[UPDATE 3: AbleGamers has confirmed that their web administrator has, in fact, been mistaken. The site simply experienced a lot of traffic, which led to server and technical problems with the PHP on the site. Thanks, TechRaptr.]
[UPDATE 2: AbleGamers has stated that their web administrator informed them that “a block of 10 IPs were responsible” for a DDoS attack. The site’s troubles may not be benign after all.]
[UPDATE: AbleGamers’ site appears to have received a lot of traffic, for which it was unprepared. This may have been a big misunderstanding. For the technical gobbledygook, you can see The Ralph Retort.]
There was a bit a kerfuffle, or a misunderstanding between the organizers of a porn charity, individuals in GamerGate, and the charitable organization AbleGamers.
AbleGamers were approached to get involved with the porn charity, by an associate of pornstar Mercedes Carrera:
On December 5th we received an email requesting permission for a charity event from an associate of Mercedes Carrera. The email had very few details other than “Would you be okay if a porn star raised money for your cause and donated it to you?”
In a statement provided to Niche Gamer via Mark Bartlet, the founder and director of the AbleGamers charity, we’ve learned the entire thing was merely a misunderstanding:
“As a sex positive organization, our immediate response was ‘Absolutely. We would be honored to be chosen.’
In doing our due diligence we discovered the event organizer was putting together a GamerGate stream that would “for now” be “a charity stream” because they “cannot mention that it is a GG stream as it might shy away BZ (Brazzers) and others.”
There was apparently no mention of the charity being linked to GamerGate, although it wasn’t quite clear if the charity was officially a GamerGate branded event:
AbleGamers became concerned by the lack of transparency in the original emails having made no mention of GamerGate. We became further alarmed as the post continued adding “GamerGate [h]as just weaponized porn.”
The decision to turn down the charity wasn’t an easy one, but considering the circumstances, it seems to be a decision that had to be made:
We sent a polite response voicing our concerns at the post and how we must decline to be involved in the event. AbleGamers wished them the best of luck with the event and their future endeavors.
In response, the event organizer offered apologies for the post citing that a coworker made the Reddit post without their consent. The organizer apologize for any misconceptions as they “do not wish to link GamerGate to the charity drive.” And that the person had been removed.
Another email was sent shortly afterwards with further apologies offering support from the organizers and Mercedes Carrera.
As an organization, AbleGamers is entirely neutral to the whole GamerGate saga.
Their staff, however, are human and have their own viewpoints. Some of them are pro-, some anti-, and some neutral to GamerGate.
AbleGamers is a group of diverse volunteers from many different backgrounds. All of our volunteers have their own personal feelings on GamerGate and what it stands for. However, as an organization, AbleGamers is 100% neutral.
We are a charity organization, nothing more, nothing less. We fight for social justice issues, meaning the equality of people with disabilities to be able to enjoy the same games as everyone else. AbleGamers does not and will not choose “a side”—We are all gamers. We are all humans. We should work together and not against each other.
AbleGamers has not turned down any donations from those openly supportive of GamerGate.
The organizations dispelled the accusations that have been making the rounds:
“We declined to be a party to an event where there was a lack of transparency and people began discussing how to use the event as a weapon for the agenda of a political movement.
Let us be clear, we encourage, except, and ask for donations to continue the support of gamers with disabilities, which we have been providing for over a decade, for anyone who wishes to be charitable.
It does not matter if you believe in GamerGate or not. It does not matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat. It does not matter if you are a porn star or a preacher. It does not matter if you are Christian or atheist.
Whether the porn charity ends up being a GamerGate event or not, AbleGamers are between a rock and a hard place because of the misunderstanding. Staff of AbleGamers are getting death threats, and their site is currently experiencing difficulties.
We do not tolerate harassment, and to everyone who got involved with the discussion: please wait for the facts. Jumping down another person’s throat helps no one.
[Editor’s note: our response initially stated AbleGamers’ site was under a DDoS attack. This is apparently not the case. If we receive more information, we’ll update the article appropriately.]
