Dear GamerGate, I Am #NotYourShield

So I was explaining GamerGate to my mom last night and she responds with "What you are saying is terrorist behavior as defined by Homeland Security, why aren't they involved?" And it's been bugging me all day. Let's look at a few definitions, shall we?

According to google;

ter·ror·ism

ˈterəˌrizəmt

noun

the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.

Okay, fairly straightforward, right? Right now threats of violence and out right intimidation are being used in an anti-feminism effort in the gaming industry.

According to the FBI;

"Domestic terrorism" means activities with the following three characteristics:

Involve acts dangerous to human life that violate federal or state law;

Appear intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination. or kidnapping; and occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the U.S.

Okay, also pretty straightforward. GamerGate is using intimidation to coerce female gamers into giving up their livelihood and their stance on feminism in gaming and this is clearly occurring primarily within the US, as evidenced by the people being targeted residing here.

Supposedly the Department of Homeland Security deals with threats like the one toward Anita Sarkeesian and the USU lecture she was supposed to give, but I have yet to find any information regarding their involvement. The FBI is apparently involved with those threats as well as those against Brianna Wu, whom is no longer safe in her own home due to intense threats of violence and death. Threats that not only target Brianna herself, but her friends, her loved ones, and her future children. Hopefully they find the sick people doing the threatening and deal with them to the full extent of the law.

I've been seeing arguments on both sides and I thought I'd stay out of it as I, myself, am not a game maker, and I don't often play video games. Here's the problem with that, though; The more we ignore things, the more we put our heads under our pillows and pretend nothing can touch us if we can't see us, the more we are perpetuating the problem. We who look on it and shake our heads and say "too bad" and do not stand up for what is right.

Do you know what unlawful communication is? How about stalking? Both of those happened to women I admire and respect, and yet people seem to not being taking it seriously. In fact, more people glommed onto this GamerGate idea. It was as though the mere whisper of feminist happenings made all those against equality stand up and say "not on my watch!" as though they actually knew what was going on. It was incredibly disheartening. Do you know that you are telling your daughters and sisters and mothers that if they think for themselves, stand up for themselves, or ask to be treated fairly, they are opening themselves up to threats of violence and death? Further, you are telling them you believe they deserve it.

Slander, even on the internet, is still illegal as well. That is what the bilious extolling of Zoe Quinn's ex-boyfriend is, for those interested. Slander. Not just of her, but of the journalist in question as well. Sadly we still live in a world where a man accused of sleeping with a woman is quietly clapped on the back for a job well done, so he was mostly untouched by the issue. Zoe Quinn, however, was not so lucky as she has the misfortune of owning ovaries. While some say the issue has been run into the ground, I disagree. I'm not sure it will ever be run into the ground. Not when this disgustingly misogynistic behavior is not only continuing, but spreading like a California wildfire fueled by uninformed hate.

Brianna Wu was targeted as well. She has been a woman I've admired for some time, and GamerGate made me realize she is so much more wonderful than I'd ever suspected. Today she wrote a blog explaining how It Happened To Me on XO Jane, part of a larger group of articles regarding the abuse women deal with daily that I sincerely hope everyone takes the time to read. This happened to Wu while we, the Geek Community, watched.

There are sadly two sides to this issue; you are with GamerGate, or you are against GamerGate. Usually I say there are at least three sides, but this is one of those instances where staying quiet and pretending you don't see it means you are giving them more fuel for the fire because obviously we don't agree with the feminists, the equalists, and those who just believe in plain old human decency.

They threatened the wrong woman this time. I am the Godzilla of bitches. I have a backbone of pure adamantium, and I’m sick of seeing them abuse my friends. -- Brianna Wu

I am an Equalist. I do not believe in abusive tactics. I do not agree with GamerGate.

I do think some people involved with GamerGate joined the movement for what it was pretending to be. I believe that sometimes people go too far in an effort to make all things fair instead of thinking about the people they already have who are suddenly being told they no longer matter. I think we need to work on understanding boundaries and talking calmly about things instead of just throwing out hashtags and claiming anyone that doesn't also post that hashtag is evil incarnate. I do not agree with GamerGate because of it's origins and the things some of it's members are doing. However, that being said, I understand why #NotYourShield is being bandied about and sometimes I even agree with it.

#stopgamergate #socialjusticerogue

Dear GamerGate, I am #NotYourShield, and my silence can no longer be used as a weapon.

Stevie