#Gamergate: I am afraid

I Am Afraid

When a number of people supporting a cause have their personal information spread all over the internet, I am afraid, because one of those names could be mine, and there are people out there who I do not want to have that information.

When the person who created a platform for minorities who felt their voices were being erased has his work contacted and is fired over it, I am afraid, because it would take only one phone call and I would find myself in the same situation.

When major media personalities say to Bring Back Bullying or that Bullying actually is good, I am afraid, because I've been bullied, and I know exactly what they want to reintroduce in my life.

When I'm told that the previous comments were ill-advised jokes, I am afraid, because those words have been used to excuse actual bullying in my life, and they got away with it, then.

When the number of death threats, rape threats and other forms of harassment against one side is too big to count, I am afraid, because a culture of fear is being created, and that is not a culture I want to live in.

When none of this is reported on in mainstream media in order to reduce three other women to their victimhood, I am afraid, because I am being demonised to promote a narrative, to fabricate a moral panic that has no basis in reality.

When I think of this happening to me, I am afraid, because I am forced to consider that this may have happened to others before, and I was not aware.

Many people have gotten hurt over this, and nobody is talking about it.

When I hear friends from eastern Europe and China tell stories about this, I am afraid, because the stories they tell have far too many similarities to the current situation for me to feel anything else.

When a transgendered individual supporting us is banned from a subreddit and told she is their property by the moderators, I am afraid, because this is the mindset we are up against.

When I'm told I should be sent to death camps, I am afraid, because I do not want to die.

When I'm told that we're weaponising charity, I am afraid, because it shows that we will never be able to do anything right in the eyes of the other side, and they will see everything we do in a negative light.

When a prominent member of the opposition says that 'there is (almost) no such thing as a bad tactic, only bad targets' and isn't called out on it by others, I am afraid, because this is exactly the 'ends justifies the means' mindset that caused so many problems in history.

When prominent news outlets question whether our side of the story should be heard at all, I am afraid, because I am apparently so evil that I have less rights than confirmed serial killers.

When all of this happens, I am powerless, I am voiceless, I am afraid.

But I am not going to stop.

(post from http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/528.860762-GamerGate-Discussion-Debate-and-Resources?page=1157)