Crime & Federalism

When people in #GamerGate throw around the world censorship, lawyers tend to lose their marbles. "Censorship is something only the government can do!"

I don't get why lawyers (I happen to be one, too) get all pissy when non-lawyers use the wrong terms. Law is complicated. Hell, while I'm well-versed on the First Amendment, I even have a First Amendment lawyer to represent me. Who can keep track of it all?

I would be curious, though, to know whether the Charlie Hebdo murders were an example of censorship. Those murders weren't state-sponsored, after all...

Incidentally, the same lawyers who froth at the mouth over the vernacular abuse of the poor word censorship will say, "I plead the Fifth." No one says, "You dummies! You can only plead the fifth when you're in an official proceeding where the government seeks to compel you to incriminate yourself!"

We get it. There's "censorship" and censorship.

There's the sort of "censorship" we all do. I don't post everything that pops in my head. I have some discretion, believe it or not. I self-censor.

There has been a lot of "censorship" surrounding #GamerGate. Forums that were previously open to vigorous debate and discussed deleted tens-of-thousands of posts on a single subject.

Reddit (which has message boards like "Chimp Out" that shock even me) banned discussion of #GamerGate.

Yes, that's "censorship." It's well within the rights of Reddit to "censor," but it is "censorship."

And I don't care.

I don't care about "censorship."

A lot of pro-#GamerGate people tell me about the latest "censorship" going on. They are nice people, and I feel a bit rude saying it, but my general response is, "I don't care. Private parties may do what they please."

Twitter may ban me any day, as is their prerogative. It'd be a stupid move, as playing political favorites would only inspire competitors to create alternatives, but it'd be a stupid move well within Twitter's rights.

I don't even have any problems with the block bots. Wait, you don't know what blockbots are?

Some people decided to create a program that would allow users to automatically block anyone who followed me on Twitter. If you're a lawyer who has never heard of #GamerGate and you follow me on Twitter, your account will be blocked by thousands of people.

It's guilt-by-association. You're a bad person because you may find what I post interesting. (Half of the people who follow me on Twitter don't agree with me; they simply enjoy a compelling spectacle.)

There's even a blockbot based on Richard Dawkins, the preeminent scientist who has managed to offend the same young people who "fucking love science." I know, the cognitive dissonance astounds.

The blockbot is "censorship," in that it prevents thousands of people from being heard. And it's "censorship" I don't give a fuck about.

The only censorship I care about is the kind the government engages in.

(Well I would classify violent acts by private parties as real censorship, too.)

I have been reported to the California State Bar for my free speech. Is trying to get the government to punish me for my speech censorship?

I have had the Los Angeles Police Department called on me for my speech. Is trying to get me SWATted censorship? Hell, is having the police politely knock on my door for my speech still not an example of censorship?

I have been falsely accused of crimes based on my speech. Are false accusations of criminal wrongdoing examples of censorship?

Where are my white knights? Why aren't the white knights who call me out also calling out the people who have attempted to have police sent to my home based on my speech?

Funny how life works, isn't it?

In #GamerGate you have real, actual, big time censorship.

But since it's happened to a straight white man, no one cares.

Yet you expect me to care about your issues.

Or to think you have any intellectual integrity.

You're not fooling anyone - not even yourselves.

Censorship has made us stronger.

If I showed you my analytics, you'd feel a little jealous. 

I've had single Tweets receive over 200,000 impressions, and I am but one pro-#GamerGate man. I'm not even a "big deal" in #GamerGate. Lord knows how many page views the big names are getting.

(This lone Tweet about the SWATting attempt made on my life received 218,000 page views.)

The more you censor us, the more we will speak out. 

Cops called on me? I don't care. I'm still speaking.

State Bar called on me? I don't care. I'm still here and I'm not going anywhere.

Gawker articles written about what a bad person I am? I LOL'ed all the way to increased readership.

Thank you for censoring Reddit, 4Chan, and other sides.

Because of your efforts, I've met thousands of really good people.

And we have all agreed to set aside our political differences (I'm libertarian, most pro-#GamerGate people are left-leaning) to fight for free speech.

Funny how life works, isn't it?

P.S. If you care about real censorship, you can fight censorship by fighting Nevada's anti-SLAPP law.