I want to touch on a subject that has bothered several parents and peers for quite a few years now.? This article contains facts about gamers acting like jackasses online with my opinions mixed in.? This article also contains profanity and possibly a wakeup call to some online gamers.? Please read with caution.

? People have been acting like idiots on the Internet since it became available.? The very idea of people using the Internet to act like complete jerks is the inspiration for my alias ? they're "digital debasers."? Naturally, some of this nonsense leaked into the world of gaming as more videogames gained online play capabilities.? People now debate that the online gaming community is one of the most foul and racist portions of the 'net, but is this true?? Sounds like it's time to lay down some Brutal Truth.

? First, one has to question why on earth someone would use the Internet to begin berating random strangers and generally act in such a way that they wouldn't dare act in person.? The quick and simple answer is anonymousness.? The Internet allows any individual to masquerade as anyone they choose to be.? They can say anything, claim anything, and do anything without the consequences they would normally face if they had said or done these things in person.? While the option to reveal one's self and use a real identity online is an option, the average Internet user doesn't like to disclose this information.? I'm a prime example of this popular method of using the Internet.? Is my legal name "DigitalDebaser?"? Of course it isn't.? To a degree, I am participating in this masquerade.

? The second thing that we need to understand is that the average gamer doesn't like to lose.? We may not jump up from the couch and tell our buddy to "fuck himself," but plenty of us are thinking it.? The average gamer has a competitive spirit that can be quite vulgar and hurtful, but the gamer wouldn't want to ruin their image and act out in such a way in person.? So where would the gamer find an area to be granted anonymousness and act out in this manner without worry?? Perhaps the Internet?

The gamer also has an audience that will either praise his actions or berate them. As long as there is an audience that is even slightly entertained by the gamer antics and no consequences for the gamer's actions, there is no reason to stop acting this way. I believe that Penny Arcade said it best.

? Unfortunately, the frustration and competitive inspiration from the game isn't the only thing the online gamers like to ramble about.? Gamers are not shy about spewing forth racism, sadism, hate crimes, and other rather shocking topics that they probably wouldn't enjoy shouting at complete strangers if they were all in the same room.

A few years ago, MTV News sat down with parent and gamer Aaron Freeman and talked about the subject of the online gaming community. Freeman, who used the Xbox Live username of ?Black Jesus,? expected to get chewed out every once in a while over his username. However, he was rather shocked when people began to tell him that, ?Jesus wasn't black, you stupid nigger.? Freeman, who was a 23-year-old film media major at the time, fit the demographic for the average online gamer. He was a college student who played games online and used an edgy username. But he never expected such a constant, open display of racism.

But was this guy getting what he deserved because of the username? Chris Scott of Brooklyn, New York would disagree. Scott, also a 23-year-old, claimed that the racism he heard online was different than what he encountered in everyday life. ?If I said something to someone else, they can punch me in the face for that. But when it's over the Internet and Internet games it's a little bit harder. Because you wonder who it is. You wonder more of 'Why?,' like 'What's the point??

But these minority targets will do the right thing and create some type of awareness so that this will happen less, right? Unfortunately, no. Aaron Freeman goes on to admit that he will purposely tamper with games if he is teamed up against someone that is racist. ?I'll sneak up to an opposing player with a powerful weapon or rocket launcher and I'll go, 'Hey, kill racists!' and I'll hand it to them and run off,? he claimed. What exactly does this prove? Does this point out to the racists that their way of thinking is incorrect and that perhaps they should reconsider their actions? Of course not. It shows how quickly someone is willing to stoop to another level of low for revenge. This display of poor sportsmanship and blatant violation of Microsoft's Xbox Live membership rules is perfectly acceptable because he was racially attacked, right? Hardly. I can understand where both Freeman and Scott are coming from, but degrading the online community even more doesn't seem like much of a solution.

Possibly the most disturbing and upsetting part of racism online is when children are dragged into the battlefield. Such was the case of father Victor De Leon and his son. Victor and his 7-year-old son enjoyed playing Halo online together. However, Victor was eventually unable to allow his son access to Xbox Live because racist attacks were so frequent. ?They just kept on saying ... 'stupid niggers.' I was like, 'How can you say this to a 7-year-old kid?'?

