Chris Walsh (chris_walsh) wrote,
Chris Walsh
chris_walsh

One last post before radio silence

I've been going back-and-forth on whether to still participate in the 24-hour content strike on LiveJournal, because a lot's happened since I wrote my first post on the subject (and some of it's summed up here and earlier, here by cleolinda, who's skeptical about the strike but expresses multiple sides well).

Personally, I'm still doing it. The big problem, though, and it must be mentioned, is that an unpleasant groundswell supporting the strike has emerged, among anti-Semites in Russian LJ. They aren't mad at the business decisions, the sneaky implementation of those decisions, the not listening to the experienced LJ people who advise the company; they're mad that SUP is a company with Jewish people working in it. Or as chopchica has put it,
Hating SUP because of shoddy implementations, shady informational policies, and extremely unappealing business methodologies, is one thing. Hating them because they are *run by Jews* is quite another thing entirely.

There's a huge amount of Russian anti-SUP sentiment out there, and a lot of it is for logical reasons. But a large chunk of it has nothing to with SUP itself - it has to do with the fact that SUP is run by Jews. It's ugly. It's really, really ugly. It's a reminder that supporting free speech, ALL free speech (which I do), means that along with my porny fanfic, I also support and encourage people's rights to post repulsive shit like this. These people hate SUP too. Do you really think it's because of their draconian business practices?

When antisemitism is the reason, it doesn't matter if SUP decides to give back basic accounts, notify everybody of all new changes weeks before making them, and gives each and every one of us a shiny new rainbow pony that will fly you around the lake. It's still going to be *run by Jews*.

It'd be awfully nice if the company we've given so much money, time and attention to respected us a little more and had some more consideration about their customer base. But you know, antisemites are not our brothers-in-arms. While you're busy hoisting the colors, you might want to take a little look at who's standing there, right beside you. Because, if there's one thing I want even *less* than being accidentally helped out by antisemites, it's to find out that instead of just that, I've helped *them*. I really don't think they're in it for the shiny flying pony.
I still feel this action can steer us in a better direction, co-opting of the strike by anti-Semetic asshats notwithstanding. I felt the need to do something to say "We're headed in a bad direction, and I want to steer us in a better one." But this strike is one action of many, not an end-all-be-all. People have suggested sending postcards to the different parts of the company; I will do that (I'll dig out the addresses later, after the strike). LJ can be made more transparent, and still make money. I graduated to a Paid account because I believe in this service, and because having a Paid account simplified my use of it.

To use a platitude, I want this virtual place to be better. I hope this helps.

Meanwhile, it's going to be weird to be away, even for 24 hours. I may not have been this removed from LJ since my cousin Steph's wedding at Lake Tahoe OVER TWO YEARS AGO. Heh.
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