Attention... please read. | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Attention... please read.

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FinHeavenAJ

FinHeavenAJ

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I just received a very disturbing email sent from a member on these message boards. I will not state who the user is; however, if he wishes to let you know... so be it.

Anyways, everyone here knows that the words "Fiedler Mafia" is a fairly common group of words around here. It never crossed my mind, and it probably never crossed any of the moderators minds that this could, indeed, be a racial slur.

Here is an excerpt from the email that I received:
While one could over look this, it is in fact a racial slur towards Italians. This is no different then calling someone with a German background a Nazi, or a black person a n*gger or a 'coon'. Or a Hispanic person a wetback. All of these are offensive in one way or another and most likely should not exist on Finheaven.com. I respectfully request the addition of the usage of "fiedler mafia" to the word filter on this website as well as all other racial slurs. Thank you.
Click to expand...

As some may know, I am all for making FinHeaven & Co a family board. If anything is offensive, I like to take care of it.

So, because of this... I need to get other input. After this was brought to my attention, I believe that it is... a racial slur.

What do you, the other members think? Please, before you respond... think about your background and how you would feel if someone would make a racial slur against your background.

If the majority of the board feel as though the word should be added to the filter... then I will do so.

Let me know... thanks :cool:
 
Originally posted by FinHeavenAJ
I just received a very disturbing email sent from a member on these message boards. I will not state who the user is; however, if he wishes to let you know... so be it.

Anyways, everyone here knows that the words "Fiedler Mafia" is a fairly common group of words around here. It never crossed my mind, and it probably never crossed any of the moderators minds that this could, indeed, be a racial slur.

Here is an excerpt from the email that I received:


As some may know, I am all for making FinHeaven & Co a family board. If anything is offensive, I like to take care of it.

So, because of this... I need to get other input. After this was brought to my attention, I believe that it is... a racial slur.

What do you, the other members think? Please, before you respond... think about your background and how you would feel if someone would make a racial slur against your background.

If the majority of the board feel as though the word should be added to the filter... then I will do so.

Let me know... thanks :cool:
Click to expand...
while i understand where this offended person is coming from, there is a mexican mafia, a vietnamese mafia, a black mafia so why can't there be a fiedler mafia. its just a name, don't take it to heart!;)
 
I am just a Bills fan so my opinion probably does not mean squat to you but I am an Italian and I don't find the work mafia offensive. It is certainly not a racial slur. People kid me all the time about "Being in the Mafia"


Far differant from using the N word or calling a German a Nazi IMO.


Just the thought of a "stupid Bills fan"
 
I don't think the term should be banned, IMO. If the majority of the members do, however, then I could see why you would ban it.
 
Re: Re: Attention... please read.

Originally posted by dolfan06
while i understand where this offended person is coming from, there is a mexican mafia, a vietnamese mafia, a black mafia so why can't there be a fiedler mafia. its just a name, don't take it to heart!;)
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Excellent point 06..................you forgot the Russian mafia, The columbian mafia, the Chinese mafia, etc, etc, etc................


Not trying to sound like a jerk but anyone who thinks the word "mafia" is a racial slur is really sensitive and needs to lighten up and cool it with the "Politically Correct" BS
 
Re: Re: Re: Attention... please read.

Originally posted by BillscrushFins
Excellent point 06..................you forgot the Russian mafia, The columbian mafia, the Chinese mafia, etc, etc, etc................


Not trying to sound like a jerk but anyone who thinks the word "mafia" is a racial slur is really sensitive and needs to lighten up and cool it with the "Politically Correct" BS
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i know there are plenty out there, i just didn't want to type that much. my point is, there are others besides the italian mafia and the sicilian mafia!
 
I personally don't consider it a 'racial' slur. Although the origins of the word are Italian it's meaning has broadened over the years. It is used in conjunction with criminal groups in many countries now - Russian Mafia being the most common. But has also developed another meaning of a close knit group, indeed checking a number of on-line dictionaries they list at least 2 distinctive definitions - this from the Cambridge on-line
"mafia
noun
a criminal organization which began in Sicily and is active in Italy and the US
The film was about the Mafia.
This little village in Sicily is a Mafia stronghold.

