Now They're Trying to Get Me Fired...

This is the song that never ends. L after L, they keep trying to silence me, and will forever, keep losing.

Well well well, it looks like I've found myself at the center of a storm that threatens my livelihood and personal life... yet again. For what? DARING to have an opinion on the video game industry and voicing it publicly. Tell me this isn't an organized mafia of journos behind the scenes... and it isn't just about a few negative comments; it's an orchestrated effort to silence me by targeting my employment and family.

It all started with that comment from Nick Calandra, suggesting they "go after their funding sources." What followed was a relentless campaign of harassment, spearheaded by individuals like Alyssa Mercante, editor at Kotaku, who seems to have lost any sense of decency or respect for boundaries, assuming they ever had it in the first place... Seeing the types of folks she's surrounded herself with, it isn't all that surprising.

The Beginning: Nick Calandra's Call to Action

Back towards the end of May, 2024, Nick Calandra, in a statement that could be seen as a rallying cry for those who disagree with me, suggested they "go after their funding sources." Real quick tho - how on any planet is this type of mentality normal or acceptable? Like seriously, I feel like this tweet kinda just slipped through and people were pretty whatever about it at the time. It's a huge HUGE yikes moment.

This comment, while not explicitly calling for the actions that followed, set the tone for what has become an all-out attack on my personal and professional life. It was a suggestion that they hit where it hurts, and unfortunately, it resonated with the wrong crowd. They have not let up, they have not stopped, they keep losing, and they will always lose.

Alyssa Mercante's Insidious Move

Following Calandra's comment, Alyssa Mercante felt empowered to move to the next step of the playbook, that can only be described as insidious. Instead of referring to me by my online persona that she had been previously (Smash JT), she started using my full legal name.

This wasn't a simple mistake; it was a calculated move to encourage followers to get me attacked and/or doxxed. By using my real name, she opened the door for those with malicious intent to find out more about me and target me personally. As I’ve mentioned before, Alyssa knew exactly what she was doing. This wasn't just about calling me out; it was about making it easier for others to harm me.

The Attack Escalates: Enter @airbagged

The situation escalated further when a Twitter user by the name of kate bush's husband (@airbagged) took things to a new low. @airbagged found an old post from a company I was employed at and began berating my parenting skills and attacking my family.

This move was not just about criticizing my opinions or my work; it was a direct attack on my personal life. The harassment didn't stop there. Followers of @airbagged (who has over 10,000 Twitter followers) started replying to that old Twitter post with awful comments, all aimed at getting me fired.

The Sheep Mentality

What's truly disheartening is seeing how easily people can be swayed by a few instigators. As Hypnotic put it perfectly, these people are NPCs with injected dialogue, parroting the same vitriol without even understanding what they are saying.

They are sheep, following the lead of those who have set out to destroy me.. and they continued...

It's a sad commentary on the state of online discourse when individuals can be so easily manipulated into doing harm.

The Unending Battle

This is not the first time I've faced these kinds of attacks. From being doxxed to having my website taken down, to Alyssa Mercante sending direct messages to my wife aimed at ruining my marriage and threatening lawsuits against me (among many other attacks on my personal life), these individuals have tried every tactic to silence me. Now, they are trying to get me fired, hoping that losing my job will make me retreat.

But they clearly don't know me well...

Despite their relentless efforts, I remain undeterred. Each attempt to bring me down only strengthens my resolve. The more you try to silence me, the more people are hearing about me. Are you guys familiar with The Streisand Effect? I mean, come on, you are terminally online. You can't be this stupid.

Standing Strong

It's unfortunate that it has come to this, but I will not be scared away. The attacks on my family and my job are deplorable, but I refuse to be silenced. These people have tried everything to silence me, and nothing has worked. They keep taking L after L in hopes that I will run away and hide. But they are sorely mistaken.

I am here to stay, and I will continue to speak out against the hypocrisy and injustice I see in the gaming industry and beyond. The attempts to get me fired are just the latest in a long line of tactics used to silence me. While the situation is challenging, it is also a testament to the power of my voice and the impact it has. I will continue to stand strong, no matter what they throw my way.

If you'd like to fight against these INSANE Marxists (and help push the channel forward), give them a giant F YOU by joining Smash JT on YouTube. They can't take away my funding if it is homegrown.

~Smash