So at what point are people actually going to drop the "It's just wrestling/a character" defence ? There has to be a line somewhere, and if it isn't imposed by those within wrestling, it'll be imposed by those outside of wrestling, and I guarantee if outside forces are the ones who draw the line, the repercussions will be a lot worse than if those within wrestling actually got their act together.

Well, it's not like people don't know WWE is a joke. No one seems to care what they do. They're a laughing stock.

WWE might be a joke, but there are still jokes that cross the line. A line has to be drawn eventually, because when WWE do cross it in such a way that outrages enough people, they'll get hit hard. Why risk such a potential backlash, and just pull back on the riskier stuff off their own backs ?

Well, no one complains about all the shit that South Parks hits on. Jokes can't cross lines to me. That's why they're jokes.

In that case, let's have a character openly calling homosexuals fags and queers, and that they're pure evil and need to 'taken care off'.

 

We'll have another character calling Shelton Benjamin a nigger, and tell him to get back to the cotton fields because 'that's all his kind are good for'.

 

We'll have a stable of wrestlers kidnap Christy Hemme, and then show videotape of them gang raping her.

 

And we'll cap it all off with Hassan openly worshipping a potrait of Osama Bin Laden, and going off about how happy he is that infidel American's have been taken away from their wives, mothers and families, and they're misery is perfectly justified, because they don't matter.

I think you're preaching to the wrong man. I don't get offended by any of that. I live in Indiana.

 

I get your point though. I got your point a long time ago. It's like you're trying to convert me or something.

 

They could gang-rape an eight year old black virgin all the while calling her a nigger and riding carpets and I wouldn't blink.

I'm not preaching or trying to convert you. I was just looking to show that there is a line, and to not care or dismiss any concerns out of hand by saying "It's just a character/wrestling" is the wrong approach to take, because that will come back to haunt.

They had someone screw the dead body of a car crash victim until it's brains squirted out, a guy marry someone while they were blotto in Vegas, someone screw an OAP who then gave birth to a hand and screw a tranny... I don't think there are many lines they won't cross if they think it might jump a rating.

There is a line, however what that line is is subjective. HTQ is obviously more sensitive to certain things than Coffey or I am. I don't have a problem with the throat slit gesture, it's a long used wrestlig taunt, Taker, AA, and Benoit all use(d) it, as well as many more, I'm sure. The only difference is that Hassan is playing an Arab, not an Enforcer, Undertaker, or Crippler. I never even thought of the modern day beheadings, I thought more of a pirate from the 18th century, which made me see the gimmick as a little more cartoony.

The key difference is that Hassan is doing it to other people. If he did it to himself, I wouldn't care. But him doing it to his victims, for me, crosses the line, at least in this current climate.

I see your point, but I just don't find it offensive. I find wery little offensive, actually. The ideas you posted wouldn't really offend me, so as as make me question the sanity of anyone who would actually implement them because they wouldn't draw any money and would bring heat on the company from interest groups, I think Hassan has the potential to draw at some point and the amount of heat from Arab groups has been minimal to my knoweldge.