A mafia is also any close group of people who are involved in similar activities and who help and protect each other, sometimes to the disadvantage of others.
She calls her sister's friends the Cambridge mafia - they are all in computing and find work for each other."
so a dig at somebody yes, racial? not in my opinion.
just my 2c.
 
The term mafia should not be considered a racial slur. It has nothing to do with your race, just possibly your association with some of my cousins! Besides I'm Italian and I love The Sopranos!

;)
 
This is a tough one for me- I've got a 100% Italian background, and yes, there are definitely times when I feel the use of the word "mafia" is a racial slur.

However, I agree with the above poster too that the mafia is not exclusive to Italians (BTW, don't forget the Russian mafia... makes the Italians look like choir boys!).

I'm kind of new to the board, and when I first saw a post with "Fiedler Mafia" in it, I guess I did kind of cringe, but I don't even know what it's supposed to mean, and I also don't know the tone- those kinds of things are so hard to read on the Internet.

Andrew, you say in your post that you believe it is a racial slur and maybe there's your answer.

I'll go try to read some of the posts and maybe I'll have more of an opinion. Although it didn't sit so great with me, I'm really slow to say something should be banned or protected or given special treatment in this way.

That's my non-answer!
 
There are a lot of mafias, not just Italian, I am not Italian but I have never heard of anyone thinking of the word mafia as a racial slur.
 
Originally posted by iceblizzard69
There are a lot of mafias, not just Italian, I am not Italian but I have never heard of anyone thinking of the word mafia as a racial slur.
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oh i have, but very darned few. i think most people consider it a joke. we have a guy in our camping club named genovese, he loves us taking shots at him!;)
 
Racial Slurs are not generally found in the dictionary. My feelings on this is simple, it's a word that has a distinct meaning. The guys who back Jay Fiedler have now started calling themselves the Fiedler Mafia.

The reason why? Because they are a tight group who stick together. It's straight out of my abridged dictionary, and therefore cannot be considered racial, as it applies to every nationality.
 
Originally posted by maz13


I'll go try to read some of the posts and maybe I'll have more of an opinion. Although it didn't sit so great with me, I'm really slow to say something should be banned or protected or given special treatment in this way.
Click to expand...

OK, so I read the posts and I don't think anyone here means anything racist!!

Racism is a strange thing- certain things hit nerves with certain people while others roll off their back. I'm sure no one here wants to offend anyone but a Jets and/or Bills fan!! :D
 
With all due respect adphinistrator as you will see in the post:

"Fielder Mafia's Going to Hate This One - Jay's Our Guy "

It is used to refer to the group who are in favor of upgrading the QB position.

The bigger question is should you allow any antagonisitc comments, which this clearly is. Because it is bound to provoke responses.

If any member finds one single name offensive. It should be banned. There is no football or Dolphin value in the word Mafia and it is not needed in this forum.
 
Mafia as a racial slur is really a new idea. It's been said and used in polite company for years to refer to a terrorist organization.

Mafia

Mafia (mä?fe-?) noun

1.A secret terrorist organization in Sicily, operating since the early 19th century in opposition to legal authority: "Rome they despised, the Mafia they feared, but not to submission" (Mario Puzo).
2.An alleged international criminal organization believed active, especially in Italy and the United States, since the late 19th century.
3.Often mafia Informal. A tightly knit group of trusted associates, as of a political leader: "[He] is one of the personal mafia that [the chancellor] brought with him to Bonn" (Christian Science Monitor).

Excerpted from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition Copyright © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V., further reproduction and distribution restricted in accordance with the Copyright Law of the United States. All rights reserved.

Now for a real racial slur the N word.

Offensive Slang.

1.a. Used as a disparaging term for a Black person: "You can only be destroyed by believing that you really are what the white world calls a xxxxer" (James Baldwin). b. Used as a disparaging term for a member of any dark-skinned people.
2.Used as a disparaging term for a member of any socially, economically, or politically deprived group of people: "Gun owners are the new xxxxers . . . of society" (John Aquilino).


[Alteration of dialectal neger, black person, from French nègre, from Spanish negro. See Negro.]

Excerpted from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition Copyright © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V., further reproduction and distribution restricted in accordance with the Copyright Law of the United States. All rights reserved.
 
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