YU wa SHAKKU: Anon: Homestuck Assault
Okay, where do I begin… I want to start off by saying that I try my hardest to be open-minded and not jump to conclusions. I do my very, very best not to make general assumptions about a fandom based on a handful of people, nor do I shy…
Ahh, Star I totally agree with you.
This story sounds a little fishy- and some things don’t add up.
The number of people mentioned constantly throughout this post leads me to believe this ISN’T a small convention, and therefore would be staffed with way more security/staff members altogether.
Not only that, but we also need to consider the type of groups that go to conventions. The age group has a huge range no matter where you go. I absolutely KNOW that there would have been adults and younger children hanging around the area- especially a lobby no less. Those types of people would not cheer- nor do I believe they’d sit idly by as someone was being molested or hit in the face. By the amount of people mentioned someone would have done something.
Going on, I know for a fact that staff do not allow such piles of people in one area. It’s a fire hazard, and the story apparently takes place in a lobby- which is usually an entrance/exit to different parts of the con. The line “People had plopped themselves smack down on the ground, making walking around difficult” bothers me greatly. I personally know that the Anime Weekend Atlanta Homestuck group in 2011 was escorted to a different location outside because of the sheer mass of people blocking exits and creating hazards. Either this person was at an extremely chaotic convention (and it bothers me that no name of the convention is given) with no regards towards fire safety, or this story is blown very out of proportion.
I don’t really know what to make of the story, but I just don’t think this kind of thing can really happen. I don’t think this is really how people act, and using the “mob mentality” line to try to legitimize the story is irksome.
“By then, a small group of folks had started staring.” You had people watching before the guy even apparently laid a hand on you. According to what you said here, people saw everything go down. Why then, would they support his actions? You said you stood up to leave. You claimed you were polite. Far be it from me to judge, but usually when I see an argument (and I don’t exactly know what’s going on), it’s the unruly person I disagree with (even though I may not know the context of the argument/fight).
Allow me to stray for just a moment- think of the Civil Rights Movement for a second. African Americans used peaceful protest to get their point across. It was the violent police officers that everyone looks back on and boos.
If this man really was just arguing with a polite, calm, and peaceful girl and just suddenly up and SLAPS her in front of a bunch of people watching- I really do not believe ONE PERSON would do nothing to help them. It just doesn’t make sense logically- and this isn’t a situation that really requires any critical thinking.
Anyway- if this is a thing that actually happens, beyond all reason and logic, then I am sorry. I really am. Nobody should ever have to go through something like that, and it is horrible that people would stand by or even support those actions.
However, this story goes beyond all logic and common sense. The setting just doesn’t match the story. The types of people bound to be included in this story are absent. There is a lot to say, but little to back it up, and as previously stated by others critically looking over this story, there are no reports of the event happening anywhere else. If this was really such a big group of people watching, I’m sure there would have been somebody blogging about it later.
If anyone finds any other accounts of this story, please send it my way. I would be happy to admit if my thought process is wrong.
To those simply reading this story horrified and apologetic, please use common sense. Critical thinking is key. You don’t need to believe these crazy unrealistic things are true. At least, if you want to believe that they are true, get the facts first. Otherwise, always be in the shadow of doubt. It’s okay to question things, even if they are terrible.
Someone worded it better than me!
I wouldn’t say anything about this story were it not for the amount of both disbelief and great discomfort it makes me feel. I feel like a complete ass for even agreeing with two comments above or for in any way trying to cast doubt on someone else’s horror story when I wasn’t there, but the reason I feel so unsettled is because so much just doesn’t add up. This wouldn’t be so distressing if there weren’t this undertone within the entire story that does nothing but demonize an entire group. I understand terrible things happen, I understand wanting to find the perpetrator and wanting justice, but I really, really do not like the atmosphere of fear this is trying to create around one group of fans by painting them all as insane criminals.
Generalizations that throw any whole group into such a negative light and garner so much aggression towards them are really, really disturbing to me, and until I see more proof to back up the legitimacy of this story, I will take it with a grain (read as, several tons) of salt.
1 year ago
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