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#1
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Great Dragon ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 6,640 Joined: 6-June 04 Member No.: 6,383 ![]() |
So, while surfing the web, I happened to stumble upon the blog of one of those poor youths who is about to be sent to a crazy religious de-gaying camp by his parents who are convinced that doing so is necessary to save his soul, or something. http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...=20050611091251 You've heard of them before; those camps that basically use classical brainwashing to deal with supposed "problem children", and which usually charge a lot of money, and which tend to be run by very strange head-case individuals.
So, naturally, when reading this blog, my first reaction is, "If this kid were actually a musclar, well-trained ninja, instead of a terrified persecuted teenager, he could escape!" And naturally my thoughts of ninja made me think of the 1980s, and the 1980s in turn made me think of Shadowrun. I thought, "Wouldn't it be funny if the PCs got hired to rescue one particular kid from a religious looney de-gaying camp somewhere in CAS? I've got it all figured out. Some rich Seattle exec has a cousin or something in CAS whose psychotic parents have sent to a de-gaying camp. The rich Seattle exec decides it would be fun to pee in the cheerios of his detested Southern relatives so he decides to flex some executive rich man muscle and send Shadowrunners to yoink the kid out from under the noses of said parents!" But then I realized that that would be sort of boring, in and of itself. I mean, the idea would be kind of funny, but it would be too easy. How could a GM possibly kill off the PCs with a mission like that? So...what if the de-gaying camp is actually run by a megalomaniacal Baptist shaman, and he's got a cult of personality where the entire surrounding town supports him? The PCs come in, and everyone in town is deceptively friendly. There's no real problem until anyone in town figures out what they're there to do; all of a sudden the formerly friendly and hospitable town turns on them with shotguns and hunting rifles. It'd be like Mogidishu, except with shotguns and hunting rifles instead of old AKs. And then, once the PCs succeed in penetrating the camp, the crazy shaman has a bunch of follower shamans, and there's the whole challenge of taking out a group of shamans without harming the innocent kids collaterally. The best part of this is that it would allow both the combat type characters *and* the "face" characters to shine. Before the town turns hostile, there's plenty of room for information gathering and whatnot by the "face" characters. |
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#2
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Man In The Machine ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,264 Joined: 26-February 02 From: I-495 S Member No.: 1,105 ![]() |
Thats nothing to say of the half crazed free spirit that said megalomaniacal Baptist shaman has bee listining to.
Sounds like it would make a great silly game. |
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#3
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Runner ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 2,901 Joined: 19-June 03 Member No.: 4,775 ![]() |
As much as I'd prefer a dark, realistic portrayal of the scenario, there's an amount of potential for a lightweight slapstick run, as you've outlined.
That blog is, for obvious reasons, quite sad and about as disgusting. |
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#4
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Manus Celer Dei ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,012 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 ![]() |
That's not nearly as bad as it could have been. I had a friend who was sent to a reeducation camp in exactly that sort of style for having religious differences with her parents, one of the ones that's more like a prison camp than anything else (can't leave the area, guards and walls and so on and so forth). They showed up and took her away at about 3:30 AM. When we next got in touch with her nearly a year later, we found out that the program is quite effective, all things considered.
~J |
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#5
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Running Target ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 1,102 Joined: 23-March 04 From: The Grizzly Grunion, in a VIP room. Member No.: 6,191 ![]() |
I hate people.
