Hey everyone, I'm the artist who's been working with James on his project. As a left-leaning person I just wanted to say something to reassure those who fear this game might be developed by a right-wing team, or even has anyone on board who's OK with the things the extreme right commonly stands for. If it was, I would refuse to be a part of this project. I know that people with extreme right-wing views often hide behind a "centrist" or "moderate" persona, or that they are, at best, fence-sitters who casually accept these things, and I don't blame anyone for thinking that's what this is. But from what I've learned of James during the time I've worked with him, and speaking to him after this post, that is absolutely not the case. We can't really choose our emotional reactions. They're heavily affected by time, mental state, and contextual circumstance. When he says he felt the need to speak up now, because he was shocked by this murder in particular for the reasons he mentioned (seeing the death on camera, empathy with the surviving family as a father, the proximity of the event to his home, being taken aback by celebrations online, etc) I completely believe him, even if other events in recent years might also tick some of these boxes. I too was caught a bit off-guard by this community post as you might have been, which is why I'm a bit late with this reply. And as the main artist on this game I have the most reason to be concerned, but I'm not anymore. And I hope this might assuage at least some people's worries as well.
1 month ago
| 14
Totally agree. It was a senseless act of violence to someone voicing their opinion. Not in our country. If any of you are feeling that kind of hatred and murder in your heart, look in the mirror.
1 month ago | 21
“Violence is not the answer, and nobody should die for their opinion” should not be a controversial opinion but here we are. It’s like you kicked a hornet’s nest.
1 month ago | 52
As a father I'd be more concerned about gun violence in school potentially killing my kid rather than the murder of someone who supports a system and industry that enables those tragedies. In any case, this should not have happened and no one deserves to be put down like that.
1 month ago | 34
I'm done with this. As a trans person, I'm done with liberals whitewashing him, not acknowledging the amount of suffering the nazis, his side, has caused, not acknowledging the sickening institutionalised violence that was being enacted. I'm sick
1 month ago | 23
The escalation of political violence is bad and obviously it is sad in the sense that no child should ever see that and no child should have to grow up without a father.... but this is the exact type of political violence that Charlie Kirk and people like him have been stirring up for years. I will not feel sorry for somebody who is openly bigoted succumbing to the same violent end that they wish on others (either implicitly or directly) constantly. The media is already spinning this to their anti trans agenda despite the shooter being a white republican and this is something that Charlie Kirk and his ilk would have openly and enthusiastically supported.
1 month ago | 2
I have been not responding to some comments because I wanted to think through a proper response. I am responding to them all here. Before I respond I want to emphasize that I do not think people on the left are stupid, evil, or misinformed. I believe that each perspective is valuable and has something to offer which is why open political discourse is so important. The first think I want to address is. "You care about Charlie being killed but why don't you care about X". I can't explain all the reasons why this particular event got me to post something. It could be that as a father of a young child I have more sympathy for his children. It could be that it happened in my home state so it feels closer to me. It could be that it was caught on camera which is more powerful that just a headline and a statistic. It could be that people are actively celebrating his death. I recognize this is more an emotional response than a long thought out logical one but if felt wrong not to say something and I didn't want to ignore my conscience on this. The next thing I wanted to address is "why would I sympathize with a dead nazi". Frankly this kind of rhetoric is the problem. It implies two things. First that Charlie was a Nazi and second that it is okay to kill Nazis. If you think it is okay to kill Nazis as part of the political process, then you have given up on democracy and would rather push your ideas with tyranny. We need to encourage more civil and open discourse in a democracy which was exactly what Charlie was doing when he was killed. As for the claim that he was a Nazi. I just don't see it. If you actually understand what Charlie stood for and compare that to Nazis it just isn't the same thing. You are welcome to dislike MAGA, despite leaning right I have never liked MAGA and not once I have voted for Trump but the dehumanizing rhetoric and passive acceptance of killing someone over their political views needs to stop. You can't claim to support democracy and be okay with this kind of political violence. Killing political opposition is a tool of tyrant and I want to keep people who are okay with that as far away from the seat of power as possible.
1 month ago | 66
I respect where you're coming from, and I agree that calling for violence based on someone's political views is unacceptable. In the case of Kirk there's definitely a lot of schadenfreude because of his belief that some number of gun deaths are "worth it" every year as a cost for the second amendment. He didn't deserve it, but he damn well supported this type of violence
1 month ago | 0
James, I understand wanting to keep politics off the channel, but the fact that the thing that gets you to break that habit is to denounce the death of a fascist is concerning, especially with everything happening in your country & worldwide that I think deserves more attention. There was a school shooting the same day. Mass deportation in the US is terrifying communities and breaking families appart. The genocide in gaza, facilitated by the US, is beyond horrible and it's happening right now. I'm not saying you have to make community posts about those but the fact that thats what you chose to talk about is disappointing
1 month ago | 3
As a father, you should care way more on how much he didn't care, no, thrived, about children getting killed.
1 month ago | 0
I was bothered more by the latest assassination than I was by all the recent violence and death that has led up to it in the US and around the world. As I work to figure out why that is (I don't identify with CK at all), I feel like I am recalibrating and better seeing violence for what it is. I hope that others have the same experience.
1 month ago | 0
Stop pretending that people who didn't pretend to be broken up about his death are celebrating it. There's a difference, and you have to know that.
1 month ago | 7
Ironically a very political post. Of all the atrocious stuff happening in the world and in your own country, it was the violent death of someone who espoused the value of violence against vulnerable individuals people that caused you to speak up.
1 month ago | 1
Everything is political. Even the choice of not talking about politics is. In this case, what's political is especially the fact that you didn't make an exception for any of the horrifying political events happening in the world, but decided to speak about charlie kirk. He didn't deserve to die, but he definitly earned the apathy that came after he did
1 month ago | 88
Thanks for posting this. His murder was terrible. But the apathetic and even celebratory responses are even more horrifying. All the whataboutisms and talk about 'bad' Charlie was shows who the real monsters are.
1 month ago | 16
James Lambert
I want to keep politics out of my channel. Politics are divisive and brings out the worst in people. I am making an exception to talk about the killing of Charlie Kirk. As a father of a young child, it sickens me every time I think about the fact that his daughter had to witness the murder of her own father. I am making this post to add my voice to say that political violence is unacceptable. I don't care if you disagreed with everything he stood for, we all should be able to agree that he didn't deserve to be shot.
I don't care where you lie on the political spectrum if you can be civil about it but if you celebrate this kind of violence or think there should be more, you can unsubscribe.
1 month ago | [YT] | 354