I can't get over how insensitive some people can be...

[Sephirstein]

A non-political message forum I frequent has a childish group of users that calls for a "pogrom" of any users that try to interfere with its antics, which often violate the rules.

[Bozola]

1. The Forum of the Damned, eh?

;p...apologies to John Wyndham

[Sephirstein]

2. Here's a user of that board's "explanation"...

"No, because in the context it was used, "pogrom" was not referring to the slaughter of Russian Jews.

Dictionary.com states that a pogrom is -

"An organized, often officially encouraged massacre or persecution of a minority group, especially one conducted against Jews".

In general terms it refers to said slaughter of Jews, but that doesn't mean the term is exclusive to Jews. "Pogrom of unheroic users" is just that - an officially encouraged massacre of unheroic users, not Jews, so it is not a racial slur or attack on a race.

The topic you are referring to no longer exists, but StanStepanic posted a call for the "pogrom of unheroic users" on the Heroes of the Lance board. Does StanStepanic have a history of posting calling for the actual physical deaths of "unheroic" posters on GameFAQs.com? No. Taken further within the context of the Heroes of the Lance board, you or any moderator would clearly determine that it's no way in the shape of a death threat, but merely an aspect of "keeping in character", much like we call for the "battlemacing of midgets" or "exploding of IROCs". Are we seriously talking about clubbing little people when we see them on the streets? No. Are we seriously talking about planting car bombs in someone's IROC? No.

Perhaps you have trouble distinguising reality from fantasy Seph? Clearly, with the amount of lurking you do at the HotL board, marking our posts, you should know that most of our posts are of a pseudo-fantasy nature.

Example: the "battle" some other Heroes of the Lance users had with the user Sir Nemo. Everyone, including Sir Nemo, kept it in the context of a medieval battle. We roleplayed out the "battle", even posting that we sustained injuries, commanded armies, etc. This is called role-playing. StanStepanic was roleplaying, and with his user history on the HotL board, it's easy to see he was calling for a pogrom within the role-playing aspects of the Heroes of the Lance message board.

Context Seph, context

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. Sounds like just a bunch of fun lovin' gamers

who are pretty serious about their stuff albeit with a flair for the humorous and dramatic.

He's right - pogrom does not need imply slaughter of jews. It is used for the the elimination of any group of "enemy", which in the context of fantasy gaming, I'd say is pretty darn normal to have (an "enemy" that is). Gamers being given to hyperbole - at least, my friends and I are - pogrom is a great word.