Hey, I'm a reasonable guy. I wouldn't be writing a treatise if some random jackass spouted his mouth off once in a while. However, the fact of the matter is I've been noticing more and more of this. It seems like every time I log onto Castle Paradox I have to read through some ignorant sexist or racist comment. Girls can't drive, if you're disturbed by this picture you have a vagina, it's because he's a girl and that's what girls do, etc. (Lord knows it's bad to be a girl because girls do stupid things.) What's worse, as I'm perusing the last issue of OHR weekly, arguably the magazine for the OHR community, I come across an interview that contains statements like "I can't tell holes apart" and the ever popular "down with niggers".

Allright, now that everyone's pissed off at me for being overly sensitive, I just want to say that I don't want to censor you. I'm not trying to lecture and I'm certainly not trying to claim moral superiority. However, I'm worried that we're creating a community that's hostile to women and minorities. Before you dismiss what I have to say as bleeding-heart liberal bullshit, hear me out.

I know you're just joking. I know when you read this you're going to tell me that your female friends laugh at your jokes. I know you're going to tell me you have lots of black friends. Fine. I'm not trying to dispute that, but what you say among your friends, people who know you and know what you mean, is a far cry from random people who read what you say on an open forum on the internet. These things are bothering people, and if it continues we are going to chase away valuable members of the community. Don't believe me? St. Ajora already called out someone on their sexist comment in her game preview thread. She said she wasn't offended personally, but if she wasn't offended on some level, why would she make that comment? Worse yet, three or four other guys jumped in to defend the sexist comment. Do you think that's going to make her feel like Castle Paradox is a place where she wants to hang out? I certainly don't want to lose her as a community member, her game looks like it's going to be cool. Hell, Dan the Man Entertainment started a thread specifically addressing the racism he'd experienced at Castle Paradox. Worse, everyone just blew it off. I don't know about you, but I think calling a black guy a nigger to his face is some seriously fucked up shit. Why are we as a community letting this behavior slide?

If you really think racism/sexism is that funny, save it for private forums with your friends. I know it may be funny because it's just so ironic that an open-minded guy like yourself is making such offensive comments. I know you might be a woman or a black person. It doesn't matter. Whenever you use the word "nigger" or call a woman a "hole" among strangers, people are going to misinterpret it and get upset. You wouldn't call a black guy a nigger to his face, would you? Stop posting that fucking word all over the forums. There's a reason that word upsets people so much, and if you can't be bothered to learn the history behind it or you refuse to realize that racism is still alive and well, at least have the decency to keep it out of my face.

The same goes for the sexist comments, especially if you're male. I know it's impossible for you to imagine what it's like to grow up in a culture that considers you a second class citizen (people automatically assume you're a good driver, right?), but please have the common decency not to make it any worse.

You may disagree with what I've had to say, but on behalf of the OHR community I'd like to ask you to at least keep your jokes private. Like it or not, you are making it hard for women and minorities to be a part of this community.