Arena.Net's rampage, accused guild of being nazis, and banned

I'm posting this because I am outraged and offended at the fact that I have not only been accused of being a nazi by arena net, but I have recieved no form of apology, nor have any of my guild mates, one of which is jewish!



***They banned us first. So I sent them an email inquiring as to why.***


Hello, I am an officer in our guild Merceneries Totenkopf. Recently our tag was changed from [SS] to [ban] with no notification as to why. Also our guild rank is now set as N/A. We have no idea why this has occurred, if it is a bug, or if we have done something wrong and our guild has been banned. Could you please look into this for us and let us know? Thank you for your help in advance.

***These are the reasons we were given.***

1) the Nazi's special task force was named the SS
http://www.feldgrau.com/ss.html
2) The SS emblem was the silver skull (the back of our cape)

3) Our Name has the German word for dead in it (Totenkopf = Dead
Head)

***So I responded with this***

So the reason why our guild was banned was because it is too closely related to the "Nazi's". Sorry but I'm going to be quite frank. That's horseshit.

I've been in this guild for a while now and not once have I seen anyone treat any member of the guild in any way, shape, or form, like a nazi.

The Founder is hispanic and his gf is black. We welcome all races, genders, and religions. We are not prejudice. We are not racist. We are just a fun guild. The tag stood for Super Sexy. How is that related to nazi?

The skull on the back of the cape just looked cool, it had nothing to do with nazi's and if you guys have a problem with people using the emblem that YOU put in the game, why is it even there?

I am extremely outraged and offended by this news. To just up and remove our guilds like this with no notice, no warning, no consulting, no investigation. It's wrong and it lowers my image of your company severely.

***They escalated our issue to a senior GM and this was their reply***

Hello,

Your Guild Wars account was discovered to have a GUILD TAG "SS" that was deemed inappropriate and against the Rules of Conduct and Terms of Service. Please be aware that violations of the Rules of Conduct and Terms of Service are treated very seriously in order to maintain an enjoyable gaming environment for all customers to experience. In order to prevent possible future infractions and penalties please review the RoC and ToS which can be found here: http://www.guildwars.com/legal/default.html. After reviewing the incident the original ruling of the inappropriate GUILD TAG will remain in effect. This decision is final and your guild will need to be disbanded and reformed under a different name so that you can continue to participate in all aspects of guild interactions. In order to completely dissolve a guild, the guild leader needs to remove all guild members and then use the guild tool icon to complete the disbanding of the guild.

Regards,
The Guild Wars Support Team

***So, I put it in terms they can relate to.***

Let me put this in terms you can relate to then.

How would you feel if you went in to work tomorrow and found the government parked outside, and the facility shut down. No notice, it just happened. Then when you ask why they tell you its because the staff is full of pedophiles. So then, shocked and offended, you ask how they came to that conclusion, and their reply is because a number of the staff has beards and long hair and 9 out of 10 child molesters match that description.

I see this as no different. The fact that you have pretty much accused us of being nazis because we had a tag [SS], which stood for super sexy btw, is obsurd. I am extremely offended by this. I demand a more reasonable resolution. We've invested a lot into building and managing this guild to just have it stripped away because you deem SS as being too closely related to NAZI!

***Their response to this was***

Hello,

After further review of the information that you have provided we have decided not to overturn the decision to ban the guild name "Mercinaries Totenkopf" with the guild tag "SS". The guild was deemed inappropriate due to a combination of things; one of which was "SS" tag. This coupled with the phrase "Totenkopf" which is highly linked to several organizations during World War 2 era. In a global based game like Guild Wars these similarities cannot be overlooked and your statement that "SS" stood for "super sexy" is not adequate enough defense to overturn our decision.

Regards,

The Guild Wars Support Team


***End of Emails***

It seems to me that in Arena.net's rampage to ban all guilds that are even slightly connected to anything that could be taken even remotely offensive, they commited a hipocracy. One they refuse to apologize for, or seek out a better solution. So this is my solution to the problem. I'm making it public.

