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Manitoba revokes Star Trek licence plate, deems it offensive

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Joeku

Member
You could just try reading the thread. It's better than fabricating reasons to be further outraged.
Not to drag this on longer than it needs to be, but a post solely saying "Ha!" after one mentioning race crimes is sure as fuck lacking in context. Clarify your shit if you're going to post shit. That's all I ask.

It's not in everyone else to divine context in a post lacking in it.
 

Dongs Macabre

aka Daedalos42
I'm responding to the post above mine, ya goof.


EDIT: I just noticed your edit a few posts up and have to say that I have no idea what you're blathering on about. I have not defended anything of the sort and have said nothing on the subject of residential schools. There's no need to make shit up.

Yeah, you just conveniently ignore the context behind the banning of the licence plate because it's easier to complain about non-existent threats to your personal agency and making shitty "lel microagressions" jokes. Look, we get it, you aren't offended by this. No one is saying you have to be. But others are. That shouldn't be so difficult to grasp.
 
Not to drag this on longer than it needs to be, but a post solely saying "Ha!" after one mentioning race crimes is sure as fuck lacking in context. Clarify your shit if you're going to post shit. That's all I ask.

It's not in everyone else to divine context in a post lacking in it.

But that's not what happened.

All I ask is that you not ignore the post directly above mine, which was clearly addressed to me, and would make a reasonable person laugh.

No divination required. Just a bit of reading and context comprehension. It's OK to disagree, but this is silly.


EDIT: Dongs, I get that others are offended. That's fine. There's context on both sides of the debate. Just look at the picture of the plate.
 

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
Not to drag this on longer than it needs to be, but a post solely saying "Ha!" after one mentioning race crimes is sure as fuck lacking in context. Clarify your shit if you're going to post shit. That's all I ask.

It's not in everyone else to divine context in a post lacking in it.

I got that he was trying to make fun of this insult

Coincidentally, also the last time one of your jokes landed.

The 'hah' is used in a mocking way to say that this insult wasn't funny.
 

Joeku

Member
Dude, your post was literally "Ha!" a couple after words of horrible cultural and racial abuse, complwteky without quoting or context. So while it COULD have been interpreted in some ways, eapecially given your previous posts in the topic, I'm going to give you the benefit if the doubt and again quote ignorance because most fucking people don't know the terrible things Canada did here, and your waltzing through this topic laissez-faire ain't doing shit in your favour.

So, this is what I present and suggest to you, AGAIN. Quote the shit you're actually commenting on, and try not to be aloof when talking about things you aren't familiar with.

I grew up in the final days if Manitoba's Residential Schools. I, thankfully, saw their terror come to an end, and it's a dark chapter of Canadian history that I'd rather not make light of, because it's recent enough to be a continual warning sign. If you felt anywhere near the same, you wouldn't post the way you have. Not that you have to, of course, but you don't get to talk down people who are respecting a thing because you don't care enough to be careful around a subject and then not expect blowback. If you catch shit over something you aren't familiar with, maybe educate yourself.
 
Dude, your post was literally "Ha!" a couple after words of horrible cultural and racial abuse, complwteky without quoting or context. So while it COULD have been interpreted in some ways, eapecially given your previous posts in the topic, I'm going to give you the benefit if the doubt and again quote ignorance because most fucking people don't know the terrible things Canada did here, and your waltzing through this topic laissez-faire ain't doing shit in your favour.

So, this is what I present and suggest to you, AGAIN. Quote the shit you're actually commenting on, and try not to be aloof when talking about things you aren't familiar with.

I grew up in the final days if Manitoba's Residential Schools. I, thankfully, saw their terror come to an end, and it's a dark chapter of Canadian history that I'd rather not make light of, because it's recent enough to be a continual warning sign. If you felt anywhere near the same, you wouldn't post the way you have. Not that you have to, of course, but you don't get to talk down people who are respecting a thing because you don't care enough to be careful around a subject and then not expect blowback. If you catch shit over something you aren't familiar with, maybe educate yourself.

Maybe you're a little too close to the subject at hand?

I read through this whole thread just now and understood the context of his "Ha!" post just fine.

No need for the shit storm.
 

Lo_Fi

Member
Theory: discussions would be so much more productive if no one used the word "offended". It seems some people see that word and immediately dismiss the situation no matter what it's actually about.
 

