WARNING. Do NOT click on the links ‘Kathy Sierra’ or ‘DISTURBING AND VILE STUFF’ if you don’t want to see the death threats Kathy has been receiving.
Kathy Sierra, a delightful and entertaining marketing blogger and tech book author whom I’ve quoted here, has stopped blogging and cancelled her speaking engagements.
She wrote a harrowing post about weird and disturbed death threats on her blog – which were then repeated on two other blogs – owned by people who were also well known tech bloggers. (This is DISTURBING AND VILE STUFF– be forwarned.)
These are all vicious attacks on her – as a woman. Yes, anyone who has a point of view and expresses it in print will get disagreements and often, personal attacks. I’ve had them here. But death and sexual threats?
Robert Scoble, another well-known tech blogger whom I’ve quoted here, has gone on a writing strike in support of Kathy, taking the week off. His wife Maryam was threatened too.
Another prominent woman blogger, Michelle Malkin, also a death-threatened veteran, posted her experiences with the “unhinged internet underworld.”
The BBC has picked up on Kathy’s story.
This is pretty disturbing stuff affecting women who are having an impact and making a difference. How much free speech is OK?
What a sad world we live in. I can’t understand what these ladies must be feeling.
What can we do to help?
Nancy Carlson
http://www.perfectmombusiness.com
My guess is that the threats are from someone who is upset and unsettled that women aren’t second class citizens any more.
(Just this week there was an article in the WSJ about the increase in corporate-type events geared towards women, i.e., visiting the spa instead of playing golf.)
I’m sure this makes some people feel threatened.
— Walter Reade (from Appleton, WI)
Walter@NMC
http://www.NuOpportunity.com
I don’t know what to say about this so I’ll follow Nancy’s lead and just ask,
What can we do to help?
Robin
I had heard stories of teenagers bashing each other on websites having serious emotional consequences for the victim, usually female. I thought this was due to insecure kids who lash out their anger and negativity while being cloaked by the internet.
Reading about this being done by adults is disgusting and disturbing.
Isn’t there a way to moderate those responses on a website? I think these vile kind of people have always existed, but now they have a way to get a huge audience and stay anonymous. How scary is that?
It is very sad indeed.
There are some really sick people out there.
If kathy reads this…You are in our prayers Kathy.
Be well.
Matthew Adams
There are some strange people out there. I imagine they are in it for the shock factor. Wanna be “shock jocks” are everywhere.
I have to recommend Kathy NOT give up on spreading her message. I read her post and the articles are good. Giving up and hiding in her house gives fuel to the “terrorist’s” fire.
She needs a moderator site where comments can be reviewed first. Or create a member site where you have to belong to comment.
Obviously these guys are looking for attention. They are getting it. Let’s focus on promoting great writers and NOT give any energy to,… that junk. What we focus on bets BIGGER.
Hurry Kim… write something very inspirational or FUN to undo the horrible feelings this issue is creating, please?
Blessings to Kathy.
Lisa Dingel
http://MammaLisa.SuccessIn10Steps.com
Wow.
This topic is very dear to my heart.
I saw the disturbing original post. Kathy’s situation truly boggles the mind, and saddens the soul.
Women are in many ways exploited and treated as second class citizens, especially in the work place. That’s why women’s salaries still tend to be significantly lower than men’s for the same position.
This lack of respect for women even happens in NM – Although networking is over 80% women, it is mainly men
who are showcased as leaders in the industry.
However, on top of economic consequences, strong women like Kathy are threatened. There is so much sexual and other violence against women that never gets into the media. If it did, it would send shock waves into our society. We only seem to hear about the most freakish and bizarre cases.
So many women are stalked and threatened, both by men they know and do not know.
Bloggers have become celebrities in their own right. Just like with any sort of fame, Kathy’s situation brilliantly illustrates that if you become too much in the public eye, you can attract the stalkers and freaks. The internet seems to certainly be a magnet for them.
Certainly a word of caution for women doing business and NM – be very watchful of who you recruit as reps and customers.
Cheers,
Rani
These people are everywhere…now ME…I would react to them…the way that they reacted to me…it is probably just sour grapes!