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#6
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Moving Target ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 560 Joined: 21-December 04 Member No.: 6,893 ![]() |
I've seen the gross atrocities comitted in the name of "religion", and I think I'm going to be using that in the run I intend to do tomorrow. Damn, I hate religion. |
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#7
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Runner ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 2,901 Joined: 19-June 03 Member No.: 4,775 ![]() |
Yeah, I am aware. Sad and disgusting it is, but not really disturbing. Not relative to lots of the other stuff out there, anyway. And I'm sorry for your friend. |
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#8
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Moving Target ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 560 Joined: 21-December 04 Member No.: 6,893 ![]() |
Sure it is. I mean, what could be bad about being emotionally ground down to a pulp so you may be sculpted in the hideous image of your parents? Those who said "Learn from history, or you are doomed to repeat it" were only all too accurate. |
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#9
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Manus Celer Dei ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,012 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 ![]() |
The rules included provisions for doing things that were not inside the walls of the facility, and directions for family members when a staff member is not present. That makes me assume that the people inside see the outside without staff members present occasionally. That pretty much automatically makes it not as bad as what I was expecting, though that's kinda like saying that getting only one kneecap blown off isn't as bad as having them both go.
Thanks. I hadn't realized that I was still this angry about it. ~J |
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#10
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Runner ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 2,901 Joined: 19-June 03 Member No.: 4,775 ![]() |
He didn't say it wasn't bad. He said it was pretty mild compared to the other wonderful inhumanities carried out in the name of Jesus in this country. And he is right. What that kid is being put through is undeniably wrong and twisted, but it could be a lot worse. And it was Santayana. |
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#11
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Moving Target ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 149 Joined: 21-March 05 From: UCAS (if its tuesday) Member No.: 7,200 ![]() |
gotta trust people to corrupt anything they can get their hands on. (grabs nomex undies) but I see no diffrence in how people have abused the name of Christ to how they have abused in the name of culture, art or even justice.
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#12
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Manus Celer Dei ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,012 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 ![]() |
Justice you've got a point, but the name of religion seems to come up pretty often compared to the others.
I know people who have kept it a good thing, but it's been disproportionately involved in some really nasty stuff. ~J |
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#13
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Moving Target ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 560 Joined: 21-December 04 Member No.: 6,893 ![]() |
You know, I've got a twitchy street samurai and a troll PhysAd who makes mincemeat of anything that goes at him. Is it a bad thing that I like the concept of this run turning into a bloodbath?
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#14
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Immortal Elf ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 11,410 Joined: 1-October 03 From: Pittsburgh Member No.: 5,670 ![]() |
the NAN is perfect for this--or rather, the 'white reservations' that dot much of the NAN. they're each effectively a sovereign nation with their own laws.
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#15
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Runner ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 2,901 Joined: 19-June 03 Member No.: 4,775 ![]() |
Justice, I can agree with, but just how many atricities can you think of that have been carried out in the name of arts and culture? There is potential for abuse everywhere, yes, and that speaks more of humanity than it does of justice or religion, but I think you're stretching it a bit thin when you get to art and culture.
Yes. There is something vaguely offensive about taking a genuine, serious issue, and reducing all its ethical dillemas and complexities to a John Woo braindead bloodbath. |
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#16
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Moving Target ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 149 Joined: 21-March 05 From: UCAS (if its tuesday) Member No.: 7,200 ![]() |
Kage, I think that's because religious people tend to take credit for it more often. in matters of culture or justice, espesialy culture, people tend not to take credit for damaging ideas, they just help perpetuate them. "fashion" has done a lot of damage to the self image of many people, but there are none who will stand and say that they are right to be causing said damage, but if a religious fanatic kills in the name of their faith, they want people to know. am I making sense?
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#17
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Neophyte Runner ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 2,156 Joined: 15-March 03 From: Fresno, CalFree Member No.: 4,252 ![]() |
You're making sense, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're right. While fashion did present the concept of heroin chic, fashion designers never made camps for women to get forced into and starved to 90 pounds, or anything like that. Anybody who did that, did that voluntarily, under the erroneous assumption that thats the body type men find most attractive, even though superskinny models were really just put forth as human coat racks that designers could slap a bunch of clothes onto and then parade down the runway. |
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#18
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Horror ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 5,322 Joined: 15-June 05 From: BumFuck, New Jersey Member No.: 7,445 ![]() |
Spastic: No, you're not alone. Not alone at all. I've read about other camps like this. They make my blood boil, and I want to see the blood of those responsible - both the parents assinine enough to send their children here, and the moral void wastes-of-space-and-sperm who run and work those places - run and flow.
