The 'Activists' In Games Media Unleash Rage Online After Trump Victory
The re-election of Donald Trump is here, and he's once again ignited that all-too-predictable wave of outrage from certain 'corners' of the media, particularly... among gaming journalists who’ve increasingly used their platforms to promote political agendas rather than covering the gaming industry. Weird... Almost like they're activists and not game journalists at all!
What’s revealing isn’t just the degree of their anger... but the intensity of their resentment toward anyone who disagrees with them. For many of these so-called "journalists," the gaming industry is and has always been just a convenient cover to push agendas and try to control the narrative.
That control is officially gone... and they can't handle the fallout.
It’s clear from their reactions that many of these individuals, if given even an ounce of real power, wouldn’t hesitate to wield it against those who stand in their way. Some of these very figures have, in fact, shown exactly how they operate when they think they’re in control. Nick Calandra tried to get my website taken down in a blatant attempt to silence me. Alyssa Mercante went so far as to contact my wife, attempting to destroy my marraige and my personal life to undermine me. These aren’t isolated cases; no - not even close - they’re indicative of a sustained pattern. So with all that in mind, lets have a good chuckle, or in honor of a fallen Kamala, a cackle!
Here’s how these same personalities are reacting now...
Hayes Madsen: Fear-Mongering Over “Radicalization”
Hayes Madsen posted his thoughts on the dangers of social media “radicalizing” young men. According to Madsen:
“We really need to take a hard look at how social media and influencers are radicalizing young people, men especially. Clear hateful agendas are being injected into content across everything, with little to zero oversight. Older generations have been largely ignorant of how much it’s happening.”
Madsen paints a bleak picture; somehow suggesting that any political views that stray from his own must be the result of “hateful agendas.” This isn’t a call for reflection; it’s a condemnation of anyone who doesn’t toe the line. Be part of the cult. Not question authority. It’s a veiled accusation directed at the younger generation, insinuating they can’t be trusted with any kind of independent thought. The irony is rich here—Madsen would relish the chance to "oversee" content himself, censoring anything that challenges his worldview... and as you'll see, he's not alone...
Rebekah Valentine: Clinging to Activism
Rebekah Valentine’s reaction took the form of a personal call to action:
“I sent in a volunteer form to a local refugee organization this morning. I have to choose to keep fighting, keep helping, keep trying, keep hoping.”
Valentine’s response might seem innocuous at first glance, but no - it speaks to a consistent mindset where her personal activism is the only solution to a perceived national crisis. Her post isn’t just about helping others; it’s a declaration that those who support Trump are the enemy, and they always have been. She’s ready to “fight” them in whatever way she can. But don't worry, when they use words like that - it's (D)ifferent. This isn’t someone interested in gaming; it’s an activist pushing an agenda under the guise of journalistic integrity. We've all known it for a while, but it's still good to call it out to remind everyone and show to those who are unaware.
Ethan Gach: Dark Fantasies of Internment Camps
Ethan Gach, Senior reporter at Kotaku - tweeting as AmericanTruckSongs10, didn’t hold back any of his pessimism:
“Biden 2020 win: he has to bring this divided nation together.Trump 2024 win: dems must help build the internment camps or else.”
Gach’s statement reeks of cynicism and fear-mongering. You know - ol' reliable... Rather than advocating for unity, he’s indulged in that weirdo paranoid fantasy where Trump supporters are ready to build internment camps. because yeah why not jump straight to insane hyperbole? It’s a grotesque exaggeration that serves only to paint his opponents as monstrous, preparing his audience for the worst. Gach’s language is extreme and inflammatory, designed to try to demonize anyone on the other side as some okinds of dangerous zealots. It’s hard to imagine him not using whatever influence he has to silence those he disagrees with if the tables were turned.
Carolyn Petit: Dehumanizing Opponents
Carolyn Petit’s commentary was no less divisive:
“Grievance politics. The lust for a feeling of superiority over others. Domination ideology. White supremacy remains at the sick, poisoned heart of this country.”
Petit, for those unaware, is a man that plays dress up as a women, and should not be taken seriously in any capacity. He isn’t interested in gaming or cultural commentary—he’s here to preach his weirdo creepy fetish ideology. His post reduces half the country to caricatures, ironically dehumanizing them as power-hungry supremacists - but again, its ok for him to do that because for them, its (D)ifferent. This isn’t journalism; it’s activism of the most divisive sort, stoking flames rather than offering any kind of solutions. The underlying message is clear: He doesn’t want dialogue; he wants his perceived opposition to be vanquished. Give him any power whatsoever, and he'd wield it to destroy you without hesitation. He even backed up Alyssa when she came at my wife. Truly disgusting human being, if you can even call him that...
Alyssa Mercante: Contempt for Her Own Country
Alyssa Mercante, the unofficial leader of the woke journo nose-ring mafia has shown a willingness to continually cross personal boundaries, contacting family members of those she dislikes and advocating for complete silencing of any opposition had this to say:
“Yes, the increased vitriol you saw online over the last few months was an indicator. Yes, they once again borrowed a playbook from reactionary, angry, perpetually online men. We are a stupid country.”
