Where do we stand on Harry Potter?

[Gradine]

We had to drive up to Oregon last year for a dog, and I didn't quite realize exactly how much California there was, even knowing that SF is not that far north. Pretty country up there.

Yeah there's a good 7 hours of California between SF and Oregon, and Humboldt itself is so isolated because it's surrounded by mountains and the biggest trees in the world. Hard to find a good long stretch of the 101 that isn't absolutely gorgeous though.

 

[Morrus]

I've been thinking about this topic since it was posted. I don't feel that it is a good idea to ban mention of any IP which has problematic creators or producers--that's a lot of IP!--, but I hope it's very clear that we will ask people to leave if they espouse support for transphobic or racist views on this forum. So yes, you can mention Lethal Weapon, Cthulhu, the Lord of the Rings movies, Buffy, and, indeed, D&D, and so on. But when you do so, try to be aware that there are people involved with these properties who have done and said horrible things which affect your friends right here on these forums. The people you talk to about D&D with every day.

We want this place to be inclusive and welcoming, and we work hard to keep it that way, and we always expect our guests to respect each other. Personally, I'm very privileged and have never found myself in the position that many of our members do on a daily basis, but I try hard to understand how it feels to have your heroes say things which attack your very right to exist. I can't come close to imagining how it feels, but when my friends tell me how it makes them feel, I believe them.

I've seen people making recent YouTube videos relating to Kyle Brinks' recent interviews shouting "they want to get rid of white people in the hobby!" -- while I know full well that this is just reactionary clickbaity nonsense by people who have never experienced systemic discrimination and never will, and which transparently mocks the very real struggles that many people experience in their daily lives, it also reminds me that that is exactly how many underpresented communities genuinely feel every single day, not just about this hobby, but about the world. It would behoove us all to remember that, and that these folks are our friends, fellow gamers, fellow creators, and members of this community.

 

[Morrus]

I think it's odd to say you enjoy Harry Potter but hate JKR. Maybe that's me. I thought it was relevant in light of some earlier comments.

I read some gross comments earlier about how it's okay to like Lovecraft because he's dead and therefore can no longer financially profit, and that it's a shame Rowling is still among the living, or some such rot. Surely, if it is an acceptable opinion round these parts to wish a human dead so that they can enjoy her fantasy world better, it's acceptable for people to have the opinion that it's okay to like her.

So this is actual classic sealioning, and is not discussion in good faith. Drop out of the thread, please.

 

[billd91]

It's worth noting that Carano's flagrant transphobia was not the bridge too far for Disney and Star Wars. It took full mask-off antisemitism for her to lose her job.

She might have been able to survive the transphobic pronouns incident since she cited Pedro Pascal with setting her straight. I think there's a place for appropriate public contrition, particularly when they can cite a decent mentor helping them through it. And Pascal's pedigree in that area is hard to beat.

But yeah, following that up by using a disturbing and notorious image from the Lviv pogrom to imply conservatives are suffering the same persecution? WAY too far.

 

[MGibster]

Honestly, as a lower-middle class woman living in California (and the part that might as well be Narnia for as connected to the rest of the state or the world for that matter) I'm probably less impacted by her than a lot of people, but there are many people who I do know, and do care about, that are directly in the crossfire of what JKR is peddling.

Given the above description, I thought you were from Berkeley. I'm from Arkansas, the entirety of California is like Narnia to me. There are little signs everywhere warning me that something near me is known to the state of California to cause cancer. Combined with all of your earthquakes, floods, landslides, and fires, you're living on borrowed time.

It's always so funny when people find out I'm from northern California and assume I mean SF when in actuality SF is a five-hour drive straight south from me.

 

[Undrave]

It still boggles my mind that in the face of Disney money and success, Gina Carano couldn't just keep her views quiet. That saying harmful things was more important than success on that scale.

I guess "Go Woke, Go Broke" is just another form of projection?

 

[Umbran]

As a New Englander that recently moved to SF, the weather here has been revelatory.

Yes, but what it reveals depends on whether or not you are looking at the reservoirs.

 

[Parmandur]

It's always so funny when people find out I'm from northern California and assume I mean SF when in actuality SF is a five-hour drive straight south from me.

Oh, wow, that really is Narnia!

 

[Vael]

And this is the case with any public figure. Any franchise you love, be it Star Wars or Lord of the Rings, or book series, or movie trilogy. Any day news could break about an author, actor, singer, film maker, writer, that suddenly reveals them as being a horrible person. Next thing you know, people are yelling that you are not allowed to enjoy X any more. Ban all of Michael Jacksons music from the radio, in light of the revelations, or you are supporting the pain he caused his victims. No longer show any movies made by Polanski.

I don't like being told what media I'm allowed to like. That doesn't mean I'm not sympathetic to your cause. But you are going to lose a lot of allies by making everyone who likes a thing, out to be a villain.

I'm not a Potter fan. I've only seen the movies, never read the books. If someone wants to run a Potter D&D campaign, let them. And let them have a thread about it on this forum.

I don't support Rowling or Card, do what you want, like what you want.

But this is a public forum. And I didn't realize being considerate of others was such a heavy burden, why even asking for it, I might lose your sympathy and that would be the worst thing in the world. Surely such a great and stalwart ally, lost forever to the burden of ... not bringing up fiction created by someone who is participating in stochastic terrorism aimed at trans people. Truly I know the great forbearance and suffering you must toil under. Oh woe and lamentation, surely a most vile and criminal form of censorship is the treatment of others with respect!!! But I understand that the abominable act of asking anything of an ally is the surest way to lose their allegiance. Truly, such a Catch-22, as the comfort and safety of one's allies might be risked by actually asking them to do anything to prove they are allies! Oh, how all friendships are under the fairest of weather.

 

[HectorsNemesis]

If you've got qualms about wishing other people were dead I've got some bad news about JKR for you

I don't believe JK Rowling has ever said anything about eradicating, eliminating, or wishing trans women death.