It was the competitive gamers who objected. In a compromise, slurs and obscenities were secured of the official Scrabble Dictionary, but clubs and competitions could follow a separate lexicon, produced by the gamers association, that enables the slurs.
” It is really difficult for a lot of individuals to understand why those words are still appropriate in Scrabble,” stated Stefan Fatsis, the author of a book on competitive scrabble, “Word Freak.”
However, he added, “it is likewise difficult for them to understand why qi and aa are words. For Scrabble gamers, they are just instruments with which to score points.”
Throughout the 1990s furor, Steven Alexander, who is white and Jewish, was among lots of players who wrote letters opposing any expurgation. He still opposes most exclusions, but he has amended his position after recent events.
” The one word that has really been utilized to rally mobs into terrorism is the N-word,” he said. “Its a word of conspiracy, a tool of injustice. If Black individuals demand something, a white person like me should not always put their views initially.”
Chews initial proposal came after an association member wrote a letter on the organizations Facebook page calling for the body to take action. Chew agreed and made the proposition, then opened the subject for debate, which he says was fairly evenly split.
“I could not have discovered a bigger wedge issue if I attempted,” he said.
For those who challenged eliminating the words, Chew stated, the three main arguments were: A words significance is irrelevant in Scrabble; its a slippery slope, and– one he repeated with a tone of incredulity– if some people are not upset by the existence of those words, why should anybody else be?
Scrabble Will Ban Racial and Ethnic Slurs From Tournaments and Game Rules – The New York Times