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
Dude, your post was literally "Ha!" a couple after words of horrible cultural and racial abuse, complwteky without quoting or context. So while it COULD have been interpreted in some ways, eapecially given your previous posts in the topic, I'm going to give you the benefit if the doubt and again quote ignorance because most fucking people don't know the terrible things Canada did here, and your waltzing through this topic laissez-faire ain't doing shit in your favour.

So, this is what I present and suggest to you, AGAIN. Quote the shit you're actually commenting on, and try not to be aloof when talking about things you aren't familiar with.

I grew up in the final days if Manitoba's Residential Schools. I, thankfully, saw their terror come to an end, and it's a dark chapter of Canadian history that I'd rather not make light of, because it's recent enough to be a continual warning sign. If you felt anywhere near the same, you wouldn't post the way you have. Not that you have to, of course, but you don't get to talk down people who are respecting a thing because you don't care enough to be careful around a subject and then not expect blowback. If you catch shit over something you aren't familiar with, maybe educate yourself.

If something he is responding to is right above there isn't a necessity for a quote. The flow of conversation dictates that he was responding to the post above him. If he was replying from someone above I'm sure he'd have reedited the post to clear up who he was responding to.

I doubt anyone here would make fun of forced native schools.
 

Joeku

Member
Okay, maybe I actually am overreacting. I'll back out of this this thread, then. Sorry, y'all.

It's gotten way off topic at this point, but I'll maintain this: context matters.

Peace.

Seven of Nine is best borg.
 

Dongs Macabre

aka Daedalos42
But that's not what happened.

All I ask is that you not ignore the post directly above mine, which was clearly addressed to me, and would make a reasonable person laugh.

No divination required. Just a bit of reading and context comprehension. It's OK to disagree, but this is silly.


EDIT: Dongs, I get that others are offended. That's fine. There's context on both sides of the debate. Just look at the picture of the plate.
So far, you have made posts joking about being "triggered" and complaining about something no one actually said. Right now, it seems like you are taking the position of the licence plate owner, which is that people are being overly sensitive. It's "implicit". (Correct me if I am wrong and you are just posting for the sake of posting.) If I am correct in my assessment though, why do you believe that the people who are offended are being overly sensitive? Is it just by virtue of the licence plate being a Star Trek reference? Many people in thus thread have already posted explanations about why we feel this decision was a good one. Please, it would be (sincerely) nice to have you clearly articulate your perspective without it being muddled by your jokes.
 
So far, you have made posts joking about being "triggered" and complaining about something no one actually said. Right now, it seems like you are taking the position of the licence plate owner, which is that people are being overly sensitive. It's "implicit". (Correct me if I am wrong and you are just posting for the sake of posting.) If I am correct in my assessment though, why do you believe that the people who are offended are being overly sensitive? Is it just by virtue of the licence plate being a Star Trek reference? Many people in thus thread have already posted explanations about why we feel this decision was a good one. Please, it would be (sincerely) nice to have you clearly articulate your perspective without it being muddled by your jokes.

People are free to be offended by the license plate. Others are free to think they are being overly sensitive given the context clues of other Trek elements. I am not convinced that the potential for offense should be the basis for the banning of anything, particularly when the item in question, upon inspection, is not in any way referring to a real world atrocity.

My triggered joke was just that, a joke. Although I am against explaining other people's jokes, I'm not actually mad at Trojita.

If it makes you feel any better, I am against the use of terms like "redskins" as team names.
 

mlclmtckr

Banned
My triggered joke was just that, a joke.

1. It was a bog-standard low effort social conservative cliché. In terms of the signal-to-noise ratio of neogaf, it was pure noise.

2. It was a joke that rested on the premise that rape victims and other survivors of trauma are ridiculous for trying to avoid catalysts for PTSD.

3. That premise is based on a regressive view that posits university campuses as socially progressive to an obnoxious degree. It exists to imply that people who are embarrassingly overcommitted to social justice are somehow worse than actual bigots.
 

Koomaster

Member
No, the policy is that if you ask the government if you can put a government plate on your car, the government can say "no, we won't let you have a government plate that says that."

That's not a ban in the way you're thinking. He can put an "Assimilate" bumper sticker on his car tomorrow and nobody will care.
Why don't they ban it everywhere if it being on a license plate is offensive? Like, oh no, a word on a car, everyone's gonna get upset for the government sanctioned use of words. If people can't control themselves from seeing a word on a car, they can't be safe anywhere so long as the word exists in the world where they may view it. Basically I think the ban of this on a license plate is stupid if you're not going to go full out ban it everywhere.

