The Spriters Resource

Browse Updates
Next	A Short Message
Previous	Black Lives Matter

Stand against racism, hate, and police brutality - #BlackLivesMatter

(144)

Posted by Petie - June 6, 2020 - 12:07 PM

Last week, Ton left you with a simple message - Black Lives Matter. This isn’t just a statement, a group of protesters, or a movement; it’s a fact and one that’s unfortunately being regularly ignored. It’s sad that this even needs to be said in 2020 but I think the current state of the country makes it clear that not everyone is on the same page.

I’d like to quickly address the negativity displayed in the comments of last week’s update. Neither we nor anyone else using the phrase “Black Lives Matter” is suggesting that they matter more. They don’t claim that they’re the only victims of police brutality or the only targets of ignorance, hate, and racism. They simply want an end to the systemic racism they experience on a day-to-day basis, especially at the hands of the police, and that is something that everyone should be able to agree with unequivocally.

So I’ll leave you with this: We at The VG Resource stand with Black Lives Matter and against racism and police brutality. The changes they’re pushing for will benefit everyone and they deserve the justice they’re seeking. If these statements somehow offend you, nobody is forcing you to stay but remember this moment when you find yourself on the wrong side of history. And if you are choosing to be on the wrong side of history and are in fact just racist, do us all a favor and leave.

No new content will be highlighted in this update out of respect and in an effort to avoid distracting from the issue at hand. Instead, take a look here to see how you can help if you feel so inclined.

You must be logged in with an active forum account to post comments.

	Petie Jun 10, 2020, 3:33 PM
	I was very much done with these comments as arguing really doesn't accomplish anything. I said what I needed to in the update itself, had a pretty civil discussion shortly after it was posted, and then figured that the only right move was to wait it out as no matter what was said or done from there, someone was going to complain. I definitely could have banned people, disabled commenting for some or all, or started flinging the same insults right back but in the end, what would that have actually accomplished? The way I looked at it, people are entitled to their opinions regardless of whether or not I agree with them so unless something was outright racist, I pretty much haven't deleted anything. Maybe some of you think more should have been done to keep these comments clean but the reality is, it would have just resulted in people complaining more about being silenced or censored or about how we only allow what we believe to be displayed (which, I'd add, we would have been perfectly entitled to do since the right to free speech does not apply to private platforms but I don't agree with barring opposing opinions so I've let most comments stay up). But wow, this last dozen or so comments have been something else and with personal attacks now being thrown about, I guess it's time to respond. @-Q- You're preaching about introspection for others but maybe you should focus on yourself. You ended a message with "from all of us decent human beings" that you began by calling the site a cesspool and the staff "smug cunthairs" and then go on to personally attack me so I'm not sure you qualify to speak for decent humans. To make matters worse though, I had basically forgotten you even existed and really had to dig to find the source of your anger and unbelievably, it's because you complained that submissions were taking a long time to be approved and I suggested adding icons and then called you out when you said the staff should just take care of it themselves. I re-read that thread multiple times before responding here and I really just don't get it. How exactly does that interaction make me hypocritical or indicate double-standards in any way? Or, if you're not referring to the thread but something going on in this update or the comments, I'd love to see how I've been at all hypocritical or applied double-standards at any point during the mess that is this comment section. That much hatred from what basically amounted to me answering your question and then explaining why your assumption about how submissions work is so mind-numbingly absurd that I don't even know what else can be said about it. For anyone wanting to form their own opinion, click here to see the thread in question. And on one final note, for someone complaining about hypocrisy, I do find it interesting that you claim to hate this place so much that you abandoned it for another site only to come back and continue to complain. I haven't followed your work on SDB but if it's working out for you over there, good for you. I'm glad you found someplace that can live up to your incredibly high expectations for how strangers on the internet should devote their free time. @Kendotlibero Lack of moderation is a very broad statement and while I think my above point regarding censorship and free speech pretty much sums up my counterpoint to your argument, I'd like to hear exactly what you think should have been done. I'm sure part of your argument is that the staff should have been more professional in their dealings and under normal circumstances, you'd probably be right but when personal attacks and racist drivel are being posted, professionalism tends to take a back seat to emotion so I'm not faulting anyone for their responses.

	Petie Jun 10, 2020, 4:18 PM
	I think if you take the update on its own, it's fine and works exactly as it was meant to. Beyond telling racists to leave, which I think is completely reasonable, it's not even directly addressing anyone. The comments are another story unfortunately but I think the body of the update stands well enough if you ignore them. As for damage control, see my original point. I don't blame the staff for emotional responses in the face of personal attacks nor do I blame them for losing their cool a bit when they feel so strongly about a particular subject and feel like they are being disrespected or in this case especially, that a serious topic is being disrespected as a whole so while I stand by the point that in general, I would prefer a more professional approach from staff, I don't think it's unjustified here, even if it is fanning the flames a bit.

