Unite

This is an opinionated piece. I am not unbiased here. Quite frankly, with issues like this, I've always found it hard to remain unbiased, but I do my best. I believe that open-mindedness and understanding are essential if you want to successfully navigate such subjects, and I will tell you now that I have tried. But I can only see this in black and white.

To quote Gandalf: “(Some) believe it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”

For most of my life, I relished in the fantasies given to me by videogames. I spent years glued to a screen, shunning the outside world. Any reminder of the recurring and terrible events made me uncomfortable, and I refused to listen; I didn't want to accept that the world's problems had anything to do with me. I have been on that side. Now, I find it hard to shut it out, and most of the time that sucks, but I grew to the understanding that this discomfort didn't matter. It is February 2017 and we are still running along an indefinite timeline of destruction, war and division, but because of the efforts of our ancestors and of our friends today, many of us now have liberties, choices, luxuries and peace that those before would never have known. Thanks to those who fought for me, as a woman I have the right to vote, to work, to drive, to claim custody over my children, to have bodily autonomy, to own property, all because of those that fought for me. But there are still an overwhelming chorus of injustices being waged against marginalised groups in the USA alone.

I want to turn your attention to a specific atrocity: On the 27th January, Donald Trump produced an executive order that banned Syrian refugees entry to the US indefinitely, and suspended the entire US refugee admissions system for 120 days. Individuals from majority-Muslim countries such as Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen were denied entry to the US, it also became evident that some student and work visas had been revoked. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were later permitting some permanent US residents who did not pose a 'serious threat' on a case-by-case basis. Dual-nationals from one of the seven countries were also banned temporarily, but they were later able to present the passport of the country that is not subject to the ban upon arrival. Those of “minority” religions in the one of seven banned countries, such as Christianity, would be given priority entry to the US. This legislation is not only, as many have described it, “unconstitutional”, it is inhumane, it is failing even the most basic levels of compassion, and is indicative of a skewed moral compass. The frustratingly vague and conflicting aspects of this ban seem to be a prelude to something far bigger.

Fortunately, such an action has illuminated the best in us; millions rally in protest, thousands at major airports such as O'Hare and JFK. You may have seen the heartwarming accounts of lawyers working pro-bono at these airports to provide legal aid to those affected, and to dismantle what they could of the bill. Alongside this, we see the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) challenge the ban, and countless others donate to support this challenge. On Friday the 2nd of February, a Seattle Federal Judge put a nationwide block on Trump's executive orders, suspending the DHS enforcement of the ban. Any revocation of visas would then be reversed and while this is a huge win, the fight isn't over.

What does any of this have to do with me? You may be asking, how is this relative to my love of gaming? Our community is one that revolves around the art of storytelling and entertainment, two of the most influential pillars for social development. As such, we hold a moral responsibility to utilise our platform for positive change -- like it or not, you’re a part of this world.

But how could I possibly alter the astronomical problems of the world? Well, say you're in a team of developers, or even flying solo, why not make a game that creates a challenging dialogue? If you're a musician or any kind of artist, then paint your own Guernica! Stage your own in-bed protest, write your own Crucible. If you're particularly athletic or just really like being pro-active, organise a march, a mini-marathon or any kind of sporty fundraiser. Essentially, use whatever talents, hobbies, passions, skills, influences or capabilities you have at your disposal, and if you really can’t think of anything, then get researching.

Many contributors have already made their mark; iNK Stories, creators of 1979 Revolution, announced the donation of sales proceeds to the ACLU between the 1st and 10th of February. Developer Vlambeer Rami Ismail also donated; for 24 hours all revenue Ismail earned would go to the ACLU; Dain Saint of Cipher Prime wrote a piece encouraging selfishness in a way that benefits others: In a tongue-in-cheek blog, Saint playfully painted the narrative of attracting foreign creators to America and “trapping” them there with “high-paying jobs”, so that the nation could “steal” from the best minds and ideas out there (in this instance it seems that by steal he meant “get to experience” or “take inspiration from”). The developers for the mobile game Dots, Two Dots and Dots and Co. temporarily put out their own message in their games:

This text included a link to the donation page for the ACLU. To add to that, a “NerdWalk” was organised by Cards Against Humanity's Trin Garritano, spanning over a weekend that went from Pax South convention to the Texas offices of Sen. John Cornyn. The motivations behind the march were twofold: opposing both the dismantling of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Donald Trump's immigration ban. Garritano said that marching the offices of Senator Cornyn to sign a bill was not the ultimate intention, but instead, it was a march for solidarity. Both Ted Price of Insomniac Games and the Entertainment Software Association, who are responsible for E3, also spoke out.

I will reiterate: despite everyone's generosity, aid and the incredible actions of Seattle's Federal Judge, this is not over. As indicated previously, it is not just the big names that should have their say. I, as a content writer and videogame enthusiast, am penning this with the hopes of making one iota of difference. You don't need to follow the suit of various conglomerates or celebrities, if you can't donate that's okay, and even if you don't possess the skills, talent, influence or finances that can make the biggest waves, you possess the passion that ties you into an industry of influence. That, in itself, is enough.