And yes based on this thread people would apparently make a huge deal out of an 'Assimilate' bumper sticker even if that too had obvious star trek associations/pictures/etc.
 
Why don't they ban it everywhere if it being on a license plate is offensive? Like, oh no, a word on a car, everyone's gonna get upset for the government sanctioned use of words. If people can't control themselves from seeing a word on a car, they can't be safe anywhere so long as the word exists in the world where they may view it. Basically I think the ban of this on a license plate is stupid if you're not going to go full out ban it everywhere.

And yes based on this thread people would apparently make a huge deal out of an 'Assimilate' bumper sticker even if that too had obvious star trek associations/pictures/etc.


Because the government literally controls license plates... That's part of their duties as a provincial government. They issue license plates (because the privilege to drive is entirely through them) so you have to get permission for a vanity plate.

License plates carry the added connotation of Government Approved...

This has been explained to you several times.
 

Lo_Fi

Member
My triggered joke was just that, a joke.

I've seen several posts on GAF that said they didn't realize "triggered" was anything other than a meme. They had no clue that it has a foundation in PTSD.

Continuing to use the meme results in more of those situations, and those people will likely go on to dismiss legitimate PTSD/trigger cases because they have no clue what it's actually about.

Still just a joke?
 

Koomaster

Member
Because the government literally controls license plates... That's part of their duties as a provincial government. They issue license plates (because the privilege to drive is entirely through them) so you have to get permission for a vanity plate.

License plates carry the added connotation of Government Approved...

This has been explained to you several times.
Don't really want to go on about this, my point is simple. This is unfair to ban it on license plates and not elsewhere. If the word is offensive then you have to protect people from seeing it wherever it would crop up - not just on license plates.

Till they do that, he should be allowed to have his license plate.
 

Kart94

Banned
So a reference to the borg is offensive?

It almost sounds like kind of satire of people getting offended over nothing.

Seriously, how is that anyway shape or form offensive? The answer is it isn't unless you're stupid.
 

MMarston

Was getting caught part of your plan?
So a reference to the borg is offensive?

It almost sounds like kind of satire of people getting offended over nothing.

Seriously, how is that anyway shape or form offensive? The answer is it isn't unless you're stupid.

Read the OP.

Yes, the word usage is way out of context for what the authorities had in mind, but the province -- and all of Canada, as a matter of fact -- makes this far from being over nothing. Overdone? Maybe. But not unreasonable.
 
Don't really want to go on about this, my point is simple. This is unfair to ban it on license plates and not elsewhere. If the word is offensive then you have to protect people from seeing it wherever it would crop up - not just on license plates.

Till they do that, he should be allowed to have his license plate.

And again not how this works at all... which you constantly ignore.

You can for example put a Fuck off sticker on your car but the government isn't going to give you a license plate that says fuck off.

Again license plates carry a specific additional context of being approved by the government
 

Volimar

Member
I think that a lot of people's life experience is so drastically different from the people who have had family torn away and been under lifelong pressure to be less "other" than is acceptable to the majority in those days that they simply can't understand why it's problematic. I'm kind of really hoping that's it and it's not that people just don't care why people might have a problem with what seems to them as tacit government approval of that hatred.
 

MCN

Banned
oh man, the borg references are even right there

plate.jpg

It amuses me that the word "Friendly" now looks like "Fucking"
 

Moose Biscuits

It would be extreamly painful...
$100 seems pretty cheap for a custom licence plate, all things considered. I'm glad that they're at least offering him a change to a new plate or a refund. It's a shame he has to change it, it's a good plate, but that's the government for you.

LOCUTUS seems like a good alternative.
 

The Flash

Banned
Gonna have to agree with the insurance company on this. A Star Wars plate would have been much better. Waka waka.

But yeah LOCUTUS would be a good replacement.
 

Oppo

Member
well that's really stupid. dude should not have to change anything IMO.

it's literally a quote from a tv show. it's not directed at anyone. it's one word. it's not a slur or an insult.
 
well that's really stupid. dude should not have to change anything IMO.

it's literally a quote from a tv show. it's not directed at anyone. it's one word. it's not a slur or an insult.
Again. There are many posts here that explain why in this context there are problems with immigration in Canada that this number plate inadvertently reinforces.
 