	Kendotlibero Jun 10, 2020, 4:12 PM
	> I'm sure part of your argument is that the staff should have been more professional in their dealings and under normal circumstances, you'd probably be right but when personal attacks and racist drivel are being posted, professionalism tends to take a back seat to emotion so I'm not faulting anyone for their responses. Can't complain about that, I split up here lots of times and we are not robots My problem is that this update doesn't really seem like a BLM endorsement and more like a "you are all sinners" kind of thing. This thing just adds fuel to the fire according to me and doesn't really attract civil discourse I agree with you that starting banning and limiting comments would make this worse In part I get you guys, I would have snapped too, but a bit of damage control wouldn't hurt

	-Q- Jun 10, 2020, 3:30 PM
	@Garamonde: I'm trying to care....but, it's just not coming up.

	miyabi95_ Jun 10, 2020, 3:16 PM
	I used to be the "stop talking about political drama" type. Eventually I grew beyond that mindset and learned what it means to be a community and the importance of social justice as a whole, and how discussing these topics that involve basic human rights are a valid form of a communication that should never be swiped away and dismissed as "drama," especially when groups of people are being horribly discriminated against. To those of you nay-saying the staff: y'all will learn that soon enough. Welcome to the internet.

	SpritZ Jun 10, 2020, 3:10 PM
	Ah, yes. Continuing to respond to people instead of ignoring them, that will calm the fire. Don't mind me, I'm just going to sit back and watch the drama unfold further as I question this community as a whole. ( ͡• ͜ʖ ͡• )

	Garamonde Jun 10, 2020, 2:35 PM
	-Q-, we'd love to take you seriously, but the more you throw childish insults and flames at us staff, the more we cannot manage to do that. "Go fuck yourselves and die in a fart"? Really? You sound like a 12-year-old. Sorry, but your attitude is not helping the "points" you're trying to make at all. To everyone else here who actually has some sense and have supported the cause that actually matters, thank you and we are very sorry you have to read these types of things from our other users who think they're all that.

	Ton Jun 10, 2020, 2:29 PM
	There are a lot of broad statements being made here about the mods and the userbase here, but the facts are these: 1. This is an important subject, and we felt the need to tell the world that we are firmly on this side of the argument. It's vital for everyone to do this, from large corporations, to niche websites that deal in pixel art. People deserve to know that they have support in difficult times. 2. On the whole, we respect and appreciate our userbase. 3. Gaming is, unfortunately, a hotbed of racism and misogyny. That, in particular, means it's important to make our stance crystal clear to this particular audience. 4. If you are arguing on behalf of racism or misogyny, you are not welcome here. That's it. If our anger has turned you off of the site, I apologize. That's not our intent. But please appreciate that some things in this world are worth getting angry about. To let those commenting in bad faith spout their nonsense unchallenged would be a disservice to those we support.

	Kendotlibero Jun 10, 2020, 2:20 PM
	>Never said the site needs to go. Just the forums and the comments Dramas can be solved if we talk about it If we continue to strip down ways to communicate we will only get more bitter about it

	Kendotlibero Jun 10, 2020, 2:12 PM
	Please don't take it the wrong way guys, it would hurt me too a post like that I just want the best for this community, and I don't want it to go to waste for the little that it remains I met a lot of awesome people here, and I know the mods didn't do it out of malice

	Ton Jun 10, 2020, 2:08 PM
	"That's....true. It's why I jumped ship to SDB."

	-Q- Jun 10, 2020, 1:38 PM
	"What will it solve? We already closed some forums in 2014 and the community never improved" Then you fucking close down everything. Why would you keep it up if it always devolves into a collective struggle to accrue a double-digit IQ?

	Luigifan1115 Jun 10, 2020, 10:55 AM
	@The Observer yeah but they could've done it, like, way better simpsons dumper got it right

	Luigifan1115 Jun 10, 2020, 7:00 AM
	@Conbro The Inkling seriously i already said i switched sides.

	SpritZ Jun 10, 2020, 1:21 AM
	Before we continue on with the video, let's introduce our sponsor: Raid Shadow Legends, is a free mobile game on the app store that you can play RIGHT NOW! ...In all seriousness, though. Serious discussions bring the worst out of people, don't they? Never had I thought some of these people would be so overly negative about the discussions that have gone on in this community, but here we are. Being as civil as a stampede. (Which doesn't say much.. oops. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

	-Q- Jun 10, 2020, 1:58 PM
	"The reason that we got here is not because "we can't have a good discourse", but because the moderation here is frankly atrocious" That's....true. It's why I jumped ship to SDB. "Also do you really want to put down one of the best resources for videogame media just for a couple of dramas?" Never said the site needs to go. Just the forums and the comments. Site and submissions still function fine without them.