Mercante’s contempt for the American public is unmistakable. She sees anyone who voted for Trump as “stupid,” painting an entire population with one broad brush. To me, she comes across as an insidious Commie scum ideological pushing Marxist that plays dressup as a 'normal woman'... and she can't even do that well.
It’s no surprise that someone like her would resort to these kinds of underhanded tactics in personal and professional conflicts. Her disdain for differing opinions is symptomatic of a far deeper issue within certain circles of gaming "journalism"—an inability to accept that people can hold valid, opposing views without being deemed “reactionary” or “angry.”
tbh, it's actually super childish t the end of the day, but is anyone really that surprised?
Jessica Cogswell: Social Media as the “Enemy”
Jessica Cogswell, who openly suffers from clear depression, amongst other social anxiety issues had lamented the influence of social media on young people:
“I don’t know how we do it or stomach it, but all I can think about right now is how we NEED to somehow reach the young white men and women who are being pushed far right by TikTok, IG, and sites like this that are run by people with very clear agendas and hateful hearts.”
This is no one to pay any attention to other than to point and laugh at. Cogswell’s words paint social media as a toxic environment pushing young people toward the “far right.” The irony with all this is that she’s as much a part of the same machine she criticizes, using social media to push her own agenda. If she had her way, it’s she’d have ZERO problem censoring or silencing the content she finds objectionable, all in the name of "protecting" the youth. Her rhetoric makes it abundantly clear to everyone that she views young people as pawns to be managed, not as individuals capable of independent thought. It's a disgusting approach to reality but again, anyone surprised?
Ash Parrish: Overwhelmed and Defeated
Ash Parrish expressed her frustration in the simplest terms:
“It’s begun. I can’t do this.”
Parrish’s reaction is one of... outright despair, as if Trump’s victory is somehow an apocalyptic event. For a "journalist" (read: activist), the level of emotional involvement is... unprofessional, to be nice. Parrish isn’t reacting as an objective observer; she’s taking it as a personal defeat, proving in plain English... that her agenda goes beyond simply covering the news. Her inability to “do this” speaks volumes about her mental capacity to handle any realities she disagrees with. She'd rather retreat than accept a democratic outcome that doesn’t align with her views. Shocker, I know.
Nick Calandra: Veiled Hostility Toward Political Opponents
Nick Calandra, who has a long and storied commie-filled history of attempting to shut down sites and censor voices he disagrees with, had this to say:
“Did my part. Time to make sure we move forward as a country and not backwards. Here’s hoping Trump, Musk and all their cronies have a very terrible week.”
Calandra’s post throws his hostility toward Trump and anyone he perceives as an ally to the former president. His “hope” that they suffer is not a professional stance but a personal vendetta. From my interactions with him in the past, I walked away feeling that he is a deeply troubled human being and his words here reflect a continued unsettling willingness to see harm befall others simply for their political beliefs. Imagine living life like that...
Given his history of trying to silence opposition, it’s not entirely shocking in the least bit that he’d gladly do more to shut others down, if given the opportunity.
The Reality: Activists, Not Gamers
What all of these posts have in common is abundantly clear: these individuals are not journalists in the traditional sense. They’re activists, using the veil of journalism to push ideologies and demonize those who oppose them. They’re not interested in fostering discussion or understanding; they want one thing and one thing only - Controlling the narrative. The gaming industry, in their eyes, is just a convenient "vessel" through which they can preach their message and exert any kind of power or influence over an audience.
Their reactions to the election put on full display a desire for power over their adversaries, not just a simple disagreement over policy or preference. If these folks had the influence they crave, there’s no doubt they'd use it to silence, de-platform, and ruin the lives of those they see as obstacles. Hell we've already seen a few of them try and push that envelope - and tbh, it's scary af. And they know it - and they use that fear to their advantage. Their track records already show this—be it attempts to shut down websites, contacting family members to create discord between two people in a relationship, or ensuring they control who gets a voice in the industry.
Final Thoughts
The outrage over Trump’s election win from these gaming "journalists" - ok sorry - activists - lays bare an extremely disturbing truth: many of these people in the media are no longer content to merely just report or analyze. No. Instead, they aim to shape society according to their vision, wielding their platforms as weapons against those who dare to think differently. Their responses, completely filled to the brim with bitterness and contempt, highlight an industry increasingly dominated by ideological activists rather than any kind of genuine enthusiasts for gaming.
For real gamers - this is all a very sobering reminder that the media figures they follow may be driven by agendas that extend far beyond their stated purpose. The gaming industry has changed from talking about the games we love to instead become a battleground- a fight not of ideas, but of influence, with these activists far more interested in policing thought than fostering a love of games or genuine discussion around any discourse. And as their true colors continue to show, it becomes ever more clear that they view dissent not as dialogue, but as an enemy... to be crushed.
But the tables have turned, and the truth has been set free.
~Smash
