You remember the warrior march on the Argent Dawn server scheduled for tonight?

You probably don’t. No matter, go read up on it, we have time. *pours another strong one*

Anyhoo, I’m coming to you live from the Argent Dawn tea party. I had made a character on Argent Dawn a few days ago, because ffs, I didn’t want to get banned. So I logged in tonight, quietly, INNOCENTLY, reporting in as a rogue in support of my warrior brethren.

In the five minutes that I was logged on, this is what happened:

I was kicked from the game. I said nothing, I did nothing. There was a GM announcement and I was summarily kicked from the game. (pussies)

Obviously, screenshots will follow … Attempting to login again …

**UPDATE01** I’m like flipping CNN in Baghdad … Got back in to Argent Dawn. No GM in evidence althought the Warrior-created guild is now bugged so they can’t invite others to the guild. They are about to begin the march to Ironforge. It is a sea of naked gnomery, and I cannot adequately describe how horrifying a vision that is.

It’s curious to me. All the Argent Dawn residents that are spitting and cursing at our warrior brethren for choosing a peaceful march on Ironforge as their form of protest when … NONE OF THE AD RESIDENTS even had to be in the zone. Yet, many are here. They are using the general chat channel and /yell to taunt the warriors.

This indicates that the residents made some effort to be here. If they are so disinterested and against this nonviolent march, why are they here? Is this their counter-protest? More to follow …

**UPDATE01A** Well dammit, while I was typing Update01, I was kicked off the server. Do you see why I need an intern or an assistant of some sort?? … checking on the status …

**UPDATE02** There are at least 5 characters named Nurfed or Nerfed or Nerfmemore, and so I asked … Cosmik, is that you? I was checking to see if some legit press was in attendance or if it was just me, Champion of NeoGamingJournalism, in attendance. I didn’t get to hear a response before I was booted again from the server. So Cosmik, if that was you … “werd.”

Also, there are many, many fem gnomes with pink pigtails. This was disturbing to me.

Trying to login again …

**UPDATE03** Well, I tried to walk (walk, not run) from the dirf start area to Ironforge. I was ALMOST there, and was discussing Tiananmen Square with an Argent Dawn resident when I got kicked again. Now c’mon, I realize that Tiananmen Square and a Warcrack protest have almost nothing in common except this: all protesters are called kooks and mocked for their beliefs. Which is cool.

I said already, I’m a big fan of the protest. From a “Chaos is Fun” point of view, and also not much gets changed without someone saying, “this shit ain’t right.”

Trying to login again … (oh yes, I have plenty of screenshots) …

**UPDATE04** heh, the last thing I read before this disconnect was … HELL NO, WE WON’T GO. Well, what a day, what a release, what a protest this has been. Right before I was disco’d this time, there was a server going down message. And hey, that’s always a valid choice. Don’t bother with the fucking spin, go for taking the ball away.

It’s all cool, man.

The last screenshots I got were of dozens (was it hundreds? No one can know because the guild invite was inoperative … mysteriously … after they had many in the guild. Couldn’t get the full story from the protest leader as we both kept getting the disco.) … so let’s just say … dozens (OR MORE) gnomes jumping and dancing on the Ironforge bridge.

For the record, there were never any GM announcements other than the ones I screenshot prior to the scheduled protest time.

Trying to relog … more to follow … (you can’t get this kind of News You Can’t Use on the better blogs) …

**UPDATE05** Ok, I’m back in, and curiously, I’m back outside of Ironforge and have to recomplete my laborious walk to the IF bridge. GODDAMIT, who do I have to **** to get a mount in this game? Is it a pally?

… more will follow …

**UPDATE06** omg omg, there’s an actual GM character here now in Ironforge near the bridge. In 50-some levels, I have never seen an actual GM character EVER in this game.

This is me after I see the GM dude: umm, does anyone know where the auction house is in this city? (because I’m behind a good protest, but I’m not willing to give up 50-some levels for somebody else’s class.)

And I’d say, also, that … CURIOUSLY, but maybe it’s innocently … there are almost no gnomes left now. As I said, I made a dwarf. Before, there were at least 100 gnomes. Now, there’s 2 on the bridge. Could be coincidence, if you’re the kind that believes in that. Could be not.

… more to come …

**UPDATE07** PROTEST DOWN! PROTEST DOWN! GM Xan-something (was it Xanax? that would be deliciously ironic) said that all level one gnome warriors would have their accounts suspended if they didn’t logoff post-haste. Cuz y’know, fuck the spin, they’re bringing out the big guns to deal with this shit.

To sum up, before the I post the dozens of screenshots (sans names, because you won’t find Foton aiding and abetting The Man in banning people for speaking their mind in a very colorful and entertaining way), the protest had an impact. Passions were inflamed. Obviously, the power of the pen (as it were) is invoked.

Several Argent Dawn residents queried if MLK, Jr would be ashamed. As they proposed, there is Protest, and there is protest. Nothing less will do.

I would disagree. I think every great protester would agree that he/she never understood another’s position, yet recognized their zeal to protest. Of course, the warrior plight in Warcraft is NOTHING in the sum of things.

And yet. And yet. And yet.

And yet, if we all agree that the power of the pen is nothing … if we all agree that protest means nothing … if we all turn our backs on anothers’ plight … are we part of the solution? Or are we part of the problem?

Ya, I realize, warriors in Warcraft are nothing. But, I’m a big fan of the Boston Tea Party.

Y’see, protests put it all in your face. You decide. Is it Jihad, in a very “I hate America because they can feed everyone 233 times over” kind of way? Or, is it maybe something that deserves some (any) attention?

Because, fuck. When a group of people take the time to organize and march, I dunno … I pay attention. Passion is so rare in this time and age. They love your game. They want to love it more. They want to love it completely. Apparently, there’s a problem here.

Passion, it’s so rare. Seems a shame to waste it.