Where are the internet police when you need them!?!?!?!?!
Smiles and world peace,
Sharon
~The Baby Boomer Queen~
http://www.BabyBoomerAdvisorClub.com
I don’t mean to be callous or in any way minimize what Kathy is going through. It is a true hell. However, she doesn’t have to let them do this to her. She can control her own thought life and she can control her own fears. She doesn’t have to let them win.
A long-standing fact of life is that success and high profile draws gooney-birds. It is so common as to be cliché. I don’t know why people pursuing success never seem to be prepared for it. Yes, women get the tired old mysogynistic (sp?) rape/conquering thing. Black women get that with racist slurs. Men in general get the bunny-boilers and the castrators. Black men get that PLUS the racist “boy” hate mess. It’s boringly predictable, and yet it works to knock the wind out of the sails of too many good people, far too often.
FWIW, my advice to Kathy, and anybody else being stalked online or offline–get licensed to carry, and let it be widely known that you have a predilection to shoot first and ask questions later. Not enough bravado to draw a dare, only enough for the idiots to know that you just MIGHT be more imbalanced than they are, and that they should tread lightly. They’re all cowards and talk big, but rarely warm up to the prospect of having parts of their body blown off IRL. Of course, this must never be said to them or in their forum. Just widely known, and very understated, a quiet fact. Learning a little martial arts wouldn’t hurt, either. It worked for my DD from elementary and middle school, where public school violence is legend. It also helped in the work place, where she was punched by a guy once “as a joke.” A well-placed kick near one perp’s ear made certain that little so-called “joke” never happened again.
The higher the volume gets turned up on our individual lives, the more we must protect ourselves, physically and emotionally. Quietly sic the police on the crackhead idiots when they emerge–and they always do–and take extra precautions in your everyday life with your family. Let ONLY THE POLICE know how upsetting this is to you. Take careful notes, document dates and pass them on immediately to the police…every time. Get legal counsel now, in case you have to pursue it through the courts. Do what he/she says, unless of course counsel wants to make a big media thing out of it and turn you into a public victim. Victim mentality never really wins. Meanwhile, maintain every bit of the high profile as before and never, EVER let the sickos know what their petty little tricks are doing to you. Otherwise, they win.
Oh, and yes, I was stalked for years, murder threatened and attempted countless times–dating back to my childhood–with significant (and significantly insane) male figures in my life. You cannot depend upon the LE or the legal system to protect you. You have to do that yourself. Mainly, you do not have to let them win. You have a choice daily, to be pitiful or to be powerful. What’ll it be?
Honestly, some days I don’t do so well. Some days I let my fears get the best of me and those days I may well pull the blinds and hide. I never tell anybody, lest the crazies find out, and so those closed-blind days are fewer and fewer. I have found my peace. Kathy, wherever you are–this peace is what I want for you, strong lady. You have far too much brilliance to contribute to let this little speed bump mess up your head.
I think that people like those bloggers is why women are under represented in world politics and they cannot win for ever we have to stand up, because if u are a woman you have to realize that women have come a long way from a time when we were not allowed to vote to a time when we were in position and now a period where we are running for presidential roles in powerfull countries and in the future when we will actually become world leaders, people are bound to fight and hate, when they smell change. kathy please dont give up, hillary faught hard beside the men and paved the way and now she is one of the most powerfull women in the world, she has paved the way, there are women out there that are with you and I am one of them. BE STRONG ITS THE ONLY WAY FORWARD DONT MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE THEY CAN DO THIS EVERYTIME AND WIN.we are counting on you and fighting with you.
I think that people like those bloggers is why women are under represented in world politics and they cannot win for ever we have to stand up, because if u are a woman you have to realize that women have come a long way from a time when we were not allowed to vote to a time when we were in position and now a period where we are running for presidential roles in powerfull countries and in the future when we will actually become world leaders, people are bound to fight and hate, when they smell change. kathy please dont give up, hillary faught hard beside the men and paved the way and now she is one of the most powerfull women in the world, she has paved the way, there are women out there that are with you and I am one of them. BE STRONG ITS THE ONLY WAY FORWARD DONT MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE THEY CAN DO THIS EVERYTIME AND WIN.