	Kendotlibero Jun 10, 2020, 1:51 PM
	>Why would you keep it up if it always devolves into a collective struggle to accrue a double-digit IQ? We got in this situation 3 times: after the two male gaze threads and now The reason that we got here is not because "we can't have a good discourse", but because the moderation here is frankly atrocious I am friends with a lot of you mods but I gotta be honest rn, you didn't moderate anything, you only put more fuel to the fire I'm not saying the problem is BLM, their points are very agreeable and tons of content creators with million of followers posted about it with minimal drama But not here, because you manage to be so... Insufferable and smug about it In an update about equality Also do you really want to put down one of the best resources for videogame media just for a couple of dramas?

	Kendotlibero Jun 10, 2020, 1:35 PM ^*
	>considering closing down the comments and forums? Like....forever? What will it solve? We already closed spamhaul in 2014 and the community never improved from that point, the opposite I think part of the drama is from how the message is written: is it me or it reads like an anime villain speech?

	-Q- Jun 10, 2020, 1:25 PM ^*
	Reading some of these comments, I gotta say gamers are a fucking mistake in human evolution. A tragic, genetic flaw. I can't believe that I'm about to side with the smug cunthairs that run this cesspool, but....all they fucking did was exhibit solidarity with a disenfranchised, ABUSED, population. Getting pissy over that is pretty fucking telling that YOU are a part of the problem. That YOU are the abuser. I would recommend some dire introspection, but considering that some of you have been fucking harping about this for nearly two days now and still haven't gotten the hint tells me that you aim to stick with your entitled, wypipo dipshit opinions. So from all of us decent human beings: Go fuck yourselves and die in a fart. @Petie: You're a smug, hypocritical double-standard toting little shit, but....Jesus, you REALLY shouldn't have to deal with this crap. I hate your ass, but I deeply respect you taking this stance. But honestly... Maybe consider closing down the comments and forums? Like....forever? By opening this thing to free opinions, all you accomplish is give free reign to right-wing cumstains to spread their hate and entitlement.

	Paraemon Jun 10, 2020, 7:39 AM
	@train - to not want to get involved is to be complacent, and frankly, too many people have been complacent about it for far too long. So it comes down to a choice - show your support, or don't, however it ends up with the individual in particular being labelled/perceived. In honesty, I don't see how it should be surprising - as I mentioned yesterday, this is something that should permeate every way of life. The more people who speak up, the more it can be seen that people care for the ongoing issue. So the staff decided to throw their lot in and support the movement. That's their decision, and it's set in stone now. We can't change the past, so it's basically like crying over spilled milk. No matter how many tears are shed over the white liquid pooling on the floor, it's not going to get it back into the glass now, is it? The best thing to do, for everyone, is just to keep moving forward, because that's all of what we can do. The issue at present isn't going to resolved quickly or easily, but vocally supporting and aiding the cause will hopefully change a thoroughly flawed system, which is needed after, amongst many other moments, the senseless tragedy in Minneapolis. Akin to what I said yesterday, if it rubs people the wrong way, then that's on them. Humans are a complex beast and there's never going to be 100% agreements to everything, because human psychology is screwed. Sure, people can have their hesitations and apprehension about it being posted, but arguing that it should be hidden away on a message board instead of out in the open isn't going to change that it's out in the open now. The staff did the right thing by showing where they stand and being vocal about it. Because being complacent/silent only enables the issue to continue.

	SpritZ Jun 10, 2020, 2:55 AM
	I shall go down as the 100th comment in this update. I'm not sure why. I just can. (¬‿¬)

	trainhobovegas Jun 10, 2020, 1:48 AM
	This should've been an off-topic thing posted on a forum thread. Even though I been on the site since 2016, and to be honest? On one hand, I'm surprised that this site support human rights and advocate against corrupt officials and law enforcements who would use underhanded tactics to justify police brutality, on the other hand; again this is better off being on the off-topic forum since well? It is a video game site after all, being posted on a page for everyone to see not only rubs most site users and visitors the wrong way, not much wants to get involved. Just making an honest opinion.

	Conbro The Inkling Jun 9, 2020, 8:35 PM
	Hey Guys Before we Continue This War. A Word From Our Sponsor. The Code of Conduct for The Video Games Resource. https://www.vg-resource.com/thread-36728.html

	Ton Jun 9, 2020, 8:09 PM
	Guys, we’re almost at 100 comments.

	Conbro The Inkling Jun 9, 2020, 7:41 PM ^*
	@Luigifan1115 Its Also Annoying when You Call Me Combro the Inkling Instead of Conbro The Inkling But Fine I'll Edit it Mr. Racism. Says A lot About you When You read a Comment Saying You're In The Wrong and You Patronise Its Spelling/Grammar/Capitalization