It's a picture. Ignore it.
Wow that was easy!!
It's odd that someone would use that pic but that person has a right to use it moral bs aside...
So unless it's a pic of him doing the deed, there's nothing to do.
I'm sure there are plenty of other things you'll want to get offended over anyway. It's the internet...
Tell that to the dead,AnthonyCG
He can't because they're like dead and sh*t.
by chessmates: Hope, he changes the picture to some other thing, like a lemon or cucumber or something like that..!! May be he could change it to some nice sweet chocolates!!!
Then he could continue forever....!
I think this is a great idea. Let's all encourage him to change it to something sweet, or warm and cuddly, or funny.
Below is a picture of Muhammed, but I'm not allowed to use it:
He looks indifferent...
Fer chrissakes, lighten up.
This is a chess site. Not a political correctness site. Anyone should be able to choose whatever avatar s/he likes, and live with the possible consequences of people thinking s/he is a jerk.
Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot, George Bush . . . bring 'em on.
How many of your fellow chessplayers must be killed that you would think otherwize?
It's Stalin - he is still beloved by some, though certainly not by me. I have a t-shirt with the slogan "Commies aren't cool" emblazoned on it... so don't shoot me. But come on, grow up, and learn to stop looking at that which offends you.
Of course we are, but that doesn't change the fact that he's going to have to come to terms with images that he doesn't like. I'm an atheist but I won't be spitting on every religious icon I come across (and yes, I do see an analogy). I consider those avatars symbols, and I leave symbols for the symbol-minded.
that's all i'm saying. the image is a threat to him. he's not making that up. it's worth recognizing.
How does that saying go...one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist?
It often depends on your point of view, plus history is usually written by the side that "wins" but this is why chess.com has been declared a politics and religion free zone.
This is the critical point. If chess.com is going to continue to thrive, it needs to be successful as a business. In order to be successful as a business, it needs to appeal to as many chess players as possible. This is much easier to achieve if we don't have divisive and potentially offensive political and religious content.
How does that saying go...one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist?
It often depends on your point of view, plus history is usually written by the side that "wins" but this is why chess.com has been declared a politics and religion free zone.
This is the critical point. If chess.com is going to continue to thrive, it needs to be successful as a business. In order to be successful as a business, it needs to appeal to as many chess players as possible. This is much easier to achieve if we don't have divisive and potentially offensive political and religious content.
Yet some people might get disturbed by unneccessary censorship. Stalin did that too.
Many people communicate to the staff that they are offended by ads or whatever, and are roundly attacked for it. True, this guy's complaint was marginalized. But no one has told him to not let the door hit him, etc. as I often see with complaints that are more directly centered on chess.com's operation as a business.
How does that saying go...one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist?
It often depends on your point of view, plus history is usually written by the side that "wins" but this is why chess.com has been declared a politics and religion free zone.
This is the critical point. If chess.com is going to continue to thrive, it needs to be successful as a business. In order to be successful as a business, it needs to appeal to as many chess players as possible. This is much easier to achieve if we don't have divisive and potentially offensive political and religious content.
Yet some people might get disturbed by unneccessary censorship. Stalin did that too.
Your supposed fear of censorship is a red herring. Your right to political free speech is not in play here. This is a privately owned endeavor, and the owners have the right to control the content.
I've seen pictures of women in bikinis removed from this site, racist statements and references to the KKK. These things are done because the people who run this site - I'm guessing - want to maintain an environment that is inviting to the greatest number of chess players possible ...and hopefully make a lot of money!
I think a little more lattitde is given in group forums and in the off topic forum, but an avatar is something anyone can come in contact with.
To compare the things Stalin did to anything that happens on this site is beyond absurd. If you want to defend people who want to associate themselves with a brutal mass murderer, I'm sure there are websites that would welcome your unique insights.
How does that saying go...one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist?
It often depends on your point of view, plus history is usually written by the side that "wins" but this is why chess.com has been declared a politics and religion free zone.
He wasn't some war hero that one side didn't like. He murdered his own people by the millions.
"He murdered his own people by the millions."
So it would have been ok if he murdered someone else's people by the millions?
Is it a GM you're talking about?
At last the Great Uniter has arrived. We all agree to hate you Alice2100.
My point is that, what Schachgeek was trying to say is that nationalities obscure the fact that murder is murder. When Akira Kurosawa made a movie about the atomic bomb, western critics screamed about Japan's atrocities, because those were oh-so-much-worse than firebombing and nuking millions of civilians.
So, when you say "murdered his own people," I felt that it was important to point this out: murder is murder, doesn't matter who is their leader or who they pray to or whatever.
It's a picture. Ignore it.
Wow that was easy!!
It's odd that someone would use that pic but that person has a right to use it moral bs aside...
So unless it's a pic of him doing the deed, there's nothing to do.
I'm sure there are plenty of other things you'll want to get offended over anyway. It's the internet...
Tell that to the dead,AnthonyCG
Pluuto, you sound pretty fake. There's ridiculous selfishness in your emo problems with an avatar that you don't even have to look at. How do you go to book stores, or watch documentaries when a picture of Stalin haunts you so much?