Microsoft's Toulouse explains why swastikas are banned on Xbox Live

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An Xbox Live user recently inquired to professional banhammer-wielder Stephen Toulouse whether or not he could use a swastika as his Call of Duty: Black Ops emblem, to which Toulouse responded, "No, of course you can't, we'll ban you." Apparently, this sparked quite a reaction from gamers who witnessed the exchange, who defended the use of a swastika as a symbol widely used throughout several Eastern religions. In a post on his personal blog, Toulouse explained why this argument doesn't hold much water with the Xbox Live moderation crew.

"Let's be clear: no educated human on the planet looks at the swastika symbol ... and says 'oh, that symbol has nothing at all in any way to do with global genocide of an entire race,'" Toulouse stated, "'and, even if it did, one should totally and reasonably ignore that because it's a symbol that was stolen or coop-ted from religions.'" He succinctly adds, "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."

We certainly know that every time we see someone use the swastika as their identifier on an online game, our first thought is, "Oh, how nice, they're pushing for a global re-evaluation of the meaning of the swastika." Like, that's just common sense, isn't it?

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/microsofts-toulouse-explains-why-swastikas-are-banned-on-xbox-l/

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shadow1Posted:

DecyferGaming
shadow1 you guys are idiots. the main excuse for having the swastica is "but it means peace in the middle east mannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn." knowing that you dont actualy mean that so you dont get banned and spread hate. and does it actualy mean peace when you have the same color the nazis used? of course not. if you want the symbol of peace, dont use it with the nazis color and reverse it. stop making excuses for your white supremisy ways.


Ok Im not trying to Promote or encourage the Nazi Genocide neither am i on the german side or Xbl. In fact im not on anyone side but I think after putting the Nazi Emblem on they didn't seem to care in the first place. Even if its on the Nazi Zombies and they get killed. They still Put it on the Zombies. Because it DOESNT MATTER. Otherwise they would have made the zombies without the emblem on their arms for Black Ops. I mean like what if it's the opposite and it was the americans on a stupid genocide, not the germans? Im not taking sides here but if it's Offensive to use the Emblem now, then why not before? Just don't be stupid and don't put the Emblem there in the first place if its going to cause such a Arguement. Im not being an Idiot, just expressing My Point of view.

No Flames please.


ill try not to flame. this main fight is to protect the swastica so they can keep it. they start throwing excuses so they can have it. points like mines and yours. either it means peace or they have it in nazi zombies. if your in ww2 germany what do you expect to see? a flower on everybody or the twisted version of the symbol of peace? (no directed to you) you can cry all you want, but you guys wont get back the freedom to have it back. just go back to making beastiality emblems and walking penises

DecyferGamingPosted:

shadow1 you guys are idiots. the main excuse for having the swastica is "but it means peace in the middle east mannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn." knowing that you dont actualy mean that so you dont get banned and spread hate. and does it actualy mean peace when you have the same color the nazis used? of course not. if you want the symbol of peace, dont use it with the nazis color and reverse it. stop making excuses for your white supremisy ways.


Ok Im not trying to Promote or encourage the Nazi Genocide neither am i on the german side or Xbl. In fact im not on anyone side but I think after putting the Nazi Emblem on they didn't seem to care in the first place. Even if its on the Nazi Zombies and they get killed. They still Put it on the Zombies. Because it DOESNT MATTER. Otherwise they would have made the zombies without the emblem on their arms for Black Ops. I mean like what if it's the opposite and it was the americans on a stupid genocide, not the germans? Im not taking sides here but if it's Offensive to use the Emblem now, then why not before? Just don't be stupid and don't put the Emblem there in the first place if its going to cause such a Arguement. Im not being an Idiot, just expressing My Point of view.

No Flames please.

shadow1Posted:

ITzZCraigxX
jayjay92895 BUT I THOUGHT swastikas also mean peace?


they do but xbox is going on a ban spree again just because there was a mad man in germany who wanted to take over the world and wipe out a race
im still gonna have a swatstica because in hinduism it resembles peace so FU microsoft!!


ehh....no your not. your just like all of the other white supremisis. if you are however. how about you take away the white and red. then once you got that, reverse it and then you have the hindu symbol of peace.

shadow1Posted:

you guys are idiots. the main excuse for having the swastica is "but it means peace in the middle east mannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn." knowing that you dont actualy mean that so you dont get banned and spread hate. and does it actualy mean peace when you have the same color the nazis used? of course not. if you want the symbol of peace, dont use it with the nazis color and reverse it. stop making excuses for your white supremisy ways.

ITzZCraigxXPosted:

jayjay92895 BUT I THOUGHT swastikas also mean peace?


they do but xbox is going on a ban spree again just because there was a mad man in germany who wanted to take over the world and wipe out a race
im still gonna have a swatstica because in hinduism it resembles peace so FU microsoft!!

shadow1Posted:

IamNikoo they are stupid why swastikas are banned in xbox live and there is hudreds of them in "kino der toten"


because its nazi zombies. and its good because your killing them and all that. its not like you see those zombies capture jews and torture them. and its different if a person has it as his emblem. if someone sees the swastica, they arnt going to go on a rampage. if somebody sees someone using the swastica as their emblem and start calling out jews, then yes it will start a rampage. we all know your a white supremisis, so stop making excuses to show you are one.

BiLLLYPosted:

Wtf? what sort of idiot would want his emblem as a swastika?

Oh and btw the religious swastika is reversed.

jayjay92895Posted:

BUT I THOUGHT swastikas also mean peace?

IamNikooPosted:

they are stupid why swastikas are banned in xbox live and there is hudreds of them in "kino der toten"

connor78Posted:

Bayrock Ok, I guess they need to get rid of all those swastikas in NAZI Zombies to then...

Exactly... why put swastikas in the game if you ban people for recreating a symbol that you yourself programmed into game modes..
If we recreate the Japan flag do we get banned? NO. the japanese bombed pearl harbor.... they need to face it, there is always going to be symbols that certain people get offended by... but if they put one of those symbols in the game, they should not be the ones to ban people the second they see the symbol anywhere but the place they programmed it to be.


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