RE UPLOAD CANCEL CULTURE Strikes Tripwire Interactive

*Reuploaded because audio was bad. Got rid of a ton of mouth sounds. Will do better at recording to ensure this won't happen again. Video may seem off at time, so apologies for that.*

Tripwire Interactive CEO John Gibson has stepped down due to the backlash he received from his tweet supporting a new Texas law SB8 regarding abortion. This video is not meant to discuss the politics of this new law, but rather a commentary on the ongoing menace to society that is cancel culture, particularly within the gaming subculture. I want to share my thoughts on the matter, since the whole controversy, if you can call it that, should not have escalated to the point where the CEO had to step down. Of course, abortion is a very sensitive and difficult subject to discuss here in the US, and assumedly elsewhere, and so many people were quick to respond. In my opinion, the position you hold on the topic of abortion is irrelevant when discussing John Gibson possibly (more than likely, really) being forced to step down by Tripwire Interactive because I think the main premise of this discussion should be whether people in leadership positions, or any position in any organization, should publicly voice their opinion on political or social issues. I, for one, believe it is irrelevant what station you are in life or what position you hold, you can speak and share your opinion on any issue you think is important. That means you don't deserve to lose your job just because your opinions are disliked by many people. Understandably, all actions have reactions, but in the case of John Gibson, I don't think having him step down from the company he co-founded is a desirable or necessary response.

This "freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from consequence" line of thinking is a useless way to view matters of free speech at best, and potentially violent at worst. Just as an example, of using this logic, you can justify the Iranian government's response to Salman Rushdie after he wrote The Satanic Verses.

We should foster a community that welcomes opinions from all perspectives, and counter any we think are bad opinions with better, well-thought out opinions. Preventing someone from doing so, or outright getting rid of their means of income (granted John Gibson was a business executive) is not indicative of a healthy, open-minded, and free society. The consequences of saying something on your mind, with the exception of a threat, or an extremely obscene statement, should not be losing your job. I hope those in influential positions in the gaming industry can learn to have better and more civil discussions about topics like abortion, otherwise they will look immature and thin-skinned, continually preventing many people from taking the industry seriously.

Original Tweet: https://twitter.com/RammJaeger/status/1434245886670901250?s=20
Archive Tweet: https://archive.is/wh3j7

Tripwire Interactive's response: https://twitter.com/TripwireInt/status/1435045620289613824/photo/1

VGC: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/maneater-studio-tripwires-ceo-has-quit-following-backlash-at-anti-abortion-comments/

TX SB8: https://legiscan.com/TX/text/SB8/id/2395961

TX HB 1515(PDF): https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/87R/billtext/pdf/HB01515I.PDF