Abe's Thanksgiving Magic Hand Grenade

[Abe Sargent]

It's about to get all crazy here.:




StarCityGames.com - The Kitchen Table #394 – Ending Homophobia In Magic

[Julio Riddols]

While I agree that there is still a great deal of trepidation in the world about homosexual people, I don't think that there is any ill will intended by those who call things gay or use the word faggot to describe something they perceive as a minor nuisance. These are Magic players you're talking about here. They deal with being called nerds and being outcasts and having assumptions made about their lives as well. I think if someone can't learn to own who they are and be proud of it, but instead sit back and wait to get offended by something as innocuous as this, then they need to learn to accept themselves and respect themselves. There is a clear difference between someone calling something gay or faggot because it just caused them 10 points of damage out of nowhere and ended their tournament and calling someone faggot out of hatred. It is easy to discern what is casual talk and what is maliciously intended. Going around being offended at this stuff is the same as people complaining that the Chiefs and Redskins are named the Chiefs and Redskins, IMO.

This is coming from someone who also dealt with being called a faggot in high school, among other things. I had a gay friend then who was just a very interesting person to talk to and I wasn't about to let that shit bother me just because we'd be chatting on our way to the bus after school or whatever. I knew who I was and what people said to me that didn't even know me had no bearing on my life. He didn't let it bother him either, because he was proud of who he was.

I can understand the intent behind trying to get these words out of the lexicon of Magic players, but I just think you're mostly addressing the wrong crowd if you're trying to take a stand for tolerance and acceptance. There is a much more worthwhile pursuit in trying to eliminate hate speech in places where it is used maliciously, although I suspect that is a war that will be waged for a long time after we're gone before the intolerant people in this world grow to embrace differences rather than use them as a stepping stone of self righteousness.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

While I agree that there is still a great deal of trepidation in the world about homosexual people, I don't think that there is any ill will intended by those who call things gay or use the word faggot to describe something they perceive as a minor nuisance. These are Magic players you're talking about here. They deal with being called nerds and being outcasts and having assumptions made about their lives as well. I think if someone can't learn to own who they are and be proud of it, but instead sit back and wait to get offended by something as innocuous as this, then they need to learn to accept themselves and respect themselves. There is a clear difference between someone calling something gay or faggot because it just caused them 10 points of damage out of nowhere and ended their tournament and calling someone faggot out of hatred. It is easy to discern what is casual talk and what is maliciously intended. Going around being offended at this stuff is the same as people complaining that the Chiefs and Redskins are named the Chiefs and Redskins, IMO.

This is coming from someone who also dealt with being called a faggot in high school, among other things. I had a gay friend then who was just a very interesting person to talk to and I wasn't about to let that shit bother me just because we'd be chatting on our way to the bus after school or whatever. I knew who I was and what people said to me that didn't even know me had no bearing on my life. He didn't let it bother him either, because he was proud of who he was.

I can understand the intent behind trying to get these words out of the lexicon of Magic players, but I just think you're mostly addressing the wrong crowd if you're trying to take a stand for tolerance and acceptance. There is a much more worthwhile pursuit in trying to eliminate hate speech in places where it is used maliciously, although I suspect that is a war that will be waged for a long time after we're gone before the intolerant people in this world grow to embrace differences rather than use them as a stepping stone of self righteousness.

Thanks for your thoughts, I appreciate it.