P.S. Totenkopf is also another name for a Grateful Dead fan, aka Dead head.

I agree with them on this one, thats just a little too close for comfort. The relation is obvious there, whether intended or not

Fair enough you may have been using SS for super sexy and Totenkopf for Dead Head etc. but didn't you think that someone could take it the wrong way and see the tag [SS] and Totenkompf and find it a bit fishy?

I agree with their decision, but I think they probably should have contacted you first.

Remake your guild with a different name and tag. The skull thing is over the top but a lot of guilds use it. To be honest I've seen enough racism and ignorance in general chat to make my head spin, and probably ANet is just making extra sure. I don't condone the crack-down but they are being overly careful for good reasons (they don't want to be sued). And there is a difference between freedom of speech and hate speech, which is up to them to decide.

Anet did the right thing. I think you saying it stands for "super sexy" is "horse shit". Cause um all the other relations represent things in WWII, also the guild tag and guild name dont match up... Racism is a major issue, it is not to be taken lightly.

That is wrong that they banned it w/o notice! they could have just asked you to change the name and the tag, period end of story! Still it is somewhat closely related...

So what exactly happened to you? Did they just change the tag? Did you lose your guild hall?

your account isn't banned... The original name (as told to us by Totenkopf) had something to do with Strength... and flaming Anet will solve nothing... neither will this post...

now picking up where the previously locked thread left off..

DIE THREAD DIE!!!
/stab
/stab
/stab

Ya serriously why be so upset about your guild being banned. It could be worse you know... AND they never said "YOU NAZI! W3 B4NinG jo0!". So they really never accused you of being a nazi. They basicly said the guild was realated to being to much nazish (lol is that a word <--)

HINT: If you have to come up with excuses for why something isn't offensive, it is offensive. No one bothers to make these kinds of arguments on behalf of genuinely inoffensive names. No one has to explain what it "really means". The fact that you are more of less proves their point.

That aside, do really expect people to believe you meant Super Sexy, and were referencing the Grateful Dead, and the fact that both SS and Totenkopf are associated with Nazis is just a coincidence? I'm a bit offended, actually, not by the names, but by the fact that you obviously take me for a complete idiot if you really think I'd believe that.

If you think ArenaNet should allow people to name themselves after divisions of the Nazi military, then say so. There's a valid and respectable argument to be made there. But insulting the intelligence of your readers is not a good way to garner sympathy...

So, if someone made their guild name Burning Cross, made their initials KKK, and claimed KKK stood for "Karen's Kute Kittens", the OP would be ok with that? Give me a break. Arenanet can't look into your heart. They have to rely upon "the appearance of impropriety", meaning if it looks shady, they won't allow it.

You are lucky they didn't ban you from the game.

if ss stood for super sexy, then thats prolly what u should have named ur guild. how is ss in any way shape or form related to totenkopf? if there isn't a relation, then u shouldn't be surprised that someone could mistake ur guildname as controversial. no sympathy for u on this.

Now if only they will add a naming policy... that is out of control.

Guess what, I think you are full of it and you knew exactly what it all "looked like" when you made the guild. Not only did they have the right to change the guild, but you are very lucky they did not ban you. Did you expect to find some kind of sympathy here?

I would quote you, but whoever reads this can scroll up. No need to be redundant.
Regarding the issue with them removing your guild and all that...


You have a point, and they have a point. However, regardless of what you can dig up and throw at them, nothing will make them change their mind. They won't admit to "we are sorry, our choice suxxors pls dun be mad" after already going to lengths as this.
However, their reasoning behind this whole thing sounds a little prejudice to me, which tends to be very common surrounding anything that encompasses WWII.
For example, someone may have complained about your guild, with them thinking it reffered to the SS, Hitler, blah blah. Now say someone makes a guild, per say, the Allied Expeditionary Force (abbreviate whatever, say it refers to WWII)
Now someone complains about this guild, claiming that it is degrading and is something that offends them. They dont give a reason why, but lets say it happens.
Now aNEt is forced to close this one down as well, otherwise they can face some serious issues regarding prejudice. This, to me, is why i believe most mmorpgs dissalow anything and everything that somehow, corresponds to some infamous historic event. It can be the most petty of things, (im not saying you can petition about any guild you just dont like) and aNet will be forced to take action without any notification.

