Moral Dilemma

Zoner · **Moral Dilemma -** 08-27-2002, 09:52 AM

I had to share this with the lot. I never thought that this would EVER come up in my time as a graphic designer.

I was asked to make sigs for a new group of MOH:AA players that are going to call themselves The Terrorists. They wanted something funny and their big idea was that they were going to wreak terror on the aa.com message board. I'm sure their intentions were not malicious...just a bunch of goofs trying to have a little fun.

I declined to do their sigs. Here's why:

I don't want my name associated with anything related to terrorism. I don't find anything funny about it. I will not endorse or encourage anyone to pretend to be a terrorist. I think it's crass, inconsiderate and absolutely irresponsible.

Now, some of you will probably call me a hypocrite. I have done sigs displaying Nazi imagery. This certainly doesn't mean that I consider the horrific actions of the Nazis any less disgusting than the actions of Osama Bin Laden and his network of cretins. The Nazi imagery I use is in the context of the MOH:AA world. It is not exploitative, nor is it sensationalized.

There is no place for terrorist subject matter on this board, in my opinion, and I'll be damned if my name is ever going to be associated with that sort of thing.

Am I over-reacting? Am I right?

What do you guys think? What would you do in my shoes?

Thanx for letting me vent.

Zone

08-27-2002, 09:54 AM

i say do what you want, you're offering a free service and you should be free to decline if you wish. if they don't like it they can go make their own.

Pfc.Green · 08-27-2002, 09:54 AM

I think you did the right thing, these guys may just have wanted to be funny, but there aint nothing funny about terrorists.....(except when there caught and killed) so you did good not doing the sigs for them.

Miscguy · 08-27-2002, 10:02 AM

As a novice freelanceer i would decline to do there sigs as well. You did the right thing. You should never do something you dont believe in or enjoy.

nartriva73 · 08-27-2002, 10:09 AM

Hear Hear!! Pick something else to sensationalize. The people of the United States of America has worked too hard to overcome their loss to have it quipped about by some childish little nonconformist.

Zoner · 08-27-2002, 10:14 AM

Thanks for the reassurance, lads.

Welcome to the board, nartriva.

Jeeze, It seems like I KNOW you from somewhere...

'maj

Zone

Totenkopf · 08-27-2002, 11:56 AM

I have to be honest with you, I think that you are somewhat excersing a double-standard here. What makes it ok to do Nazi subject matter and not terrorist? You yourself admit that the Nazi's did awful things in their time. They killed men, women and children just like the terrorists only they did it on a magnificent scale.

Perhaps the only reason why so many of you feel that the situation is ok is because you yourself were not affected by their actions?

geRV · 08-27-2002, 12:04 PM

Just eek:

to this whole thread.

Wreak terror on these forums? Im sure after being bitchsmacked down by a few of us that have the gift of making people shut the fuck up in about 2 paragraphs or less they would haul their little asses outta here and not return.

Zoner · 08-27-2002, 12:20 PM

Gerard,

I dunno what they had in mind (probably nothing).

Totenkopf,

I knew someone would pipe up with the hypocrite angle. That's cool...you're entitled to it. Please don't think I condone the Nazi atrocities; that'd be utterly stupid. I guess my repulsion to do anything related to terrorism is just sheer recency. The horror and senselessness of the Sept. 11th attacks is still fresh in my mind. I witnessed it on TV when it happened. I sort of lived it (as much as a Canadian living in Ottawa could live it) instead of reading about it in a book. I walked past the U.S. Embassy to see the hundreds of wreaths, cards, and posters. I saw and comforted people crying outside the gates of the embassy. I was afraid that it was going to happen again...in Ottawa.

I tried to express my reasoning in my original post, but I guess the sentiment was lost on you.

Zone

Totenkopf · 08-27-2002, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoner91

Gerard,

I dunno what they had in mind (probably nothing).

Totenkopf,

I knew someone would pipe up with the hypocrite angle. That's cool...you're entitled to it. Please don't think I condone the Nazi atrocities; that'd be utterly stupid. I guess my repulsion to do anything related to terrorism is just sheer recency. The horror and senselessness of the Sept. 11th attacks is still fresh in my mind. I witnessed it on TV when it happened. I sort of lived it (as much as a Canadian living in Ottawa could live it) instead of reading about it in a book. I walked past the U.S. Embassy to see the hundreds of wreaths, cards, and posters. I saw and comforted people crying outside the gates of the embassy. I was afraid that it was going to happen again...in Ottawa.

I tried to express my reasoning in my original post, but I guess the sentiment was lost on you.

Zone

Your reasoning is somewhat faulted. I am not trying to beat on you here, but you asked the question of us, so you are going to probably get answers you don't like. In my opinion (and it's just that) it is no more right to make a sig that contains Nazi symbols, then it is to work on one that merely has the word terrorism in it. Of course you can relate to it, it was less than a year ago, it was near you, but does that mean that the Nazi's actions 50 years ago are any less despicable? I am pretty sure that there are millions of people out there that are still affected by what they did. To me, it's hypocritical, but remember you asked us the question. biggrin:

What is more important is that you are comfortable in your decision and can defend your choices. I can respect that.

Old Reliable · 08-27-2002, 01:04 PM

Personally I think you should tell them to go fuck themselves angel:

nartriva73 · 08-27-2002, 01:30 PM

GO BUCKEYES!!!!!

Old Reliable · 08-27-2002, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nartriva73

GO SUCKEYES!!!!!

That's the spirit...just don't come crying to me when the world finds out they are OVERRATED

pest · 08-27-2002, 01:42 PM

I agree that if you are not comfortable doing it, you shouldnt have to. I also dont think you should have to explain yourself, but you made that choice on your own.

Personally, I have always been borderline offended by the amount of Nazi imagery here. Well, maybe more surprised than offended. The swastika (sp?), in particular, has always been a symbol of hate to me. The German cross (forget the proper name) was the symbol of a country, and not really offensive.

This is just my opinion. I am not condemning anyone for their use of WWII symbols. I am only stating that I have been surprised by the casual use of these symbols.

nartriva73 · 08-27-2002, 01:48 PM

imagine, if you will....

your college football team getting beaten in 2001 by an "underrated" team by a score of 26-20.

Maybe you'd prefer to talk about Terrorism?