Rules Addendum

[cityship]

Hey, everyone. Due to a recent kerfluffle last night, we've had to come up with some new policies.

We understand the "no politics in chat" rule can be frustrating at times, as it can severely limit discussions on recent events. However, you also have to realize that the OOC chat is a game chat first and foremost. It's a place for people to come in and have fun. Forcing someone who may just want to play and fool around in chat into a serious discussion about politics--no matter how important it may seem to you--is rude. Even if you feel something is very important, you don't have the right to make that decision for other people.

This is why we ban all discussions on politics in chat, as politics can often lead to very polarizing and heated arguments, which can ruin the fun of someone coming in to play the game. Banning individual discussions on a case-by-case basis would be both painstaking and inefficient, so the ban is for all political discussion.

However, that being said, we do understand that a number of people would like to be able to easily discuss recent events and even politics with fellow players, and so we've decided on a compromise in the form of an addendum to the chat rules. Basically, we will have a separate chat which follows all the normal rules of the OOC chat except the ban on political discussions. The purpose of this chat will be to provide a place to discuss recent events and politics.

The addendum in full is included here:

Addendum: Due to the need to discuss world news and events, a permanent, separate chat, meatshipworldevents, will be available. This chat follows all of the normal chat rules except the ban on political discussions. In the normal chat, you will be allowed to announce recent events that you would like to discuss in the news/events chat (ex. "Hey guys, X happened. We're talking about it in other chat."), but all actual discussion of those events must take place within the news/events chat. In addition, you are allowed to answer questions about what is being discussed in the news/events chat, so long as you don't actually go into details about the discussion itself. (ex. "Hey, what's going on in other chat?" "We're talking about X. Come on over if you want to talk about it.")

Also, just as a precaution, remember that harassing any other member for any reason, including political stance, violates our number 1 rule: Don't Be A Dick.

That is all.
--The Trans9 Mods

Comments

[starlightace]

Personally, I feel uncomfortable talking about politics at all. Other players have said that they don't feel like their opinion is welcomed because it's different from that usually held by RPers. So would you be okay with me saying "hey guys, don't talk about it?" whenever I'm in the room? How is that different from "Guys, politics :|"

You say "unwritten rule to not wank about political parties." Do you just mean American political parties? We have players from other countries. Can someone be against Hezbollah or Hamas taking power in countries in the middle east? Is that foreign events, or is that a political party?

All of this is subjective, and that's the entire reason for the blanket ban. Because the moment you start drawing subjective lines is the moment that people become very upset.

[ultradude.livejournal.com]

It's different because it doesn't have the air of 'follow the rules all the time every time'.

If discussion gets shot down all the time... hopefully people will take the hint, and if they don't then it falls under 'don't be a dick'.

Frankly, I don't expect it to come up very often anyways, and I don't think the Egypt thing would've turned into a problem; if it did, people have fingers to type with to say as much. If they feel uncomfortable and wank on rpanoncomm instead of saying so? Then that's their issue, unfortunately.

[starlightace]

TBH, I don't see any practical difference in people taking the hint that half the players in the chat don't want to talk about politics and "don't be a dick," and making a rule just saying so. Either way, it can't be talked about, which is... just what the people want to do.

But that's the thing, you don't think the Egypt thing would have turned into a problem... for you. Say I wanted to talk about how it was the fault of American imperial hegemony for propping up dictators against the will of the people? Do I feel like my input is welcome? Should I not say what *I* have to say about the subject? Why can everyone else talk about it, but I can't? What makes everyone else's viewpoint more important or less offensive than mine?

You can be upset without taking it to anoncomm. As mods of the game, we want to avoid players feeling upset and unwelcome as best as we can.

[ultradude.livejournal.com]

I think I can see your point, and... thanks for expressing it so well.

As much as I do see points to both sides... as far as comparisons go, I suppose if a subject that isn't politics becomes THAT controversial, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it; since it seems like you've already crossed this one, I can abide by the decision of someone who's been through it.

I would suggest that the mods not react quite so immediately negatively, but the allowance for news + starting a new chat probably covers that.

[ultradude.livejournal.com]

Also, give my regards to whoever used the word kerfluffle.