About this story (Continued from Part 1:)
You’re looking at sensitive info that needs calm. For example, please don’t post event group pics by themselves to criticize event goers. I don’t support that because it’s not clear which were involved or innocent from one photo. Just as importantly, some people involved with mistakes could use support now.
This follows controversies in fandom in 2017 that peaked with the closing of Rocky Mountain Fur Con. Mismanagement and abuse of tolerance killed the con. This New Jersey event seemed to be near that ballpark. But unlike RMFC, the furry in charge was more caught up in other people’s actions, so it’s not about him so much. And Trenton (the furry who was mistreated) wasn’t making a strong statement like Deo – he just asked for respect.
The story wasn’t tipped by Trenton and he never asked for help. I was watching the chat when he tried to directly solve a problem. It led to intense peer pressure on others by haters, so it wasn’t good enough by itself. I think when haters use such tactics to recruit, it’s not solved by people just keeping to themselves if they don’t get along. Also, if hate groups are trying to grow, waiting until people leave them isn’t the only way to respond. So if there are side effects from publishing a story, there already are effects from not. The best thing that can happen with a story like this is take it as a real issue, then have a calm conversation. I think 75% of drama recently is just about upholding that issues are real and can’t be trolled and denied out of existence. That’s why this article is giving sources. To be honest, I wish this wasn’t going out and it will hurt people, but it would to not put it out. I’d love to see change and growth come from it.
The damage incident in the story had nothing to do with racism. It was part of a wider topic about behavior (did it remind you of another con story?) There was a request for their side first. Also, the line about Graymuzzles didn’t please everyone – sorry guys (you helped found the fandom). Same to good fraternities.
Summary of Part 1:
- A small New Jersey furry group threw a party at a casino and the hotel was damaged (although it was taken care of.)
- Radfox, the organizer, then decided to make it a real convention for the future.
- The chat group for the party had a history of hateful posts.
- Trenton (who is a black furry) complained about a stereotype meme and asked for better behavior if the chat was official for a con.
- Radfox redirected offensive posting to an “anything goes” side chat, where members doubled down with racist hate for Trenton.
- Radfox was peer pressured to discourage listening to “SJW” complaints, but said he was trying to start a real event and couldn’t have racism.
- Members carried on attacking the concern and Trenton with neo-nazi stuff. About 6 were most responsible but others enabled.
- Part 1 asked: will those members be helping to found or staff a future event, and will fandom support it?
I just wanted to share this tweet:
in complete seriousness I’m so happy seeing people starting a dialogue in this fandom on drugs, alcohol, and fun
—
we all should not be creating an atmosphere where people who, for whatever personal reasons, don’t partake in alcohol/drugs are looked at like they have 3 headsglitter skunk defends pop punk
(@JUNIUS_64) February 22, 2018
glitter skunk defends pop punkIs that message forcing things on people and taking away their freedom? Does it deserve hate? Or is it just being a mature adult?
Compare it to the key moment from the New Jersey furry chat with Trenton. He criticized a stereotype, and asked them to be adults. The reason is because the “Ugandan Knuckles” meme shows a coded-black character being hung on a noose. Apparently that was so unreasonable that it deserved extreme hate.
That’s the story’s Deo Moment. Are you puzzled about what’s wrong with it? (If you really need a target to hassle about this more, use me.)
Below there’s around 200 screenshots (from TWO chats that didn’t share all members) in linked galleries. Again this is very sensitive info. People in it may deserve support for distancing themselves. To name 3 – Radfox, Koss, Kazu. If you see others in these screens, I highly recommend asking them if they support the words in them without judging until they answer. There are active requests to withhold this info and not be judged for things people aren’t going to support. Putting this out can have a long lasting impact against a very quick change of heart, and it’s a tough decision but I think it’s important to see what happened because it does exist in the community.
Can this be the start of a community thing where we’re all getting better?
- Hotel Damage (main chat) – Imgur gallery of screenshots
Details of damage that opened the story. A pipe is broken and floods 12 floors of the hotel, but it’s taken care of.
- Uganda Knuckles meme (main chat) – Imgur gallery of screenshots
The meme comes up and chat members attack “pussies” who wouldn’t allow it. Trenton disagrees with one post of it and is told to shut up.
- Making an anything goes chat (main chat) – Imgur gallery of screenshots
Radfox redirects offensive stuff to the side chat. Trenton talks about a better face for the con, and making more effort to be funny with jokes, instead of just posting hateful stuff. The chat has more discussion about the meme being lame and old. (Member list is withheld – some were already inside or not involved.)