Hell, I was imagining performing Shadowruns against these kinds of places before I ever HEARD of Shadowrun. *fumes.* This stuff is nothing short of emotional abuse and brainwashing. Any psychologist NTO in the pocket of the camp administrator will tell you that. How do these places get away with their continued existance?! So yeah. I think that would be a great Run. Hell, my characters would do it for the price of ammo and gear. |
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#19
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Runner ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 2,598 Joined: 15-March 03 From: Hong Kong Member No.: 4,253 ![]() |
Well I'm sure that most of the camp administrators and staff are pretty healthy and the seond hand organ market is booming... The whole project could be self financing, all you need is a refrigerated van and you are good to go.
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#20
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Freelance Elf ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 7,324 Joined: 30-September 04 From: Texas Member No.: 6,714 ![]() |
Yup. Nothing says "moral high ground like "premeditated mass murder."
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#21
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Dragon ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 4,718 Joined: 14-September 02 Member No.: 3,263 ![]() |
If you Google and then follow the links you'll see that Love In Action:Refuge is an "out-patient" program that is 2 weeks long plus an exta 6 weeks. So you go home at the end of the day. Didn't see any info on what you do if you live outside of commuting distance.
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#22
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Horror ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 5,322 Joined: 15-June 05 From: BumFuck, New Jersey Member No.: 7,445 ![]() |
Critias is right...
Crusher? You need to sieze some moral high ground that does not lay on the artilliary range. No, we won't be doing any organ-harvesting. Besides, once me and my Ingram Smartgun get through with them, their organs won't be in such crisp condition. That said, if we don't have to make it a smash, grab, and run like hell op (IE: race in with a passenger-converted T-bird, get the kids and RUN,) I woulden't be adverse to taking a dip into their bank accounts. :) |
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#23
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Horror ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 5,322 Joined: 15-June 05 From: BumFuck, New Jersey Member No.: 7,445 ![]() |
Blakkie: As this crap goes, that's somewhat moderate.
I heard of one in Jamaca where it's like a prison. They have huge Jamacan guards to surpress any individuality, and they give out a list of 'escort services' that are happy to escort your child to the airport. They advise that the child be unaware of his departure until the last minute, and be 'escorted' in the middle of the night. Read that: Hire a bunch of goons to come and kidnap your child in the middle of the night. |
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#24
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Running, running, running ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,220 Joined: 18-October 04 From: North Carolina Member No.: 6,769 ![]() |
wow, crazzzzzzzzziness. I dont even have to read the blog, but ya know, if this was really ment to "de=gay" someone, you would think the place would ENCOURAGE things like mutual masterbation with members of the oppisite sex, not stimy it.
Bulldrek i call! |
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#25
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The King In Yellow ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 6,922 Joined: 26-February 05 From: JWD Member No.: 7,121 ![]() |
Well, it is kind of accepted in US culture to reeducate people by brainwashing, be it in some sort of detention camp or in the army, isn't it? I mean, boot camps are a firm part of the US penal system, for all I know, and the indoctrination Marines are put through is pretty close to brain washing, too. Yet both options are viable, accepted and even cherished by the general populace.
That encourages such nut jobs, naturally. I mean, if the state can brainwash (break and remake, as the boot camps call their program) youths to 'fix' them, why can't religious organisations, too? On a side note, Scientology operates two such camps, and a ship that is essentially a mobile camp, where dissenters are brought to from all Scientology chapters, worldwide, so it's not just *christian* nuts. It's arrogant fundamentalists in general. The worst part is that de-gaying never works. Supressing desires can be learnt, but orientation cannot be changed, as all scientific evidence shows. So this is, in essence, torture of children so that parents feel better. |
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Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 30th July 2025 - 09:39 AM |
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