Take recently, when Cristina Vee got dragged into this. Vee’s a voice actress who’s worked on the dubs of Mahou Shoujo Puella Magi Madoka Magica and the redo of Sailor Moon. She’s really talented, and she has many fans. She’s also half-Lebanese and half-Latino, making her identity unique. That she has a beautiful singing voice is also a plus, but that’s not relevant. Moving on.
Ever since October 7th, 2023, when Hamas attacked two kibbutzim in Israel, the ensuing conflict has resulted in polarization and toxicity. I’ve already shared my thoughts twice, three times if you include my exit letter from Twitter, but the situation hasn’t calmed down. If anything, it’s gotten worse! And nowhere is this more-apparent than in the armchair politics Lynda Carter warned everyone about. It’s gotten to the point where internet figures have made it into political football, which brings me back to Vee.
Cristina Vee recently wound up on a list of VAs who “openly support Israel” as a means of boycotting them. Ignoring how petty this was, Vee’s profile became public to accounts who harassed and threatened her. She even deactivated her Twitter account for her own safety. In other words, it got nasty. The lows we sink to…
This situation reeks of shamelessness. For one, no one knew what Vee’s personal politics were, so this was a hit job. And two, even if she was pro-Israel, so what? Not only is that common in the West, but it doesn’t justify a harassment and doxing campaign! Vee wasn’t inciting anyone! And she relies on Twitter for her PR. Why would you rob that based on a hunch?
I’d end here, but it was quickly revealed that Vee had been “wrongly targeted”. Instead of rectifying this, the account responsible made a poor public apology. When that didn’t work, they deactivated. So great, first a libellous rumour spread, and then the originator of it went AWOL. I’d be annoyed if I weren’t impressed by the brazenness.
Okay, a VA is attacked for something that was revealed to be untrue, and the culprit disappears. Surely this can’t get any dumber, right? Wrong. It turns out they had a friend that began white knighting their reputation, saying they were “sensitive” and “suicidal” and this was a “simple mistake”. I call bullocks. Knocking over a mug placed at the edge of a table and breaking it is a “simple mistake”. This isn’t that.
I’d end here, but it was quickly revealed that Vee had been “wrongly targeted”. Instead of rectifying this, the account responsible made a poor public apology. When that didn’t work, they deactivated. So great, first a libellous rumour spread, and then the originator of it went AWOL. I’d be annoyed if I weren’t impressed by the brazenness.
Okay, a VA is attacked for something that was revealed to be untrue, and the culprit disappears. Surely this can’t get any dumber, right? Wrong. It turns out they had a friend that began white knighting their reputation, saying they were “sensitive” and “suicidal” and this was a “simple mistake”. I call bullocks. Knocking over a mug placed at the edge of a table and breaking it is a “simple mistake”. This isn’t that.
Of course, it wasn’t enough to reverse the damage. Not only was a VA smeared over a lie, but the liar nuked their credibility. And then a third party shot their own respectability in the foot for coming to the liar’s defence. Are we sure we’re not in middle school here? Because this is something pre-teens would do.
If it sounds like I’m being harsh, it’s only because Vee has grounds for a defamation lawsuit. I’m not saying this because I’m a fan of hers, I’m saying it because this is an example of how toxic the internet can be. Ignoring who started this war, thousands of innocent civilians on both sides, Israeli and Palestinian, have been murdered and traumatized. On the Israeli side, health officials are preparing for potential pregnancies that resulted from rape on October 7th. And on the Palestinian side, think of how long it’ll take to rebuild The Gaza Strip.
The harshness of this war being offset by petty politics, therefore, is the biggest insult to injury. It also underscores how it’s broken the sensibilities of so many, leading to really disgusting fights and verbal sparring. To top it off, it’s ruined careers because people can’t mind their own business. It’s bad enough that Antisemitism and Islamophobia have skyrocketed since October 7th without people starting needless fires. That’s not productive, trust me.
If it sounds like I’m being harsh, it’s only because Vee has grounds for a defamation lawsuit. I’m not saying this because I’m a fan of hers, I’m saying it because this is an example of how toxic the internet can be. Ignoring who started this war, thousands of innocent civilians on both sides, Israeli and Palestinian, have been murdered and traumatized. On the Israeli side, health officials are preparing for potential pregnancies that resulted from rape on October 7th. And on the Palestinian side, think of how long it’ll take to rebuild The Gaza Strip.
The harshness of this war being offset by petty politics, therefore, is the biggest insult to injury. It also underscores how it’s broken the sensibilities of so many, leading to really disgusting fights and verbal sparring. To top it off, it’s ruined careers because people can’t mind their own business. It’s bad enough that Antisemitism and Islamophobia have skyrocketed since October 7th without people starting needless fires. That’s not productive, trust me.
Above all, this is a microcosm of how October 7th has given a machine gun worth of hate-ammo to some awful voices, both online and offline. There are people I once regarded as friends that I can no longer have good-faith conversations with because they refuse to acknowledge the pain that’s stemmed from this war. It hurts. It hurts, and what happened to Vee is why it hurts. Even ignoring that, it sidesteps the fact that Israelis and Palestinians aren’t going to magically disappear, so they need to learn to live side-by-side.
As for Cristina Vee? I’m hoping she reactivates her account, even if she has a presence on other platforms. Ignoring my many issues with Twitter, that site was part of her branding, and now it’s gone. And it’s gone for a dumb reason. That saddens me, and it should sadden everyone else. Because she deserved more.
That’s not what I can say of the person who ruined her reputation, someone I won’t name because I don’t want to add to this. However, if they really are suicidal and sensitive, then I have words of friendly advice: you want to not get into trouble? Don’t poke your nose where it doesn’t belong. I’m a sensitive person too, but this is low. And I’ve made some big mistakes online! It’s not worth making your life miserable, and I’m embarrassed that you dragged an innocent woman’s reputation through the mud. Do better.
As for Cristina Vee? I’m hoping she reactivates her account, even if she has a presence on other platforms. Ignoring my many issues with Twitter, that site was part of her branding, and now it’s gone. And it’s gone for a dumb reason. That saddens me, and it should sadden everyone else. Because she deserved more.
That’s not what I can say of the person who ruined her reputation, someone I won’t name because I don’t want to add to this. However, if they really are suicidal and sensitive, then I have words of friendly advice: you want to not get into trouble? Don’t poke your nose where it doesn’t belong. I’m a sensitive person too, but this is low. And I’ve made some big mistakes online! It’s not worth making your life miserable, and I’m embarrassed that you dragged an innocent woman’s reputation through the mud. Do better.
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