-There are no true good or evil people in this world, for this act of relationship is soley based on our interrpretations of one another.

Relate this to aNet and now you know their aims toward this entire issue.

Also that SS=super sexy...

Don't give them any more reason to ban you. It already made you look dumb.

I have to concur. "Super Sexy" just doesn't add up. If your tag had been "MT" or something then they might let that explanation slide that it's just a cool guild name and logo.

In the past I have used various names that represented dark or "hardcore" groups or ideas before and I still occasionally do, but you have to consider the larger audience and act accordingly or risk the possible consequences.

I am sure you know all knew what could happen from your obvious mimicry of a hate group. In this case you got nailed for it. Consider it a learning lesson and move on as a guild.

The problem is not how or what your guild's image is to represent, but how others perceive your guild to represent. Use some common sense.

Good call, A.Net.

SS for Super Sexy? Yeah, I could see that if your guild name actually was Super Sexy. As it stands, with all the links firmly in place tending toward a decision that the name, tag, and emblem choice were firmly designed to elicit Nazi visions...you are insulting the readers of this thread if you expect to pass that "supersexy" crap off on us.

If your guild's name was "Super Sexy" and used the tag "SS", I'd buy that. If your guild used the tag "MT" (for "Merceneries Totenkopf"), I'd buy that. But your story, as is, I don't buy. I stand with arena.net on this one. Re-form your guild with better choices.

Though I do agree, it wouldn't have been that ungodly hard to ask you what you'd like for a new tag and Guild name. They, obviously, have the power to change the tag, so why not change the name and tag to something you guys want it to be?
I think they did the right thing on some parts but failed their "Customer Service check".

I believe this was a fair choice though rather harsh to do it without warning.

I can easily see how this would hit a few nerves due to the odd similarities, and unfortunately even if it is mere coincidence I'd respect the choice to do this however quick and unnotified it was.

Sorry but all of those seem too closely related for me to feel sympathy for you and your guild. Having ss as your tag would be fine, but then to throw on the skull and use a german word as part of your guild's name was over the top. Not to insult you, but if you don't see why you were banned or think its unfair then you need to look at the situation and realize how that is offensive to some people just because of those similarities. It also seems your guild wasn't too thought out if those three things just happend to be a coincedence, though I tend to believe they were not a coincedence even though you insist that they are. Glad to see arena.net isn't letting their game degrade like blizzard did to d2.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Division_Totenkopf

SS Division Totenkopf was one of the thirty-eight divisions fielded by the Waffen-SS during World War II. Totenkopf’s military record was tarnished by numerous war crimes and by the fact that most of the enlisted men had been SS-Totenkopfverbände (SS concentration camp guards).

German people play this game too eh...?

Alright, case closed.

Why would you have your name stand for Merceneries "Dead head", and call that Super sexy?

And then, adding it all with the same emblem used for the ss... i mean... come on now, you just dug your own grave, and i think if you're too persistant, you may be banned for good... so watch your words my friend.

This would go along the lines of... Hey, that "insert drug of choice here" was bad!, i'm going to call the police and tell them to go over there and get those people for selling bad "insert drug of choice here".

I also recall that the OP or another member of his guild on another board didn't say that SS meant Super Sexy.. At that point he said it stood for "Superior Strength" and about how the Totenkopf was an uber elite military unit and blah blah blah. Mind you the totenkopf wa an elite military unit of the SS .. I belive someone metioned the speacial guards at the concentration camps.

If someone can us the name Totenkopf and a tag like SS together and to represent their guild and NOT expect it to be offensive.. that group of people truly needs to get a clue... and stop trolling every forum they can for sympathy

Germany's last stand.

Should probably just close this thread, if this guy actually has the (you know whats) to reply, I have a feeling it will turn into a bigger flaming then it is now.