - and I thought to myself that Deviant Art states that it is a forum for open expression. I told the person that I would not change the name of my submission or delete it.  The fact that he used the comment section to tell me to delete/change my art irritated me.  A private note was certainly a better place to dispute the use of the word 'Pathan'.  I sent my reponse:

     Ah, I see. You dissaprove of the use of the word 'Pathan'. I will not delete my submission. I will not change the name. Perhaps if you had taken the time to send me a private note and plead your case I would have considered it. Writing a comment just to asking me to take it down doesn't make a good case for you.

    And this is what I get back:

    Dear Slave
    Pathan is the name of a nation you know them well (Afghans [link]), it will be better to change.

    (I disabled the link he provided because I have no idea where is goes)

    The opening is offending enough...  I don't know if I'm dealing with someone with horrible English.  Or if this person is threatning me!  Needless to say any kind of diplomatic negotiation or explanations are now completely gone as far as I am concerned.  I replied back that if he continued to harass me I would report him.  Then I blocked him.

    I signed off and went to bed.  But I was so upsetI couldn't get to sleep right away.  I can understand his concern, but calling a stranger 'slave'  and making vaguely threatening comments doesn't really help getting what you want, now does it?  I wanted to know exactly what his problem was...  Did he stop to think that perhaps it was a misunderstaning?  A collection of letters I put together to name a fantasy character...hmm?  I mean it happens all the time in Japanese anime...  Characters named. Chi-Chi, Phallus, etc.  I guess I'm trying too hard to rationalize things.  Anyhow.  I know where I stand and I hope he drops it once he figures out I blocked him.

    Thoughts?

    [/quote]

    DUDE srusly quit DA now Drake just droppe dsomethign that is soem nastyness in my lap evidince that one of hte admind is docroting posts; itsa confrimation that soneon has acess to the main database ind is using it to cause alot of problems in DA and chix0rs only resonce to this has alwase been "Just block him" and i dont think you have much of a furture in the site since they side with the wrong people form tiem to time no wonder some of my posts there looked a little odd Im beginign to wnder how many were subject to being tampered with.

  6. Posted on Mar 8, 2010, 3:47:28 AM UTC
    ID: 25053 | #6
    ArkillianDragon
    Level 273 BETA ADMIN
    XP

    Before you start spreading hellfire over the net about this, you can go to other admins if they come back, or if they don't go with banning. For now, just leave it, unless it comes back :/ May just be a one of. There's alot of them.

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