[MUD-Dev] Re:

[Jon A. Lambert]

On 27 Aug 97 at 14:04, clawrenc at cup.hp.com wrote:
> In <33FC7352.FA22963F at darklock.com>, on 08/21/97 
>    at 10:05 AM, Caliban Tiresias Darklock <caliban at darklock.com> said:
> 
> >Do NOT under ANY circumstances build rape code into your game. It's
> >just not an amusing option, and can have some serious repercussions
> >for survivors of such incidents.
> 

Some last thoughts and I will leave it lie.

_If_ I do implement any references to rape within my mud theme they
will most likely be background/historical references.  There will
_not_ be a "rape" command as has been suggested.  If an activity 
of this type is explicitly requested and consented too by the 
deities/PCs/NPCs involved it will seriously be considered in light of 
its implications/use in story development.  As such I do not consider 
any topic taboo, though some may, and with _good_ reason.

It has been interesting and enlightening to see the responses to 
this.  Some may have a hard time believing that others do in fact
perceive the world differently than themselves and these views 
may offend.  My thoughts have been genuine, and I do agree with 
JCL that it is _your_ choice to be offended.  I only hope we can 
explore other interesting(?) approaches to muds without forming 
assumed orthodoxies on OTHER topics and it becomes offensive to 
state opinion on such.

> These facts are all fairly uninteresting, and actually meaningless
> except to the individuals involved. 

I will present some off-topic background information at the end. 
Not because it's relevant, necessary or provides any weight to my 
opinions.  Hopefully it will shed some light on how responsible or
irresponsible I am.  I won't respond to comments on it.

> Basic philosophy #1: A person is responsible for the condition they
> find themselves in.  
> 
> Basic philosophy #2: A person is responsible for the effects they
> create.
> 
> Those are deliberately unconditional statements.  That given, I define
> offense as a choice of the offended.  
>

I share these in some form and would be sorely tempted to phrase them 
conditionally.  But as "root" objects, they are not altogether alien
to me.  (There, that's opaque enough)

 
A little background:

I have two children ages 12 and 7 and have raised them by myself.  My 
ex-wife abandoned her responsibilities some 5 years ago to lead a 
life of alcoholism, drug-abuse, crime and has not been heard from in 
two years.  As such I have little tolerance or sensitivity for these 
self-made "victims".  These "victims" who bear no responsibility for
what they inflict on others.  I have strongly held religious beliefs 
and my children have been raised accordingly.  I am aware that my 
ex-wife has been raped several times since her departure.  I have 
little sensitivity to HER trauma since such "punishments" were 
apparently in lieu of money by drug dealers.  I have also served two 
very short sentences in prison for refusing to comply with Federal 
and State regulations regarding firearms and continue my 
disobedience.  I have also been active in turning purveyors of 
child-pornography over to local authorities and have been fired by a 
company for not following "proper channels" when said material was 
discovered on their network.

Jon A. Lambert