Hey Guys! It's the OP! So I went to work, hung out with my girlfriend, and now I'm finding that this thread got HUGE. It's been a hell of a read. Here are my highlights:
1) The guy claiming another guy was 'belittling minorities' because, since #GamerGate and #NotYourShield are the same movement, being critical of #NotYourShield is the same thing as ignoring minority voices and being guilty of actual racism.
I found this to be a very peculiar interpretation of the phrase "Not Your Shield." I don't think GamerGate is a wholly white movement, I think it's a wholly misguided and counterproductive movement-- I don't need anyone to be my shield for that. I'm saying it directly to you, through my keyboard. If you're a minority and you say the kind of weird conspiratorial nonsense I see GG saying all the time, yeah, I'd be dismissive too. Not because anyone's a minority. Because I think GamerGate on the whole is fundamentally and deliberately misinterpreting *editorial* freedom of expression for oppression and censorship. You can be black, white, or calico and still be open to criticism for the words comin' out of your mouth, or your fingers, in most of these cases-- saying that #NotYourShield and #GamerGate are so intertwined that criticism of GG has racial overtones is using #NotYourShield as, well, *A SHIELD*. That whole argument I found kind of amazing-- is GG as a whole really trying to reframe this as being kindly, caring, respectful GamerGate against those monstrous, racist, anti-semitic journalists? Are they really going to try to make the hilariously contradictory accusation that "Social Justice Warriors" are hateful towards disenfranchised groups? Or is it just this jackass?
2) How folks have treated the user 'Not The Bees'. She had a really solid initial point-- *I* might not mind the consequences of speaking out against GamerGate, but for most folks, the weight of condescending bullshit thrown their way is too much of a hassle to want to ever get sucked into it. Then, several pages later, about three GG's hassle her with condescending bullshit. I'm sorry that Not Your Bees had to be the audience volunteer that demonstrated why GamerGate looks so unappealing and problematic from the outside, but it's illustrative to have in the thread:
Skeptical Outsider: I don't like talking about my opinion because I get disrespectfully treated by a half dozen strangers every time I do.
A Half Dozen Strangers: Well, you have no idea what the hell you're talking about, how about you provide sources and citations for all of your reasonable, mild opinions and we'll pretend to take you seriously for two seconds before saying something shitty to you again.
3) I'm surprised by the people who are all like "OP's wrong, it's bullshit on both sides, don't say anything." The guy who was like "Oh, I *KNOW* you're gonna call me a coward for not having an opinion, 'cause you're just as bad as them," was a standout. I mean, that's just way off the mark. If you don't care, you don't care, I'm talking about people like the user I mentioned last paragraph, who get really irked by GamerGate but say nothing because it's not worth the hassle and the bullshit. And hassle and bullshit is something that you really do have to put up with if you even remotely criticize GamerGate-- my point is that actual hacking, doxxing, the serious threats don't seem to trickle down to the user level. Just the endless self-aggrandizement. Taking the time to stand behind your opinion that GG is a lot of toxic nonsense if that *is* your opinion is worthwhile, and I think it's important to stand with the folks who love games but feel alienated by this whole thing. If it really is about anti-censorship, you'll be fine. If it isn't, you're helping prove the hypocrisy. If you're willing. I think it's worth it to be willing.
