Zach Jesse

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https://www.facebook.com/samuelhblack/posts/741423499737

And then he wrote a reply the next day to some of the comments he received.
https://m.facebook.com/samuelhblack/posts/741486024437

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Well how many other rapists, murderers, thieves, etc currently play magic. I understand from a PR standpoint why they wouldn't want him top 8ing... but does this mean from now on they're doing background checks?

Likely only if someone opens the can of worms like his opponent did.

[MuggyWuggy]

True, but does that mean that mudslinging may become a new way to win in competitive magic? While this instance is most likely gonna keep a lot of people who have skeletons in their closets frim playing...  its still a major bummer that this guy was called out on it and excluded as a result

{witch hunt}

[LinkCelestrial]

Sorry Kay I really have to disagree with you. To compare asscrack to rape is really ignorant.

Yes rape can be a slippery slope but to that I say keep your self out of those slippery areas.

To plea bargain a deal really doesn't help me feel bad for him. I have a friend who is a public defendant. Trust me if your plea bargaining they have more then enough to get a conviction. So you plea to get a softer sentence.

I agree it sucks how it came about, but you have to own up to your past.

Let's get a little personal. If he raped your mom, wife, sister, or daughter your still okay with him playing?

He's making a point about the fact that a line needs to be drawn somewhere.

Apparently they were both drunk. If the court saw fit wouldn't he still be in jail? This happened 12 years ago. You'd think if he was a repeat offender we'd know by now. Banning him from MTGO is .loving. stupid. Nobody has any faith in that he may have changed.

If he raped one of my family members I'd have zero problems with him playing magic. Because that has nothing to do with magic. I'd be pissed if his ass wasn't in jail. But If he was repentant I'd be fine with playing magic with him. If he's moved on I'm not going to be an ass, I'll move on too.

It disgusts me how everyone is discarding a man for something he did long ago, dealt with and hasn't done again.

[Deebiia]

Sorry Kay I really have to disagree with you. To compare asscrack to rape is really ignorant.

Yes rape can be a slippery slope but to that I say keep your self out of those slippery areas.

To plea bargain a deal really doesn't help me feel bad for him. I have a friend who is a public defendant. Trust me if your plea bargaining they have more then enough to get a conviction. So you plea to get a softer sentence.

I agree it sucks how it came about, but you have to own up to your past.

Let's get a little personal. If he raped your mom, wife, sister, or daughter your still okay with him playing?

He's making a point about the fact that a line needs to be drawn somewhere.

Apparently they were both drunk. If the court saw fit wouldn't he still be in jail? This happened 12 years ago. You'd think if he was a repeat offender we'd know by now. Banning him from MTGO is .loving. stupid. Nobody has any faith in that he may have changed.

If he raped one of my family members I'd have zero problems with him playing magic. Because that has nothing to do with magic. I'd be pissed if his ass wasn't in jail. But If he was repentant I'd be fine with playing magic with him. If he's moved on I'm not going to be an ass, I'll move on too.

It disgusts me how everyone is discarding a man for something he did long ago, dealt with and hasn't done again.

I just +1'd muggy you bastard, I can't be handing these things out willy-nilly.

[MuggyWuggy]

One thing that I'm confused with the discussion on this topic (in all social media discussion) is that people think that because I felt the banning was inappropriate, I am ok with rape.

Some of the logic on the Internet...

[LinkCelestrial]

One thing that I'm confused with the discussion on this topic (in all social media discussion) is that people think that because I felt the banning was inappropriate, I am ok with rape.

Some of the logic on the Internet...

The whole thing that gets me is that being banned from Magic isn't supposed to be a punishment for rape. Like c'mon.

[MuggyWuggy]

Wiz should just have a policy: "being a convicted rapist, you may participate at a GP until you qualify for a cash prize. Once qualified for cash prizing, you will be banned"

[particle]

Wiz should just have a policy: "being a convicted rapist, you may participate at a GP until you qualify for a cash prize. Once qualified for cash prizing, you will be banned"

And wasn't his charge reduced to less than rape?  So even if the United States government doesn't think you need to be registered as a sex offender, wotc is so high and mighty they get to overrule that. Pathetic.

