Every.
Voice.
Matters.

#BoycottBlizzard

Blizzard proved that when push comes to shove, they'll side with a tyrannical government over their community and the values they espouse. Many former fans are now calling for a boycott of the company. Here's what you can do:

• Do not purchase or play any Blizzard Activison games. This is the ideal boycott.
• Alternatively, only play legacy games. These games were made in another time, by another Blizzard. Do not purchase these games if you do not already own them. Activison Blizzard will still receive money from your purchase, even if you buy on GOG.
• At the very least, do not purchase any new Blizzard Activision games, and do not participate in any online Blizzard content (World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo 3 multiplayer, Starcraft 2 multiplayer), even if you already purchased the game. This content depends on players being active and online in order to be enjoyable. By participating in the online content, you contribute to its overall health and incentivize others to purchase the game.

Additionally:

• Spread awareness. You may have to put on your tinfoil hat for this one, but Tencent (the Chinese national corporation that owns 5% of Blizzard Activision) is heavily invested in multiple western tech companies, such as Reddit. Be aware that forum posts, VODs, etc. may mysteriously 'disappear' from time to time. Do not let up and do not become complacent simply because it seems like everyone is talking about this issue. Be aware of the echo chamber you may be shouting into, and spread awareness elsewhere.
• Create more community art. Mei has become a symbol of both the Hong Kong protests and Blizzard's betrayal amongst Western gamers, and Blizzard's own games are replete with examples of heroic characters who would fight for Hong Kong. Art can make a powerful statement, especially art crafted by a community that has risen above the company that fostered it.
• Lastly, and most importantly: Do not forget. J. Allen Brack may have apologized at BlizzCon and promised to do better, but a promise is just words. Stay vigilant and keep a watchful eye on how Blizzard behaves in the future.

#FreeHongKong

In February of 2019, the Legislative Council of Hong Kong proposed an extradition bill that was viewed by many as a dangerous loophole that would allow the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) to arrest political dissidents taking shelter in Hong Kong, as well as opening Hong Kong's democratic government to influence from the CCP. This resulted in mass protests.

The initial protests were characterized by the government of Hong Kong as "riots" (later protests would, in fact, become riots). A sharply escalating police response resulted in multiple reports of police brutality and misconduct. Notably, both a journalist and a teacher had their eyes shot by rubber and beanbag rounds, respectively; the journalist was permanently blinded in his right eye. This has resulted in the covered eye, or eye patch, becoming a symbol of the Hong Kong protests.

The protestors organized around 5 demands they made of the Legislative Council (eventually resulting in the slogan, "5 Demands, Not One Less"):

• Complete withdrawal of the extradition bill;
• Retraction of the characterization of the initial protests as "riots";
• Release and exoneration of imprisoned protestors;
• A public commission of inquiry into police conduct;
• And the resignation of Chief Executive Carrie Lam and implementation of universal suffrage for Hong Kong elections.

As of September 2019, Carrie Lam has promised to officially withdraw the bill in October 2019, but has dismissed the protestors' other four demands.

How You Can Help

Unfortunately, there's isn't much that Western activists can do to directly help the Hong Kong protestors. The protestors are not a centralized or formal organization; there's no single group to donate money to. Here's what you can do:

• Continue pressuring Blizzard Activision, and other Western corporations, to withdraw their support (whether implicit or explicit) from the CCP
• Donate to the Hong Kong Free Press
• Donate to a cause on GoFundMe; many protestors have been seeking funding for medical and legal bills, in addition to journalistic and larger relief efforts (as ever, research carefully before donating to a potentially fraudulent fundraiser)