I don't care how anyone spins a situation like this, it's plain wrong. A small kid is a small kid. I can hear the ?just mute them? crowd approaching, so I'd like to ask them a simple question: is this necessary? Must everyone be on the constant defensive when they sign online for a game? Must everyone express their negative, hate-filled statements just because they want to? The brutal truth is these people are nothing more than spineless cowards. I doubt that a single one of these online parasites would dare show up at the doors of these men and reiterate what they said over a game. There would be consequences then, and cowards don't like consequences.

At this point, some readers may believe that I'm simply stretching the issue to make it larger than it is for the sake of argument. I wish that were true. Kotaku.com reported on January 10th of this year that Dr. Phil would be opening a phone support service to help combat racism on Xbox Live. ?I called Xbox Live. I gave them all the information they needed to know, and they told me before they can do anything, take any kind of action, there has to be 10 complaints filed against [the other player]," he continues, incensed. "That's like you coming to my house, robbing me, and I call the police. Are they going to tell me, 'Well, if that guy comes back to your house 10 times, we'll come out and do something about it'? I think that's disgusting. I think Mr. [Bill] Gates needs to change that rule, and I think it needs to be changed immediately,? Phil stated.

While I understand that this issue is completely out of hand and something must be done, I believe that Dr. Phil is taking this way out of proportion. Like Kotaku writer Mike Fahey, I have to smirk when Phil tries compare online bullying to house robbery. We agree that something needs to be done. Perhaps the ten complaints system is somewhat lax, but one must consider another factor in this equation. Xbox Live users can file a complaint against anyone at any given time for any given reason. Nothing except morality is keeping the users from lying about their gaming experience and reporting another player.

G4's own Adam Sessler eventually had enough of the racist and homophobic remarks and created the video that you see above. He goes on to cover the topic in a much faster, wider way than I am, but the point is still the same. Both Sessler and I understand that the way kids are acting online is unacceptable and downright disgusting.

If racists and homophobes aren't enough, there are also who decide that it's fun to harass and attack females online. From personal experience, it seems that females are attacked faster than any type of minority out there. They are constantly told that they can't play video games. Why? Simply because they are girls. If it isn't that old and worn out attack, they are sexually harassed. Even a g1 cried out not too long ago about this issue.

http://www.screwattack.com/node/4470

Mally25 wanted nothing more than to participate in an online game of Grand Theft Auto 4, but what she ran into was something that she claimed shocked her. She began receiving friends requests from anyone who paid attention and realized that she was a girl. The voice messages, name calling, and sexual harassment began to pour in like a flood from the depths of hell. ?I know I can just remove my head piece and press mute, but why should ANYONE have to alter their gaming experience just because they don?t want to be harassed,? she wrote.

Why should she have to alter her gaming experience? This is a question I ask as well. She paid her subscription fee, and the system does come with a headset afterall. Why in the hell should she have to refrain from using it because she's afraid of being harassed? Seriously, I'd love to hear your reason, reader. Spare me your first amendment bullshit because it doesn't state that Americans have the right to be dickless assholes.

Being the older brother of a teen aged girl, I am terrified by the idea that my younger sister could go online in a game as simple as Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and receive this kind of treatment just because she is a fan of Marvel characters and video games. I would like to believe that my own flesh and blood who is just as free as I am in this country can live and play without being harassed online by a bunch of guys who probably don't get many dates.

I normally try to see both sides of the argument when I write these articles, but the brutal truth is there is no reason to hear the other side of this argument. There is no logical reason to call a random person out on their age, race, sexual preference, or gender and openly try to belittle or make them uncomfortable. But, unfortunately, the online gaming community would rather accept and embrace this type of behavior instead of fight it. Everywhere I turn, there are people who say ?just remove the headset? or ?grow thicker skin.? It's a sad, pitiful day when good people stand idly by and refuse to fight. Today is that day, and today I hang my head low for the victims.

Thank you for reading The Brutal Truth, and please Digg this article if you enjoyed it or if you simply want to spread the word against the actions that you've read about. Until next time, think of how you want to be treated before you open your mouth.