PaperDemon Art RPG

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Post 25032 - Freedom of expression

  1. Posted on Feb 21, 2010, 7:55:29 PM UTC
    ID: 25032
    Sliverbane

    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?