Jump Back 2 Months….
On November 21, 2014, it was discovered that the International Game Developers Association had promoted the use of a “blocklist,” which automatically blocks users – and followers of users – of the Gamergate hashtag in their Online Harassment Resource guide. The block list was described by the IGDA as “A Twitter tool to block some of the worst offenders in the recent wave of harassment” under the category Mental Wellness and Self-Care. The blocklist, created by Randi Harper, professionally and maturely welcomed potential users with the following description:
“Takes a list of the supposed ringleaders of GG, looks at their follower lists. Generates a list of sheeple following more than one account, as well as a list of your followers that might be questionable.
This does not rank users. It doesn’t look at bios, it doesn’t look at hashtags. But GamerGate appears to be completely useless at figuring out github when it’s not just a wiki explaining how to be shitheads, so they’ll probably never read this README and figure that part out.”
While many mocked the fact that KFC made the list, this action personally affected one of the IGDA’s own employees.
Roberto Rosario, now former chairman of IGDA Puerto Rico, was among the names of ordinary people deemed one of the “worst offenders” of harassment on the internet.
A brief Twitter spat between Rosario and the list creator ensued.
5 days later, Roberto was forced into silence on the matter, when his personal information was leaked, including photos of his family, and a veiled threat made against them.
Since this day, Rosario has declined to comment on Gamergate or the blockbot.
Jump Forward 2 Months….
Yesterday, PressFartToContinue, an outspoken supporter of Gamergate (and, full disclosure, close personal friend of mine) shared this story of the Puerto Rico branch of IGDA permanently closing. In his post, PFTC shared this letter:
“A lot of us here in Puerto Rico are ashamed at how some people have behaved in regards of the GamerGate situation. We members of IGDA Puerto Rico just got this message out of the blue.”
” Yours sincerely on behalf of all members of the board of the IGDA chapter in Puerto Rico . As you know, after a great effort last year and a half ago , the first professional IGDA chapter opened in Puerto Rico . Has long been the effort on the way to professionalize our field through this chapter, and along the way we also learned more about the IGDA , you need our community and ourselves . We understand that our job is to work for the collective good , the difference in the industry and promote the growth of professional designing and creating video games on the island. In our lessons we have learned that we lack the structure required to achieve this agenda. The needs of our emerging industry are as unique island protocols of an international chapter unfortunately not go far enough to make the goals. We recognize that there is much to learn to responsibly handle these needs again. For this reason we have decided , unanimously , to close the chapter of Puerto Rico . Since this decision was communicated to the central board of the IGDA in the United States and administrative processes are conducting closing. We greatly appreciate the support and hope to have it in future projects.”
In addition, PFTC wrote:
“There is another communication from IGDA Puerto Rico that I think merits your attention, it relates how two members of IGDA Puerto Rico board colluded with Kate Edwards to remove Roberto as chairman. The first, Ashley Alicea, resigned when Roberto criticized Geordie Tait. Jeb Alvarado resigned when Roberto criticize the Blacklist of Randi Harper.”
Shortly after posting, PFTC discovered that Facebook and Twitter accounts for IGDA Puerto Rico were closed.
The message, to me, seems clear. Kate Edwards, Executive Director of the IGDA does not like Gamergate.
Roberto was brave enough to use his voice. He spoke up, for what he saw as an injustice. As for the result?
He can not comment.
******************DISCLOSURES******************
*As stated in the article, I am friends with PressFarttoContinue.
*While I never really interacted with Roberto Rosario, I really, really liked the guy.
*I’m a little drunk, and a lottle angry, while writing this.
*Lottle isn’t a word.
Nice summary of events. Now that Roberto has no connection to IGDA is there a chance he will talk?
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As usual, more GamerGate bullshit, misperception and paranoid conspiracy. You GGers are a riot, the best comedy farce on the internet right now!
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If I had a dime for every anti attacking a GG page, I’d make an open tab at Flannigan’s for the game tomorrow.