Again. There are many posts here that explain why in this context there are problems with immigration in Canada that this number plate inadvertently reinforces.

Forget immigration... this is about Colonialism...

We came, took over and then demanded assimilation of Indigenous people into our "culture" and we did it by force, by breaking up families by taking kids away from parents and into abusive residential schools.

That is the Canadian history of the word assimilation
 
It's not like there is a slur on it, or that he put it there because he hates immigrants or the native people. Seems to me the license plate is fine and little to complain about.
 
His intent is not relevant.
You present that as fact, but I'd disagree. You can't say the context of history matters and at the same time ignore the context for why this person wanted that plate.

Fine to disagree and the government has the right to revoke the plate. I also wouldn't cause an uproar about it or a lawsuit or whatever about a license plate, but just pick another one myself.
 
You present that as fact, but I'd disagree. You can't say the context of history matters and at the same time ignore the context for why this person wanted that plate.

I can because he doesn't have an inalienable right to the plate..


The history of the word has to be taken into consideration when it's the government who signs off on it. Who puts its stamp of approval on it.


He's free to have it on stickers or decals. He's not free to have the government put it on what is actually their property.
 

Oppo

Member
Again. There are many posts here that explain why in this context there are problems with immigration in Canada that this number plate inadvertently reinforces.

oh i get that the gov't doesn't want to have this fight. i understand the decision.

but this kind of thing only gives ammo to the assholes who label people "snowflakes" and the like. it's just a dumb hill to die on. simply not worth the attention and press it generated. hurts the cause of actually calling attention to the plight of First Nations people, IMO. jerks will cite things like this as a way to hand wave away whatever they like.
 
oh i get that the gov't doesn't want to have this fight. i understand the decision.

but this kind of thing only gives ammo to the assholes who label people "snowflakes" and the like. it's just a dumb hill to die on. simply not worth the attention and press it generated. hurts the cause of actually calling attention to the plight of First Nations people, IMO. jerks will cite things like this as a way to hand wave away whatever they like.


So what... I'm sick of this argument, everything gives them ammo if they want it to, we can't start making decisions based on how the assholes are going to react.

They're not dying on a hill... they own the plate. This isn't a free speech issue.
 

Oppo

Member
So what... I'm sick of this argument, everything gives them ammo if they want it to, we can't start making decisions based on how the assholes are going to react.

They're not dying on a hill... they own the plate. This isn't a free speech issue.

i disagree, sorry you're sick of it.

you know the phrase "pick your battles"? that.

no one is less offended at this point. but a great many will read this and take the wrong thing from it. actively harmful, as a story.
 
I can because he doesn't have an inalienable right to the plate..


The history of the word has to be taken into consideration when it's the government who signs off on it. Who puts its stamp of approval on it.


He's free to have it on stickers or decals. He's not free to have the government put it on what is actually their property.
I never said he was free to do so, or that the government didn't have the right to take it away. My post says that also.

I just think it is a very tiny thing to complain about, even if the word has some bad context for a group of people that has been treated horribly, since it is not a slur or meant to cause offensive in the first place.

i disagree, sorry you're sick of it.

you know the phrase "pick your battles"? that.

no one is less offended at this point. but a great many will read this and take the wrong thing from it. actively harmful, as a story.
The sad side effect of the internet. A tiny local story like this wouldn't even have gotten coverage outside of some small newspaper normally, but now things like this go around the world in an instant.
 
Until the next plate he comes up with offends someone else. Let the guy have his nerd plate.

Or people should grow up and realize he is expressing his love for Star Trek.

Well I disagree.

For him it's just a term from a sci fi show he loves. For some it's a word that was used in connection with heinous crimes done to their people in the past.

If it was me I'd gladly give it up, out of empathy.
 
Sorry bud, but resistance is futile. now that I think of it is their a way he could replace the assimilate with Resistance so he could only do a slight modification to the plate and it will go better with the text.
 

Dehnus

Member
Cardassians in our Paralympics? It's more likely than you think!

Well, that would be something for their secret service to do.

Granted the StartFleet Secret Service is far worse and more effective than any other in that galaxy. Their fucked up, and no I don't mean Star Fleet Intelligence.. I'm talking about Section *BLAM*.



Nothing to see here folks, just random messaging by a lunatic.. erm.. something gaming related.... something something, what about that Minecraft hmm?
 
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