Opinions are mad, beautiful things.

We all have them, and they all mean a lot to us The desire for our beliefs to be true and righteous is a powerful one, but we cannot let it blind us to true discussion.

The petition to have Carolyn Petit, a perfectly capable writer, fired from GameSpot due to her opinions on videogames such as The Last of Us and Persona 4 is shameful. It is almost the thesis statement on the entitled, angry mob a small subset of the gaming community has become. People who wish to crush discussions on art, to squash the growth and breadth of gaming as a medium, all to further their own desires and ideologies.

Instead, there should be a desire to embrace and challenge differing opinions. Not in a hostile way, but in a way that fosters discussion and respect rather than trampling all over it and demanding certain viewpoints be stripped away. To demand the firing of Carolyn Petit is a petty, unsophisticated and an unbecoming approach. There should be a civil dialogue, a discussion on what certain games mean to us and why.

I don't believe either of these petitions will influence the outcome of GameSpot's firing and hiring policy, so this petition is more a philosophical one. If you believe in debate, in the examination of other thoughts and feelings, please sign this petition. I and many others love The Last of Us and Persona 4, but we understand that it is okay for others to disagree. In writing her objections, Carolyn Petit attempted to open a dialogue, and to slam the door in her face and demand your voice be the only one heard is disrespectful not only to her, but to the maturity of this wonderful art form.

Thank you.