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Ok, I probably won't have the time to debate this as I should, but I'll post it anyway.

I feel like the current discussion has deviated considerably from gamergate stuff into terrorism stuff, and I believe I know a couple of things on that matter. Because you see, while I don't agree with terrorism stuff, I can typically understand it. You're faced with an enemy far bigger than you are and you have no means to defend yourself. Any rights you're supposed to have by law are ignored, legal paths of protests are blocked to you, and the police who is meant to protect you beats you up instead. It is not surprising to me that illegal resistance paths are taken under those, or worse, circumstances. It's easy for me to condemn them and say I don't think it's the right way to fight back, but I'm (for the most part) not under those conditions nor did I have to live through the shit that most of these people suffered. So I understand.

Therefore, I can relate to some extent with the so called "islamic terrorism". I don't approve of it at all, specially when it comes to their choice of targets, but I can relate when they lash back against the USA or Israel or something similar. They are raining bombs on my village, so I'll get them back the only way I can. Not cool, but understandable.

This last attack is completely different though. While the background might be similar, this is not an attack on oppressors, nor a questionable retaliation against an occupying force. It's been done entirely on grounds of retaliation for a perceived offense. An offense that wasn't even in their face, the French magazine never went to Yemen and put offensive posters on their doors; it's the guys from Yemen who went out of their way to take offense. I believe myself to be way too understanding towards murderers, but I can not understand that. It's pure bullshit.

I'll agree with the French not being above criticism for having suffered an attack, that's something I've always said towards terrorism victims. I'll agree with people in many places being under horrible conditions that push them to crazy lengths to fight back the way they can. I'll agree with western mainstream typically making a bigger deal about local deaths than foreign ones (hell, I think some asshole throwing poisoned food to kill dogs in the street got more coverage than a hundred dead people in Palestina or Colombia). But, what happened last week is a level above that, IMO, and fuck those who downplay it.

Also, and to bring things back to gamergate a bit, remember this comic? I find funny that it's precisely McIntosh and the anti-GG crowd who kept pushing the "you can't criticise Sarkeesian because she received threats, and if you speak against her you're condoning the harassers" are the ones who now take that very same stance here. Just saying.
Going back on topic, the latest news piece from ABC is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAyncf3DBUQ

People are complaining about civil comments being removed from the ABC website and the video.
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Spectre: Going back on topic, the latest news piece from ABC is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAyncf3DBUQ

People are complaining about civil comments being removed from the ABC website and the video.
What a crock! It's mind boggling that they can put this garbage out there and people believe it. Oh, well. The truth will out, sooner or later. Unfortunately its probably going to take quite a while. Patience and strength. Remember. Speak truth to power, my fellow gamers, speak truth to power!
It's interesting how the usual suspects - or useful idiots, as per their Cold War nicks - couldn't just sympathize with the victims of terrorism without quallifications. I truly wonder how similar analysis of the factors and context involved around other victims, of rape or racism, for potential justificators explaining the crime would be received. (I don't wonder of course, examples abound revealing the hypocrisy).

Now for the logic (or rather lack of) consider this example in one of the linked articles (the truthdig one):

“You want us to weep for the Americans when they bomb and kill Palestinians and Iraqis every day?” Mohaam Abak, a Moroccan immigrant sitting with two friends on a bench told me during my 2001 visit to La Cité des 4,000. “We want more Americans to die so they can begin to see what it feels like.”
snip
It is dangerous to ignore this rage. But it is even more dangerous to refuse to examine and understand its origins. It did not arise from the Quran or Islam.

So we have ignoring rage = danger, refusing to understand causes = bigger danger.

Interesting rethoric for the conclusion of the article, and yet it undermines the point which is made in the last sentence, as well throughout. Consider that we can ignore or acknowledge the islamic rage. And we can refuse or accept to understand its origins.

Obviously understanding is less dangerous than refusing, and acknowledging is less dangerous than ignoring.
So someone that knows muslims are enraged and understands why is in less danger than someone who is ignorant of the rage and has no clue about its causes.

Now lets consider the other two possibilites.
-Individual A who knows about the rage, but is ignorant of its causes.
-Individual B who has no clue about the rage, but knows muslism are oppressed, disposseded, etc, etc...
Which of them do you think is in more danger? Because to me it's clearly B, and the writer has inverted reality. The first order phenomena (the rage) is what tells you how large the danger is, the second order phenomena (the underlying forces) only give you trends.

Anyway, to me the only relation to gamergate (apart from the usual methods of SJW being in display) is how ultimately this is all about a refusal to face the world as it is, replacing it with some egotistical utopian version. Ergo: objectivity (lack of it) in journalism... erm... I mean in life, etc...
Post edited January 17, 2015 by Brasas
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Spectre: Going back on topic, the latest news piece from ABC is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAyncf3DBUQ

People are complaining about civil comments being removed from the ABC website and the video.
Mainstream media continuing to be corrupt, biased garbage. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at all by their actions, or the fact they're heavily censoring the comments section to try and further the narrative they're trying to push (as if the like/dislike bar didn't already indicate how people feel about the report).
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thelovebat: as if the like/dislike bar didn't already indicate how people feel about the report.
Yes, I'm sure that has nothing to do with GamerGaters spreading that video all over their forums, message boards, twitter, and so forth, then in their characteristically reactionary mob way stampeding over to mass dis"like" it (probably with many sock puppets to boot, or boost, as it were).

