It is not true. Yeah, a bunch of you did send gifts to Rebecca Watson, but their intent was clearly to encourage and incite a warrior for the cause. The cuddly plushy and miscellaneous sappy notes are really totems of fury, and the chocolate is rage fuel.
We have a reputation to uphold, you know.
Waiting for all of the usual suspects to come in and complain about what a terrible person Rebecca Watson is.
They had best not. Fury and rage, you know…they’ll get eviscerated.
We need photos of terrestrial cephalopods attacking wolverines to keep ourselves mean and sniny.
Isn’t our extreme cruelty to creationists (you must provide evidence, or STFU–how uncalled for) maintaining our reputation for random and directed violence? It’s Satanic to treat godbotherers with no more respect than other pseudoscientists.
Glen Davidson
After seeing “penis man”, I’m anything but soft.
Speaking of softness, this anti gay pro religion youtube video from Rick Perry has only 7000 dislikes! How can this be?
Hey, those were Tentacles of Doom I stitched! Doooooooooooom!
No knives, no guns, no sword-canes, no nunchuks.
*sigh*
I’m reminded of a quote from Firefly:
Zoë: Preacher, don’t the Bible have some pretty specific things to say about killin’?
Book: Quite specific. It is, however, somewhat fuzzier on the subject of kneecaps. [slams a loaded magazine into his rifle]
I don’t think Rebecca Watson is a terrible person. I do wonder, however, whether the idea of organising a gift drive for her because she copped some flak on the internet helps with the impression that she’s a very strong one.
Why do we keep flogging this long-dead horse? It doesn’t help anything or anyone. Certainly not Watson.
jackrawlinson:
It was a show of support in light of the terrible things said to her over a period of time, you fucking asshole of a jackass.
As you don’t want any part in the “flogging”, might I suggest you remove yourself promptly from this thread? Don’t forget your porcupine, Sugarsnap.
jackrawlinson @9
Who appointed you Rebecca’s spokesperson?
@Chigau
His penis
WTF? “copped some flak”?
Copped some flak? Copped some flak?1?
Get back to me when people send you e-mails that contain threats of rape and murder.
Assclam.
I don’t usually like to eat the same thing twice in one day, but if you insist, I’ll have a baby for dinner too.
Really?
That may be one of the few things on the internet that can’t get me hard.
wait…
nope. no go.
Nobody organized a “gift drive”. Instead, someone volunteered to deliver messages of support and cards in person (so that RW could continue to keep her address private).
Any gifts were entirely due to the enthusiasm of the horde, and I did not view mine as an ‘oh poor baby’ but instead entertainment which she could enjoy during her hiastus in thanks for the entertainment I have received from her work in the past.
It is possible to do something nice for a person whom you view as an equal or superior. Generosity and kindness can be handy for more than just patronizing your inferiors.
To be honest, I expected there to be more. Much more.
Great needlework, Caine and Giliell!
Oh, and please fuck off, jackrawlinson.
@jackrawlinson:
We gave Rebecca Watson a care package because it totally sucks to get anonymous rape threats and douchebag insults from strangers for months and months because you made a comment about freaking manners. Not because she is a goddess of atheist or whatever. I don’t always agree with Watson, or even follow her blog closely, but the last few months must have totally sucked.
The fact that you don’t see this as pretty obvious calls your basic humanity into question, so enjoy this prickly porcupine.
(Speaking of which, surlyramics made me a custom necklace with a totally cute porcupine and the word “insert” underneath it. I get compliments on it every time I wear it (without even any questions about why the word “insert” is under the porcupine). It makes me giggle inside.)
“Rage Fuel” is a great name for it. That’s what I’m calling chocolate from now on.
jackrawlinson
You know, some people actually care about other people. Because we can sympathise with her and imagine how shitty those last months must have been for her, getting rape threats, having her life dragged around, having people still styling themselves as “Rebecca T*atson” within the atheist community.
It was a way to speak out, to tell her that those assholes are not us and to make her smile.
If we succeeded in that, it was a gift worth giving.
So, what have you done today to make somebody happy? Like leaving here….
Totems of Rage: I have the name, now I just need the other musicians. And musical talent.
Is that why my inbox is full of unsolicited offers for priapistic medications?
Need a frontman? I can sing passably and sound like a nutbar in interviews.
Brownian,
Sorry I already plan to take the role of incoherent-in-interviews nutbar myself. I also plan to marry the most incomprehensibly vapid starlet I can find, and I have myself penciled in for the inevitable fame-, alcohol-, and drug-fuelled sexually scandalous fall from grace in full view of the “celebrity press” cameras.
Actually, now I come to think of it, an entire band made up of “artists” who will release one album then self-destruct in a carefully choreographed manner as horribly and publicly as possible sounds really lucrative…
Well, you’re still going to need a bassist.
I’ve always wanted to do this. In fact, my partner and I have been working on a Kraftwerk-inspired single that’s going to make us coke-bender-every-Tuesday rich!
@ Brownian —
Nope, that can’t be it. I get lots of those too and they unrelated to functionality since I don’t now and have never had the prerequisite.
@Zinc Avenger, Brownian:
If you need a drummer, you can count on me to turn up on time.
Sorry, what?
It goes up to 11?
All you need is a little help from your friends.
That’s my fault. When this started, I tried to spread it around as a word of mouth/semi-secret type thing, wanting it to be a surprise when everything was delivered at Skepticon. It’s harder than it looks to spread things by word of mouth…err, secretly. ;)
About as many people emailed messages of support as people who snail-mailed things, and I am (horribly belatedly) compiling those to send to Rebecca as well (it’s been a bit hectic around here*). And many others said they intended to send something, but weren’t able to get it finished before the deadline.
I think there would have been at least twice as many participants if I’d tried to publicize the project a bit more…ah, publicly. :) Lesson learned. The next secret project I organize will be un-secret! :)
And just for the record–the first time I ever read Rebecca’s blog was when Elevatorgate started. And despite my best efforts, I still have only read her blog maybe two or three times since. I don’t think anyone who contributed, including me, contributed because they were fans of Rebecca’s. We contributed because what was/is being done to her (the threats, the hatred, vicious websites and blogs) was wrong.
*I had to fire one of my staff in October, and so have been doing that job & my own since, then was sick for two and half weeks, and am still juggling both jobs, as evidenced by my near total absence from TET.
[meta]
onion girl, to paraphrase (but the exact sentiment):
“You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!”
(Yeah, you’re a
girlwoman, I know, I know. Still)I’m surprised that Rebecca didn’t get wind if the presents. Isn’t the Internet supposed to spread information round? I couldn’t think of anything much to send her, I have trouble buying gifts for my wife, and I have known her for 30 years. Hey, giving IS better than receiving. Onion girl did a super job, it’s nice to known people like her are around.
Only around the middle. What’s left of the mind is still quite sharp.
Wait. I thought we were supposed to be squamous, and (in some cases) rugose.
I know I am.
*scratching my scaly, wrinkly integument*
–
Mattir @ 19–Do you have a pic of the necklace that you could link to? It sounds like a very cool piece of jewelry.
There is a time for everything.
Turn! Turn! Turn!
Byrds
QFT
No, it’s bloody well not. You’re the one who thought it up and did it.
You did a great job and now that I think of it, I should’ve included a card for you as well.
The surlyramics Insert Porcupine pendant.
jackrawlinson: Feel free to crap one someone else’s nice gesture, would ya?
Rage fuel! I love it.
You do realize you’re insulting an army of tentacle monsters. I’ve seen this movie before it doesn’t end well, especially if you’re a wide eyed anime girl…