How is this misperception, when the proof, the tweets, the evidence is right there for the public to read? It’s one thing to disprove hearsay, but when the facts are right in your face, you have to be deliberately ignorant to pass it off as “misperception and paranoid conspiracy”.
But hey, what do I know? I’m just another GG supporter, so my word can’t be taken seriously. So let’s leave the evidence to do the talking. OH WAIT.
Now who’s the comedy farce on the internet?
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What’s written there that’s untrue? Seriously, if I’m being misinformed and there’s something you have to say that I should know, then tell me.
I’m open to an outside perspective.
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I guess GamerGate only wants to dole out lies and criticism and not take it…very quick to remove my comment! That’s fine, go ahead and clusterfuck yourselves – you deserve each other. Too funny! >:)
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What are you even talking about? Your comment is still up dude.
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Probably didn’t see the whole “Your comment is awaiting moderation” thing.
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Probably couldn’t see his monitor through all of the spittle flecks and feces.
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Glad to see you’re still with us, Liz, even if you’re not on the twitters anymore.
I’m not sure what is going on with the IGDA. My local chapter is full of SJWs as well. The guy who organizes it basically ousted me from the group when I dared criticize FemFreq at a meetup.
Lost a lot of respect for the organization over the last few months.
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Don’t care, if IDGA wants to block 5 million people around the world, then they won’t have anyone representing them. I’m okay with that, provided they don’t provoke #GG, I really don’t care about them. We could probably build our own organization for Dev’s at this point.
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IGDA keeps getting shadier and shadier…This will get worse before its gets better, IGDA is pushing out moderates.
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Hey look! Mr. Rosario’s reply to me got featured! Thanks Liz. My sympathies and best wishes to both you and Mr. Rosario.
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Great post as usual, Liz. We couldn’t even tell you were a lottle angry.
The longer this goes on, the more I think everything should be torn down and rebuilt from scratch. Then again, that’s kind of what we are doing, isn’t it?
Glad to see you’re still at it. Take care.
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The unfortunate truth is, organizations like IGDA are easily taken over by SJWs. They are experts in the tactic of ideological subversion, whereby a few individuals worm their way into the organization and devote excessive effort to gaining power within it. Once in positions of power, the intentionally push for the admittance of more SJWs, and marginalize those who disagree with them politically (or even those who simply do not agree strongly enough). Most Game Devs, for instance, are interested in developing games and are only tangentially interested in the organization itself. They join the organization so it can represent THEM, not so they can represent IT. SJWs are the exact opposite. If they develop a game, it is only to obtain self-validation or the credentials necessary to get into the group they desire to be a part of. Once within the group, they quickly plot to take control of it.
As such, they devote infinitely more energy to obtaining power in the organization and, inevitably, wind up controlling it. Oh, isolated bastions of unconquered IGDA members exist. Some fortresses will fall to extended siege or assault, like that led by Mr. Rosario. Others will submit openly, but quietly foment rebellion from within. A few may lurk safely behind strong walls of reasn and taunt the central authority. But the throne will almost always be occupied by a Social Justice Warrior or one of their preferred puppets. For all their talk about Patriarchy, they are remarkably like the old Feudal lords.
#GamerGate avoids this trap because it has no leadership. It has no rules or traditions to subvert. There is no power structure for the SJWs to attach to, and so those who do manage to temporarily enter the fold will wither and die, deprived of the narcissistic supply they require to survive. This is the model that must be pushed to replace organizations like IGDA, as it is mostly immune to the vagaries of power-mongers. It gives us a fighting chance in the Culture War.
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So the SJWs are Ed Dillinger to the original personnel’s Gibbs. Christ – we covered all this shit in the plot of TRON back in ’82!
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I love how that letter about rosario said he used IGDAPR when he just threatned resignation unless they fixed things, fuck the igda, we need an op for this organisation
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