Your profile pic ”doesn’t have the context” to explain such lofty goals, says Xbox Live chief Stephen Tolouse. Banning the emblem is ”kind of a no-brainer.”
Political correctness gone mad!? No, just common sense. ”It’s not political correctness, it’s fundamental respect,” declared Stephen Tolouse on his blog.
”If you think the swastika symbol should be re-evaluated by societies all over the Earth, I think that’s great. Your Xbox Live profile or in-game logo, which doesn’t have the context to explain your goal, is not the right place to do that.”
”And by the way, that doesn’t just go for the swastika, it applies to many other symbols as well that my team does indeed take action on when we see it,” he said.
This blog post was meant to slap down the type of hypocrite that ”would never dare to wear a swastika openly, but they love to argue about how the world has ‘misunderstood’ this symbol”. It was all about peace and love really, but ‘those people’ ruined it.
”My Twitter stream was filled with people stating that Xbox Live should equally ban the Star of David, the Christian Cross, and yes I am not kidding, the infinity symbol - because under various niche interpretations of those symbols they are as evil as the swastika symbol, and I should apply ethical relativism to all symbols on Xbox Live to respect all viewpoints because of the United States First Amendment,” continued his defence of the bans.
”Even better? The argument that because the single player of the game is rated mature, the online experience should allow for all manner of horrible genocidal viewpoints. I know the symbols might show up in games, but that’s content that you know that you are getting, because it is rated content.”
”It’s there as part of the experience, not making a statement. Using it as your emblem is different. The Xbox Live chieftain has spoken - take your Nazi elsewhere.
”Context,” he emphasised. ”Yes we can have the discussion in other venues about the double meaning of various terms, something my team does everyday. But for many topics, its kind of a no-brainer.” Xbox 360 wants no part of your crusade - simple.
Just stick to your humorous LOLcats and get on with the gaming.