Just as they do with other videos they don't like, or fill up comment sections to articles they don't like, or dogpile someone's twitter comment, or go enthusiastically support Hatred because that'll stick it to those SJW's, or corrupt user reviews for games they have some twisted agenda against (including here on GOG; e.g., Gone Home). "Hey, did you guys hear what this person (woman) said about us?! Let's go show them who's boss!"

Same way you're all going to mob downvote my comment, as you have every other comment even mildly critical of you.
Post edited January 17, 2015 by TullyFernado
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catpower1980: Interesting to dig some tweets by McIntosh:
https://twitter.com/radicalbytes/status/555512138291097600

Linked article:
http://www.truthdig.com/report/page2/a_message_from_the_dispossessed_20150111
TLDR: If you're coming from a poor country and feel oppressed, it's alright to become a terrorist.

I'm wondering why my immigrant friends left their countries due to wars and terrorism if it's so cool to be in a spiral of violence....

Back to gaming: I guess I won't go to the Screenshake Indie festival in Antwerp next month, otherwise I would punch some hipster devs in the face.
Excerpt :

[I]It’s no excuse for murder, but it explains things in terms of honor, which no longer means anything in the West. Ireland is a western country that still retains some of that, and it was the Irish dueling laws that were used in Kentucky, the last State in the Union to make dueling outlawed. Dueling was once very prominent in the West when honor meant something deep in the soul of men.[/I]

Ireland retains duelling? When did he write that, 1700?

Anyway, back to the off topic/on topic Charlie Ebdo.

I don't think the full reason was the satire. I really think that the satire aspect was only used to kind of legitimize what they did to some extent. What they really wanted was a soft target that would get big headlines, they just used the satire cartoons to provide a legitimising and rallying context for poorly educated muslims, the main reason for the attack was pure terror in my opinion.
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F1ach: Ireland retains duelling? When did he write that, 1700?
The idea of a Spaniard murdering someone over an insult to their mother is equally absurd.
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thelovebat: as if the like/dislike bar didn't already indicate how people feel about the report.
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TullyFernado: Yes, I'm sure that has nothing to do with GamerGaters spreading that video all over their forums, message boards, twitter, ... Let's go show them who's boss!"

Same way you're all going to mob downvote my comment, as you have every other comment even mildly critical of you.
This is a classic example of the tactics used by any corrupt and morally bankrupt regime (yes, they are a tool of government and corporate power). Accuse those whom they percieve as their enemy of everything that they do themselves. It's almsot funny to read that post - this person (who ever they are?) is describing their own vial, murderous (doxxing and swatting can be fatal - not to mention the legislation they're pushing in Canada to legalize the murder of husbands by wives - search "Elizabeth Sheehy") propaganda.

But reallly gamers (yes gamers - we're the ones they said no longer exist), they - the anti-gamers, the neofems - don't have to do anything - these creatures can just lie back and let sugar daddy corporate mainstream media take care of everything. When you realize these circumstances it's hilarious, they paint themselves as the underdogs, the rebels LOL. Gamers are the people who are being attacked - if it's anyone who are the rebels or underdogs it is us gamers. It all seems so ridiculous sometimes, but its serious - they are an extremely dangerous and malevolent force with a vicious and destructive agenda and they are coming for us! So I'll say it again, gamers everywhere, keep on SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER! Gamergate sympathizers, that is gamers, are a diverse cross section of millions of people all over the planet representing every race, sex, religion and so on imaginable. WIth patience, perseverance, intelligence and imagination eventually we will overcome these vial oppressors and haters of life. Peace, brothers and sisters (or should one just say "siblings"?). ;-)
Post edited January 17, 2015 by noncompliantgame
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thelovebat: as if the like/dislike bar didn't already indicate how people feel about the report.
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TullyFernado: Yes, I'm sure that has nothing to do with GamerGaters spreading that video all over their forums, message boards, twitter, and so forth, then in their characteristically reactionary mob way stampeding over to mass dis"like" it (probably with many sock puppets to boot, or boost, as it were).

Just as they do with other videos they don't like, or fill up comment sections to articles they don't like, or dogpile someone's twitter comment, or go enthusiastically support Hatred because that'll stick it to those SJW's, or corrupt user reviews for games they have some twisted agenda against (including here on GOG; e.g., Gone Home). "Hey, did you guys hear what this person (woman) said about us?! Let's go show them who's boss!"