[LinkCelestrial]

Wiz should just have a policy: "being a convicted rapist, you may participate at a GP until you qualify for a cash prize. Once qualified for cash prizing, you will be banned"

And wasn't his charge reduced to less than rape?  So even if the United States government doesn't think you need to be registered as a sex offender, wotc is so high and mighty they get to overrule that. Pathetic.

This.

[Mr_Fahrenheit]

While i completely disagree with the ban, WOTC does, in fact, have every right to do what they did. It is like you hosting a game at your house. You can exclude anyone you want, at any time, for any reason, without even having to give a reason. Competitive magic is Wizards' house, and they are exercising their right to invite or disinvite whoever they want. At least they are giving a reason, and judging from their reason, it is not a punishment,  it is a business decision. And while I disagree wholeheartedly with the ban, I do believe it is their business' best interest so I can't see it being overturned anytime soon.

As far as his opponent is concerned, I dont think he will get in trouble, but I sure he is gonna lose all respect from nearly  every member of the magic community as a result of this. And rightly so.

[particle]

I don't think anyone is arguing that wotc can't do it. It's their game and only who they like plays. This is more of a moral argument.

[Kaylesh]

Sorry Kay I really have to disagree with you. To compare asscrack to rape is really ignorant.

Yes rape can be a slippery slope but to that I say keep your self out of those slippery areas.

To plea bargain a deal really doesn't help me feel bad for him. I have a friend who is a public defendant. Trust me if your plea bargaining they have more then enough to get a conviction. So you plea to get a softer sentence.

I agree it sucks how it came about, but you have to own up to your past.

Let's get a little personal. If he raped your mom, wife, sister, or daughter your still okay with him playing?

Erm, Rass, I think I was not entirely clear.
What I meant to say was, that Wizards banned someone because him being present would have an adverse effect on the tournament experience of others. That's the slope I meant.
I just thought of something else mentioned recently and that was appearance and odor.
So, to better the ambiance for the women we want to get to play competitions, we are gonna ban those smelly geeks...
(No offense ladies, I can't seem to get this worded properly without enlarging)

[Kaylesh]

I can't see how body odour is comparable to rape as a slippery slope? Amateur events I don't have a problem with as there are scumbags in all games/sports though this is a game with impressionable children as well and rapists, child molesters and other sex criminals I would not like my son to be associated with. Yes he has done his time but crimes like that you will be punished for life, you have no excuse for that. The plea bargin is basically admitting it, if you were innocent no way would you go down that route. It is a moral argument but one that is justified, sex offenders are not people but degenerates that society can do without

I agree my example is extreme, and I'm not comparing the two. The only thing they have in common is the fact they can influence play, and in that case it's the know leg of the fact someone is rapist that is compared to the odor.
I say again: NOT the rape itself. Sentences for that should be higher as is due to the destructive nature of the act. I am NOT and shall NEVER condone rape or child abuse whatsoever. If there is a convicted child molester I would not want him around my daughters without my supervision, even if he paid his debt to society and did his psych-ward time.
As such, I can understand the reasoning, yet it concerns me. Mind vs heart thing, and that's probably why I can't really explain it.

[particle]

I can't see how body odour is comparable to rape as a slippery slope? Amateur events I don't have a problem with as there are scumbags in all games/sports though this is a game with impressionable children as well and rapists, child molesters and other sex criminals I would not like my son to be associated with. Yes he has done his time but crimes like that you will be punished for life, you have no excuse for that. The plea bargin is basically admitting it, if you were innocent no way would you go down that route. It is a moral argument but one that is justified, sex offenders are not people but degenerates that society can do without

Just a heads up, many people (claiming innocence) have still taken plea deals. If your case looks unwinable, (wrong place wrong time) or something, your better off taking the plea than getting convicted of a worse crime you didn't commit. Not saying that happened here but it's not true that taking a plea deal is confirming guilt.