- Reactions in the main chat – Imgur gallery of screenshots
Assigning another chat gets treated like an attack. They say “Fuck PC and all it stands for” and Trenton starts to get retaliation.
- Hate in the new chat – Imgur gallery of screenshots
Extreme hate starts here. They mock “uppity negros” and Radfox for listening to complaints. “Have we lost the culture? Free speech tossed to the side by butthurt PC vultures.”
- Reinforcing hate and peer pressure (1) – Imgur gallery of screenshots
More members pile on. They post zoo porn (dozens of porn posts aren’t shared here) and neo-nazi propaganda. Posts say “lynchthenigger”, “cotton pickers” and they attack “white knights” and people who want to change things. Radfox says “You can be yourself, I don’t want that to be the face of the con” and protests about the money he has spent while they attack him.
- Reinforcing hate and peer pressure (2) – Imgur gallery of screenshots
Radfox tries to reason with them about the effort he made. He asks if they can behave that badly in a regular con chat. They attack him for being “Master cuck” and not leaving the chat as it was. Radfox explains that other people left and he doesn’t want it called a con for Alt Furry or to be Furry Raiders 2.0. They blame Trenton for having a more important opinion because he is POC and act like he came in new and started “slinging shit”. Radfox says Trenton was in the chat long before others and has been an acquaintance for years.
- Reinforcing hate and peer pressure (3) – Imgur gallery of screenshots
The chat pressures Radfox to ignore “a small minority” who would be offended, and blames them for “slander”. They say “real people don’t give a shit” and to ban complainers. They accuse Radfox of making popularity more important than “being yourself”, “letting these faggots change who you are,” looking weak and being “SJW bitchboi”. They say “Bowing to the conformity isn’t very rad” about letting “pronoun power jockies strip away the very idea that this con was founded on.” Trenton is bashed: “slave play” and “basketball American”. Radfox says his con can’t be a platform to be racist.
- Reinforcing hate and peer pressure (4) – Imgur gallery of screenshots
The chat accuses Radfox of seeking popularity and tells him not to be scared, nobody will listen to a handful of “SJW faggots”, and to ban anyone causing problems over it. “We should be allowed to say whatever we like“. They accuse Trenton of starting it and “dindunothin”.
- Reinforcing hate and peer pressure (5) – Imgur gallery of screenshots
“It’s OK because he’s black. He’s immune to all social and federal laws” – “He’s just gonna keep flinging shit and nothing is going to change” – “Not all black people are niggers, but a fuckton of them sure are.” They tell Radfox the problem can be fixed with just moderate racism so they can say what they want. “Eliminate all of the problem causing assholes like Trenton.” – “The problem really is people who’ll try to slander the group.”
- Bonus: “nigger” posts from the main chat – Imgur gallery of screenshots
- Some other posts against Trenton – Imgur gallery of screenshots
A few people in this made so much effort simply to be disrespectful assholes. Isn’t it really easy not to do that? And it was all about a spam-level meme – not important information, a controversial opinion about the world, or personal expression. How much more proof could you need for such activity being code for racists, than how much real racism happened in response to criticism?
Here’s some of the most active enablers. Be aware that other chat members may not have known their connections.
“Kaine the Salt Lord” AKA Kaine Orren / Konrad
Screenshot from Altfurry Discord
“big tiddy christian roblox gf” – Baden Sergal AKA @Sergalfag
this is why we need #altfurry
— (((Baden))) (@BadenSergal) September 14, 2016
Jerreh AKA Prime Breeder
Poster of propaganda in the New Jersey chat sourced from terrorist group Atomwaffen Division. It’s a tightly controlled group. His posting history in Altfurry Discord ties to outside neo-nazi influence, raising questions about how far it goes.
Screenshot from Altfurry Discord
“Legally” AKA Remy
Here’s why “frat” was in the title for part 1. (Where’s the fursona?)
“Praise The Sun”
The troll Telegram account @midwestfurfest appears to be an alt for @fennegod, Thomas Horgan/Magabat/Kiran Fennec/Rudefox. It’s been an open secret for a while about what his ex girlfriend experienced (see the thread) and it’s included here as part of the behavior issue.
He put a gun to my head.
He beat me.
He told me I meant nothing.
He made me feel worthless.
He chased all my friends away from me.
He stole from me.
He hacked into my accounts to find out who I talked to.
He cheated on me.
He wanted to fuck dogs.He deserves the worst.
— Cosplay Doggo @KikoriCon (@cassmutt) February 23, 2018
Sam
Part 3 will share feedback from people involved. A whole group had a small handful leading this activity but maybe public light can lead to better.
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