You may recall my disappointment (posted Tuesday 05.25.04) when I discovered that one of my favorite escape-fantasy sites of all time, "Castle of Spirits", censors the word "gay". Their site hosts a large and ever-growing collection of true ghost tales. I debuted my first blog ever, by featuring that site...'cause that's how much I enjoy spooky tales (and if true, all the more thrilling). A couple of days after I praised their site, I logged on to their guestbook, with the intent to invite Castle of Spirits' owner to read my angelic review. But when I posted my entry, it showed up with word "gay" censored! So that my website URL came out "***-bible.org", and my self-description as "free-lance *** actvist".
So I posted my grave disappointment to this web log, and to various LGBT newsgroups:
Shortly after that, Castle of Spirits shut down their guestbook signing for several days...
making me wonder if others posted criticism to their guestbook, after having read my haunting critique. Well, I believe that is precisely what happened (so thanks to all you good LGBT faeries) as their guestbook signing is now back up, with this caveat:
--begin Castle of Spirits caveat:
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ABUSE
Unfortunately we have had to filter out some words from their use in the ghostbook, I have had some comment about this with people taking offense to it as they cannot use these words in the PROPER CONTEXT that they are meant to be used.
The problem is the MISUSE of these words and the usual thing of people spoiling it for everyone else due to their childish behavior and selfishness.
There is a constant problem with what appears to be a certain uneducated age group of young people, who do not have the maturity to understand how offensive they are being and continue to overuse and be extremely offensive on purpose by continuously misusing these words and targeting our ghostbook with it. We hope they will grow up one day :o) .......but so far it's not looking good.
Of course, we do not wish for this sort of thing in our ghostbook and try to deflect this by taking the option to leave those words out at this time.
Castle of Spirits does not discriminate against anyone of different race or choices in their lifestyles and we do feel a certain responsibility to try to stop the offensive use of certain words. We welcome genuine visitors to our ghostbook for genuine comments and apologise for any inconvenience or offense that may be taken. Thanks for understanding! :o) .
--end of Castle of Spirits caveat
Now, doesn't this strike you as disingenuous at best, and sinister at worst? Wait, before you show them any kind of empathy, please realize they do not ban words "homosexual" and "lesbian"...which I just tested. By censoring "gay" under grounds that some immature posters use that to insult and disrupt thier guestbook...then, by default, all good gay folk are condemned along with the guilty parties. Once more, we are scapegoated for the sins of others, and relegated to the same ghoulish status as our own homophobic enemies.
I really don't understand why an innocuous word like "gay" is targeted; for I sincerely doubt homophobes would use that word for an expletive, when a choicer one is more obvious, like: "fudge packer", "pervert", "faggot", "jizz guzzler", "cock sucker", and "rump ranger". Hmmm, methinks 'tis the host of Castle of Spirits that interprets "gay" as intrinsically filthy, and not these so-called spammers. (Do I spot a mote in my neighbor's eye?)
Castle of Spirits: I think you need to show us some proof that your claim is true...I for one, find it hard to believe. But even if true: your particular strategy only gives the enemy victory, not loss...for they succeeded in getting you to censor any gay presence on your site. You've played right into their hands (and I suspect, even willingly). Your apology rings hollow. You won't even type the word "gay" in your statement...which you should, in some sort of relevant context, if it's really an issue!
To add insult to injury, their newly posted guestbook policy does not stop with the above caveat, but continues with a further warning:
--begin Castle of Spirits Privacy Policy:
Castle of Spirits.com will record any IP address of anyone signing or posting any material in our ghostbook or any other online form where information is submitted (including submitting stories and discussion group). Your details will never be used EXCEPT FOR:*1. if you choose to purposefully place any type of unwanted abuse/spam or other offensive material, including any type of terrorist threat or information, through any of our online forms, including the ghostbook (guestbook).
*2. Under current Australian law (Spam Act 2003 which came into effect 10th April, 2004) it is now illegal to place any spam through or target any spam at any visitors of castle of spirits.com causing them to receive unwanted e-mails, or unwanted spam links/information placed in the ghostbook (guestbook). Castle of Spirits.com has the right under Australian law to take full action upon any spamming information placed in any of our forms, including the Guestbook and also therefore records all IP addresses for this specific purpose.
Your IP information and any other form of communication you placed through castleofspirits.com may then be passed on to Federal Authorities who may choose to use this information to track and or monitor your use of the Internet and action may possibly be taken against both you and your ISP.
This is currently a serious matter and we hope that you will take another thought about placing anything unwanted and or irrelevant in any of our forms. Thank you
--end of Castle of Spirits Privacy Policy
Makes you wonder if they're chastising pro-gays who posted complaints about censorship, to their guestbook--rather than to the original miscreants--miscreants who, AFAICT, were conjured up by Castle of Spirits in the first place. Now, if some pro-gay elements spammed their guestbook to invoke a DoS attack, I'd have to deem it a successful act of civil disobedience.
Their bloated corpus of a privacy policy does not at all seem a complaint against these phantom miscreants, but aimed at those who criticise their censorship of "gay". And for this reason, I judge their response to my criticism (and consequent rallying outrage by others) as heavy-handed and two-faced. There is some level of homophobia going on here, by Castle of Spirits' host; typical of liberal heterosexuals who think being familiar with some aspects of queer rights, gives them the Goddess-given right to have the last word on this matter, as well. "So we have to censor the word 'gay' to stop these scoundrels. Okay, no big dealie" is their heterocentric answer. Doesn't matter to them how this abruptly silences any gay voice.
So the battle rages on. Please convey to them your feelings, by either sending them a message, or posting to their guestbook.
Help put an end to Castle of Spirits' devilish hypocrisy. Then treat yourself to a frappucino, you darling armchair quacktivist, you!
BONUS:
Hear what other underworld celebrities have to say about Castle of Spirits' gay censorship. (Note: some had to be resurrected for a post post-mortem interview):
"I signed their guestbook with someone else's blood." - Dracula
"I'd give my left nut, if it'd make a difference. Wait: just kidding, give it back!" - Frankenstein's Monster
"I'm not queer; stop saying that!" - Casper the Friendly(?) Ghost
"Gay rights go hand in hand with succubus rights." - Morticia Addams
"Mother, Castle of Spirits is censoring the gay word!" - Norman Bates
"Some of my best fiends are homosexual." - Teenage Werewolf
"Rarrr#@!!jhphbt87rrrLGBTQ aaauu7ggh" - Taz
"People often call me Penis Breath. So I do feel your pain." - Alien Baby
"This is too much to absorb all at once." - The Blob
"Some of my best feasts are homosexual. Especially with fava beans. And arugula." - Hannibal Lecter
"It's wrong to leave anyone out in the cold." - The Thing
"Here, have a slice of homophobe meat pizza with scream sauce!" - Freddie Kruger
"We don't discriminate against anyone. Show us how." - Tribbles
"Homophobes are playing with fire." - Mothra
"That Zeke has big balls!" - King Kong
"Censor gays? They must have a heart of stone." - Pet Rock
"Hot scaly monster with severe eczema, seeks...oh, this ain't a dating service? Never mind!" - Megalon
"Not one cent of my bountiful charity money goes to LGBT issues." - Richest breeder on earth
Do you have a favorite quote from a monster celebrity? Please share by clicking on the comment link below.
(UPDATE: I just checked their guestbook again, and once more, it's down, down, down! It couldn't have been up more than several hours.)
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