Alternate longer title: Man Content to Read Post After Post on Facebook Containing "Hate Speech", But When Man Is Quietly "Unfriended" by the "Hate Speech" Person, He Vows to Ruin Him in the RPG Industry.
Andy Action-Markham: So, this Spalding guy just unfriended me on Facebook.
Woman (feigning mild-interest): That's nice, honey.
Action: But you don't understand. We were "friends" and then he "unfriended" me. I can't believe he did that.
Woman: What did he say?
Action: That's the whole point. He didn't say ANYTHING. I was wondering why I wasn't seeing his posts anymore. And then this morning I decided to check. I checked his friends list and then with mounting disbelief, I checked it again. I wasn't on it.
Woman: But don't people do that all the time? Perhaps you're spending too many hours online. Haven't we talked about this before?
Action: But, but, Spalding was like, Mr. pro-free speech guy. Don't you see, that makes him a total hypocrite!
Woman: If you say so, dear.
Action: Also, he was using Facebook and Google Plus to engage in hate speech.
Woman (continuing to feign mild interest): What a jerk. But in that case, why did you stay friends with him?
Action: Well, I kept up the link on Facebook because I wanted to read what he had to say. Also when he put up a post for his chums I liked to occasionally write a snarky comment at the beginning. You know, hate speech needs to be resisted.
Woman: Then why were you surprised when he "unfriended" you?
Action: It's the principle of the thing.
Woman: Obviously.
Action: Anyway, even though he had unfriended me, I managed to figure out how to send him an Instant Message. Here, take a look, and then check out his response. He actually called me obnoxious. Can you believe it?
Action: Well, okay, it was four comments, but still.
Woman: What are you going to do now?
Action: Well, I sent three messages back to him.
Woman: And?
Action: He DIDN'T EVEN ANSWER THEM. Even when I called him a bigot he didn't respond. Can you believe that? He DENIED me the right to converse with him through Instant Messaging.
Woman: I see.
Action: But I'll fix him. In my final message I said I would use all my connections in the RPG community to make sure everyone is aware that Spalding engages in hate speech. He will have a very very hard time working with anyone in the community again.
Woman: Andy?
Action: Yes?
Woman: If you want my honest opinion, I think all this is because he hurt your feelings. Despite all that stuff about "hate speech" and such, it was all fine until he unfriended you. You liked him and wanted his respect. When you realized you didn't have it, you had a sort of hissy fit. We've talked about this before.
Action: Do you think if I send him another message with an apology, he'll be my friend again?
Woman: I doubt it.
Action: Well, you're my friend, aren't you? And we're still on for tonight, right?
Woman: Of course I'm your friend, Andy. But I have to wash my hair tonight. Why don't you go play on Facebook.
Gee. That is the reason I deleted my face book account.
ReplyDeleteHooray for social media. We are sooo much the better for it, no? ;)
ReplyDeleteAndy is gone, along with his comments and my responses. I did the same for his identical comments on the Google Plus link. I create game content and blog content. He doesn't. But he wanted me to grant him a free platform to shout about what a bad guy I am and how no one should work with me. Why should I do that, especially given that he has signaled that he has no compunction about lying, including regarding private communications or "deleted" posts that only he can see but won't make public? But I also don't want to spend any more of my limited time trying to refute his lies on what are essentially his terms, while even so just turning the whole thing into a he said, he said game. Stefano's also gone for similar (though not precisely so) reasons. If that negatively impacts my free-speech cred, so be it. But I don't see why it should.
ReplyDeleteActually, Raul, while I would say social media is pernicious for all sorts of reasons (as well as having many positive qualities), I think in this case the culprit was...Andy. Social media doesn't tell you to blacklist people or lie about people. I feel as strongly about the truths of, say, Catholicism, as anyone. But half of the people I know (roughly) disagree with them. Not only do I not blacklist them, refuse to interact with them or lie about them, but many of them are still my friends (the ones that were my friends to begin with). The totalitarianism of some on the left--in regards to this issue--repels me.
ReplyDeleteThen again, Andy is a special case. The "hate speech" thing only cane up after I "unfriended" him. That's not the fault of social media. It's the fault of a small, hateful and insecure mind.
holey heck... had a similar individual in my games group...
ReplyDeletehe left the group a couple of times after being an idiot and blaming others for his failings... then my foolish friend a good 5 years ago invited him back into the group, we almost got rid of him a few years ago due to a huge falling out over an online game that we joined him in as he pestered us, and then expected us to be on it all the time with him,when we weren't he threw a huge fit and started with the name calling, a few months later, same foolish friend bring him back in, this lasts a year with the guys behaviour getting dickish again, until he decides to pick on one of my foolish friends kids and getting in an argument about it when someone spots him and calls him on it, she then gets the brunt of his ire and he storms out luckily before it starts to get physical...
a few months of bitter stupid messages via facebook before practically everyone blocks him, and reports his harrassment and threats to turn up to a wedding, hinting at causing 'something', to the police... and this time it seems he may be gone for good...
though I feel for another friend who works in same company he does and thus occasionally has to walk past him, deal with his department.
all the best with this malarkey.
Oh I am going to Necro this ....
ReplyDeleteThe only 'free' speech is redressing grievances with your government, standing on a street corner telling people your opinion about Government Actions ... and the right not to be jailed for speaking your mind.
Everything else is subject to the 'owners' wishes ... you have no right to spout whatever you want on someones website [blog Facebook page or other social media], front yard, or spray paint the wall of their business. Yes this means Facebook can filter out what they want ... you are after all using their free service ... it has been my experience Progressives / SJW love to run around lecturing you on your moral stance, but as soon as you call them on THEIR Intolerance, they get very angry and beat there chest in righteous indignation about how evil you are.
great gaming blog .... Thanks