ArenaNet and Guild Wars 2 Lead Game Designer Jennifer Scheurle took to Twitter to call for a revolution involving “brawlers and protectors who have experience and are able to be at frontlines” in the United States.
In a lengthy thread on Twitter, Scheurle criticized police practices, called for police reform, and then eventually endorsed a violent revolution following riots and looting across multiple cities in the United States in the wake of the death of George Floyd.
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Scheurle began her thread writing, “I know we’re seeing a bunch of feel-good stories about cops kneeling with us and marching with us and it’s ok to take them to feel hope and solidarity. I shared the one in Bellevue too yesterday. BUT! Individual cops aren’t the point, the institution is. #BlackLivesMatter” (Archive link: http://archive.is/OY2F8)
I know we’re seeing a bunch of feel-good stories about cops kneeling with us and marching with us and it’s ok to take them to feel hope and solidarity. I shared the one in Bellevue too yesterday. BUT!
Individual cops aren’t the point, the institution is. #BlackLivesMatter— Jennifer Scheurle (@Gaohmee) June 1, 2020
She continued, “Individual cops or precincts pledging to start conversations is nice, but ultimately not effective.”
“The changes and reform needed to end a corrupt, racist system can’t be fixed by a couple of townhall meetings. We need more than that,” Scheurle added.
Individual cops or precincts pledging to start conversations is nice, but ultimately not effective. The changes and reform needed to end a corrupt, racist system can’t be fixed by a couple of townhall meetings. We need more than that.
— Jennifer Scheurle (@Gaohmee) June 1, 2020
She then issued her call for police reform. She wrote, “We need: – fundamental de-militarization of the police force, no more chemical weapons and rubber bullets and riot gear.”
She also wants, “- reform in what jobs the police is supposed to do! Conflict resolution for example shouldn’t be part of the role of law enforcement, that’s social work!”
We need:
– fundamental de-militarization of the police force, no more chemical weapons and rubber bullets and riot gear
– reform in what jobs the police is supposed to do! Conflict resolution for example shouldn’t be part of the role of law enforcement, that’s social work!— Jennifer Scheurle (@Gaohmee) June 1, 2020
However, she notes these demands are just a tiny portion of a “long list” that includes “abolishing individual practices such as stop and frisk.”
Scheurle writes, “There is a long list of other things but even just abolishing individual practices such as stop and frisk is not enough. We need to understand that systemic injustice can’t be solved by turning a few knobs, it requires – ALWAYS – a power shift!”
There is a long list of other things but even just abolishing individual practices such as stop and frisk is not enough. We need to understand that systemic injustice can’t be solved by turning a few knobs, it requires – ALWAYS – a power shift!
— Jennifer Scheurle (@Gaohmee) June 1, 2020
She then called for firearms to be removed from Americans and longer be available to purchase. She writes, “Subsequently, and this is why it’s so complicated, if we de-militarize the police force, all of America needs to be too.”
Scheurle continues, “No access to mass-destruction weapons to regular Americans. No rifles, no machine guns, no large caliber rounds. There, I said it.”
Subsequently, and this is why it’s so complicated, if we de-militarize the police force, all of America needs to be too. No access to mass-destruction weapons to regular Americans. No rifles, no machine guns, no large caliber rounds.
There, I said it.— Jennifer Scheurle (@Gaohmee) June 1, 2020
She also calls for prison reform, “Our prison system needs reform, given its is built on the incarceration of black and brown people and immigrants to make money.”
“Private prisons need to be fully abolished to break cycles of inequality and violence,” she adds.
Our prison system needs reform, given its is built on the incarceration of black and brown people and immigrants to make money. Private prisons need to be fully abolished to break cycles of inequality and violence.
— Jennifer Scheurle (@Gaohmee) June 1, 2020
Towards the end of her thread, Scheurle then made it clear she was calling for a revolution.
She wrote, “You can already see where I’m going here. Revolution is not easy and it’s complicated and has many steps and many stages.”
Scheurle continued, “An interconnected System of racial inequality and violence seeps through many many systems. A police officer kneeling won’t change that. #BlackLivesMatter“
You can already see where I’m going here. Revolution is not easy and it’s complicated and has many steps and many stages. An interconnected System of racial inequality and violence seeps through many many systems.
A police officer kneeling won’t change that. #BlackLivesMatter
— Jennifer Scheurle (@Gaohmee) June 1, 2020
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Scheurle would then admit that her call for revolution would involve violence with “brawlers and protectors who have experience and are able to be at frontlines.”
She explained, “All revolutions have people with many roles and you need ALL of them!”
“Coordinators, people monitoring police movements, you need brawlers and protectors who have experience and are able to be at frontlines. Revolution is coorindation and unity,” she elaborated.
This is an excellent list.
All revolutions have people with many roles and you need ALL of them! Coordinators, people monitoring police movements, you need brawlers and protectors who have experience and are able to be at frontlines. Revolution is coordination and unity! #BLM https://t.co/6Qs6fDg72i
— Jennifer Scheurle (@Gaohmee) June 1, 2020
Scheurle’s work hasn’t been limited to ArenaNet’s Guild Wars 2. She previously was the Game Design Lead for Opaque Space where she worked with NASA to create VR/AR training and entertainment.
What do you think of Scheurle’s call for open revolution?