[MUD-Dev] An Introduction

[Ilya]

On Wed, 15 Sep 1999 14:07:10 -0700, Caliban Tiresias Darklock wrote:

))On 02:17 PM 9/15/1999 -0500, I personally witnessed Koster, Raph jumping up
))to say:
))>
))>LegendMUD (http://mud.sig.net or telnet://mud.sig.net:9999) runs into this
))>problem constantly, because of its historical theme. And in our case, it
))>goes beyond just that simple a problem. Several times now we've had
))>accusations of anti-Semitism...
))
))I find it so profoundly depressing that accurate representations of
))historical inequity are considered some sort of evidence that the people
))constructing those representations believe it was RIGHT. 
))

This is so rampant at least in my corner of the world!  I believe a
great force of sentiment is directed to squashing all mention of
proscribed topics.  There are possible exceptions for those who are
denouncing offenders.

I experienced the exception, however, so it's not entirely clear when,
or by whom, such things can be mentioned at all.  This served as a
strong warning to me (and may, by repeating here, do the same for others).

I was involved in a hiring situation.  Two of us shared responsibility
for the final determination.  I shared this with a woman at my
company (call her N).  During interviews I thought that one of the
candidates was trying to take advantage of her gender through
dressing in a provocative way.  I alerted N of this, and told her I
did not want to act either to show favor or disfavor because of
these tactics being used by the female candidate, and asked N's help
to be sure there would be no problem, and to mention it to me if she
thought I was being swayed.  I went out of my way, carefully
explaining my intention to avoid any improper behavior.

You have probably guessed what happened: I was dragged before the
board of directors on a charge of sexual harassment.  N claimed I had
harassed _her_.   I was dumbfounded.  Nobody could explain to me
why it was harassing activity.  In the end all I could think was 
that I had mentioned the topic at all, and that was the NO NO!
I left that company a few weeks later, at first opportunity to move.

Such situations are all too common.

--
  Ilya, Game Commandos     http://www.gamecommandos.com     





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