Same way you're all going to mob downvote my comment, as you have every other comment even mildly critical of you.
You mean the same way SJW's do the same thing linking all their friends to every post, blog or Tweet that even remotely says something bad about Ms. Saarkesian or others whether its factual or not.

But somehow I suspect you find that to be okay and its just all those Gamergaters that need to be silenced...
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A breakdown of Elizabeth Fogarty's article banned by msm

<span class="bold">"Gamergate: Through My Eyes"</span>

... in no way exclusive to games journalists, but rather is indicative of a larger, more universal issue in how we all receive news ...
- Good to know more and more people are realizing this fact.

A game developer’s ex boyfriend wrote a blog post detailing the end of his relationship, which had indications of being emotionally and mentally abusive. He outlined the alleged infidelity of his girlfriend throughout the course of their relationship. Several of the names included in the post drew attention to a potential conflict of interest in gaming journalism, most specifically Nathan Grayson of Kotaku (and formerly of Rock, Paper, Shotgun).
- She forgot to put quotes around "game developer".

Many people feel everything that has resulted was a reaction to a female developer having sex.
- No, not many people, just a very tiny group. A very vocal, well funded group with access to msm's undivided attention and support.

... When we, as consumers, began questioning these conflicts, over a dozen articles declaring the “death of gamers” were published within a 48 hour period, from competing sites, some more vitriolic than others. It was later revealed that these journalists were part of a private email list, where discussions took place regarding what to report on, as well as attempted censorship of forum discussion of the topics surrounding the controversy. Ben Kuchera of Polygon is seen in leaked emails repeatedly chastising journalists from competing publications for allowing discussion of the topic on their forums.

...third party sites such as 4chan and Reddit began deleting threads which pointed to potential journalistic impropriety. This occurred to such an extent that even Wikileaks joined the fray.

Many of the journalists involved have installed the GG Autoblocker, which is a program for Twitter that immediately blocks anyone following two or more accounts which were classified as alleged "ringleaders" of the leaderless consumer revolt. This has limited the ability to engage in any productive conversation about the issues.
- This is at the crux of much of the revolt by gamers and is indicitive that gamers need to get active at a grass roots level in restarting "games journalism" (without going into details and implications of what that means right here.)

... they [games journalist] don't care about games journalism, and can not fathom how, if they don't care, anyone else could. They focus on the ideological debate, which essentially boils down to those who support creative freedom, versus those who want specific universal representation of certain types of characters.
- nailed it!

... people have received threats and harassment ... I myself have received quite a few threats, regular harassment, and I’ve been doxed. Most recently, someone printed out my picture from Twitter, masturbated onto it, and tweeted an image of this publicly.

A vast majority of the threats and harassment ... have been the result of online trolls. They target both sides in order to further tension and get deranged laughs out of what is happening. And the truth is, this has happened to both men AND women.

... to place blame on an entire group with no evidence is not only dishonest and unfair, it's also potentially dangerous to the person who has received them.
- this is what a neofem looks like

People who actually care about the key goals of the Gamergate revolt often speak out against threats, harassment, and doxing.

I will deny until my last breath these two points: 1) that we are disputing what they are saying because they are women, and 2) we are only disputing the words and opinions of women. That is untrue.

The idea that we are simply “targeting women” for just being women is asinine and ... dishonest. But if someone were to actually share all of this information, they’d have to leave the “they’re just woman-haters” narrative behind, and they aren’t willing to do that.
- Unfortunately, outside of those supporting and/or sympathetic to gamergate most people who even know anything about this hold to the “they’re just woman-haters” narrative of the gaming enthusiast as a 1990's era cartoon character. Another reason why gamers need to start thinking about how they can start organizng a new kind of discourse themselves - a new kind of gaming journalism.

Creative Freedom matters. If you believe in the right to think, to feel, to discover, to play, and to create, then you must support and defend the right for others to be able to do the same.
- Prob the essence of why buzzfeed pulled the article.
So to come back a little bit to the thread...

I've just read a very cool article about the making-of of a pulp poster for an "escape the room" type of game. Interesting if like me you dig those book/movie covers from 40's to 70's:
http://gamasutra.com/blogs/RyanCreighton/20150115/234206/The_Anatomy_of_a_Pulp_Crime_Poster.php

Then first comment:
"The first thing that caught my eye with the poster was the cleavage, and my mind went to "sigh, more objectifying pictures" but the male was equally undressed, and both were frightened. This is rare to see. It's often, like you said later on, that the male is actively defending against the threat while the female is victimized (sexism)."

I won't write something because it will reach the godwin point :o)
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catpower1980: I won't write something because it will reach the godwin point :o)
Not necessarily. Not that I'm keeping track. But that doesn't seemto happen too often on this thread. Unless you meant you will do that if you comment too much?
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noncompliantgame: Unless you meant you will do that if you comment too much?
Pretty much that... I'm already putting my Gil Evgren artbook in a safebox before it gets burned :o)
Found following video on Cheezburger.com. After the first few seconds it was pretty clear in wich direction this would go:
ABC News Takes on Gamergate