Empathy; Where Is It?
I am always shocked when I read posts about how horrible Zoe Quinn is. I don’t think Zoe Quinn is innocent by any means, nor do I deny that she treated Eron Gjoni horribly. But what Eron Gjoni and his supporters seem to lack is empathy. They justify their behavior and treatment of Quinn by claiming she’s bad so she deserves it. They claim that starting a war against women or anyone who speaks out against harassment was worth it because she’s just SO HORRIBLE!
Look, I have been cheated on and abused. I know how much it fucking sucks when someone you love with all your heart treats you this way. I completely understand the anger you feel after the initial depression and shock wears off. And I know how you want them to suffer the way they made you suffer, how you want all their friends to know how awful they are.
I know all this, and I completely sympathize with anyone who has gone through this.
However, this does not justify ruining someone’s life. It does not justify sending a mob of internet trolls on someone. It does not justify giving said trolls dirt and information to further ruin her life. It does not justify or absolved you of responsibility of what has happened.
Being a victim of abuse does not give you the right to abuse others. It does not excuse you from breaking court orders and stalking someone. Being a victim of abuse makes me feel sorry for you and makes me see why you reacted this way, but it sure as hell doesn’t give you a pass. Eron and Co, you really need to understand this.
Why are you people acting like those against GamerGate are also those who love Zoe Quinn? We aren’t saying she’s a good person and innocent; we’re saying her punishment doesn’t fit the crime. And posts like this one, where you justify the treatment and try to further make her look bad is just keeping the flames alive, and you know it. Any time it looks like the abuse is dying down, something else happens to bring it right back up. You might not can claim that you are responsible for what people do, but you can’t sit back and act like your actions don’t have consequences. Whether you believe it or not, your post has just giving unstable and sociopathic individuals fuel to continue their hateful campaign.
You don’t have to feel sorry for what you’ve done, nor do you have to feel guilty. No one is making you or saying you should. But just because you don’t feel sorry, doesn’t mean you’re absolved of your involvement (indirectly or directly) and consequences from this.
