Blizzard community,
Our world has a long history of racism. Humans create groups, and then create divisions between groups unlike themselves. Ironic how we need each other as social creatures, yet we developed the practice to ‘other’ humans who at first glance don’t look like what we see in the mirror.
I have made it a personal obligation to educate myself about trauma others endure, and to work to change those experiences for them. Many within Blizzard come from a place of strong purpose, with a will to do in order to help society.
Last year at BlizzCon, I made a commitment for Blizzard to do better. We pride ourselves on learning and growing, and doing something now that reflects our company and community values. I also said that our actions would matter more than our words—we have been publicly silent until now because action is the important part.
Let me be clear: Blizzard stands in solidarity with those fighting against racism, because racism is as dangerous as any pandemic for those affected. We stand with those fighting against social and institutional structures that promote inequality among people of color.
Last week, AB announced donations to the Equal Justice Initiative, the United Negro College Fund, and the Management Leaders of Tomorrow (MLT) to fight systemic racial inequality. At Blizzard, we are working on initiatives for our community and our workplace.
In our games: For many years, we’ve had teams working with A.I. and machine learning to reduce toxicity and hate speech, as well as to help improve the overall gaming experience. Since January 1 this year, we’ve banned over 30,000 accounts for these reasons, as well as issued more than three million total hours of player suspensions. These penalties have notably improved our game environments: over the last two years, we’ve seen a 43% reduction in poor behavior reports, and a 59% reduction in the re-offense rate. And while this is progress, we’ve identified other places where we can use this technology and have more work to continue to do toward this effort.
In our relationships: We are also reviewing our partnerships to identify opportunities to support Black-owned and diverse businesses, and to amplify the voices of Black content creators and influencers.
Juneteenth: Today at Blizzard, we are observing Juneteenth with the goal of encouraging employees to take the time to be educated. We hosted a virtual session with a leader in our home city of Irvine, California, so employees can learn more about implicit bias, implications for law and policy, and how they can get involved in local efforts to drive change. We have also provided a list of resources to help coworkers self-educate, and shared ways to get involved in advocacy.
Ongoing: We are stronger with more diverse views and experiences. We are committed to being a more equitable workplace, including how and where we recruit, our HR practices, and employee support. We will also put an ongoing employee education program into place. This program will include more training and education (with the materials purchased from Black and minority-owned businesses), and Blizzard-wide town halls with experts on allyship, advocacy, and racism.
All of this work will continue to make Blizzard better, and play some small part in a larger, positive shift.
To our Black community, colleagues, and partners, Blizzard stands with you.
Black lives matter, today and always.
- J. Allen Brack, president of Blizzard Entertainment
Illiteracy must be a real problem for you. Sure, point it out. Go ahead, I'm waiting.
You're whining about me not having the ability to make arguments when I've literally just told you that I don't care. Not caring isn't avoiding debate. I'm not arguing on an issue that I couldn't care less about yet here you are saying that I'm a hypocrite who is scared of ''defending my actual positions''? My position is that I don't care so what even is there to defend?
Then again, you could not be talking to me so just ignore this if that is the case. Hearthpwn reply system is awful.
Have you been going through my profile lmao.
Your point was that opposing viewpoints in this thread should be moderated because they are illegitimate, not "thinking for themselves" and "republican" in origin. No proof of any of that yet, though I have refuted it.
For liberals anything that is not liberal is republican/fascist and evil.
This is a fact.
I'm not even a republican.
EternalHS,my last comment was not directed at you. I will use the quote function in the future. I apologize. All my comments in this thread have only been directed to that nihilistic kid
SniperWolf no worries :)
If your reponse is to immediately try and deflect, diminish or minimise you have to ask yourself why?
Forget Trump for a minute, Mike Pence today speakin on the issue, repeatedly asked to say "Black Lives Matter" in any context. But he refuses, because he knows it will act as a racist dog whistle.
How hard is it to say "Of course black lives matter. I think all lives matter." That would of been the PR move if they cared, a basic effort to stop the US splitting any further. But of course they don't. All they care about is appearing racist to Trump's rabid fans. He can't even acknowledge that black lives matter because it would hurt him politically. This administration is racist and seriously the worst in our nations history.
I miss good old times when political bullsh ... I mean stuff ... did not mix into games.
bruh
Wouldnt have expected this much trash in a Hearthpwn comment section lol
It must make you feel right at home
Ay you got me so good there. Hearthwn must really be out of my age group by now, never seen so many edgy 12 year olds commenting on one post. Bet you guys think you are free thinker while in reality you are not using your brain at all.
From what I see, most users don't care. Not caring =/= being edgy but I do agree that there are some pretty edgy comments here
Then explain to us why we are wrong, why we got 12 years old and why we are showing reasons and you no.
Since you nicely asked, here is what I wrote earlier on another comment, never want to not use the chance to educate a 12 year old:
The idea behind blm is not that only black lives matter, it is to stop racism towards black people. I dont think I really need to explain this because its very obvious and everyone knows that. So the only gain by saying "all lives matter" is to undemine the efforts blm is making.
Let me get this clear: NOONE is saying that there are lives that dont matter. If your answer to blm is "all lives matter" you are helping the especially in usa existing racism towards black people by not making it a point of discussion.
There is always time to speak about discrimination towards any group of people but right now because of the death of George Floyd its time to talk about racism towards black people.
The only gain of "all lives matter" isn't to talk about all kinds of discrimination, but to not talk about discrimination at all. Yes that is a problem for me.
BLM has only generated more spite towards black people. It's purpose is political in nature, this is why Black Lives only seem to "Matter" months before a US election and only if a white cop has killed a black man.
First things first, stop insulting; noone insulted you.
Second of all, no, they don't care about all people since a white old man was killed by a policeman these days and noone supporting BlackLivesMatter cared about it. You said all lives matter? No.
They don't even care about black people: some people supporting BlackLivesMatter killed black people, attacked a shop of a black person. Even if they don't assault a black person: What's the point of the destruction of vehicles and shops?
People join BlackLivesMatter for be in the flock of sheeps and in result be accepted by other people.
BlackLivesMatter is a strategy for destroy Donald Trump and for support the liberal side.
Yeah, george floyd's death was a plot to take down trump (sarcasim, btw). Can you get the republican D (YEP, COCK) out of your mouth for one second?
The funny part is that I am not republican and I'm not liberal.
Not at all, there have been many murders of blacks and murders by cops of all races between 2016 and 2020. I don't know who's responsible for giving George Floyd the criminal all the coverage. BLM might know, don't they donate some of their proceeds to Democrat foundations?
I'm not the one throwing political parties around man, that's you. I don't even live in America.
$$$ yes $$$ black $$$ lives $$$ matter $$$