This is a post I really wish I didn't have to make.

I want to start things off by saying that I don't have any ill intentions for the Lock Legion, and I wish nobody to go attack the Legion for what I am going to say. I believe that the Lock Legion is able to change, but in it's current state, I cannot accept it.

Over the past few days, there has been a resurgence of activity in the Lock Legion, which is something that I was quite excited to see. The Legion has been in a state of dormancy this year, and I love it when we can all come together to create awesome stuff together. Unfortunately though, there have been some bad actors in our community. I'm not going to name names, but it is something that bugs me quite a bit.

Because the Lock Legion is such an old group, it's bound to happen that most people will join to reminisce about the old web, or just talk about the old days of the Lock Legion in general, and that is great... unfortunately, there is also the people who bring the old elements of the web that aren't as welcomed anymore, such as homophobia/transphobia, racism, sexism, and other such things.

I think the thing that annoys me the most about this is that they veil it under the disguise of "edginess", so it's completely okay somehow. It's the kind of "edginess" where it's just being a nuisance and saying slurs and shit like that. It's not okay, it never was okay, and it never will be.

And the thing that is irritating about it is that this kind of behavior... I wouldn't say is welcomed, but is tolerated. Because "Hey, that's what the old internet was like, right? This kind of thing is okay."

It has escalated to a point where people are just causally flaunting racist symbols and throwing around slurs like it's nothing, completely denying the history that these things hold all in the sake of "edginess". I have to stress that this is something that does NOT have to be grouped with the old web, it's just not necessary.

And that's what I feel is the biggest problem with the Lock Legion is right now, and that is this misunderstanding of what makes the Lock Legion special. I joined the Lock Legion because of how it was just brewing with creativity from all sorts of awesome people, and I just loved the community it brought. Yes, the Lock Legion is also a relic of the old web, but that's not all it is, and denying that it hasn't become something else entirely is just so ignorant.

Again, this is not everyone who is doing this, there are some awesome people in the Lock Legion who I really respect, and I wish nothing but the best for them... but the behavior that is being tolerated is absolutely not okay.

So that is why I am leaving.

I am leaving the Lock Legion, and I do not know whether or not I will be returning. I really want to return, don't get me wrong. My hope is that the Lock Legion learns from this, and betters itself for it. The Lock Legion means a lot to me, and is one of the things that got me into making cartoons in the first place. The community has taught me so much about how to use Flash, and has inspired me so much and influenced my animation style and my comedic timing. The Lock Legion actually got me my first frontpage and trophy, and I will forever be grateful for those things, and the things that the Legion has gave me over the years.

But I hope you all can understand why I don't want to be here anymore. It's just becoming something it's not, and it makes me so sad. I have seen many of my friends get scared off by the Lock Legion, and even attacked because of the behavior that some of these "edgelords" will use. I was afraid to come out for the longest time because of some of the people who were there. Many of my friends have stated to me that they feel discriminated most of the time in the Lock Legion, and don't feel safe there. And now people are defending symbols of a mass murderer, and I just cannot happily stand by. I don't want to be associated with this kind of behavior in the Lock Legion.

I will be leaving up my LL cartoons on my Newgrounds page, as I am still really proud of most of them, and it reminds me of the positive elements of the Lock Legion. Not to mention that they just have a lot of sentimental value to me.

I want to remind everyone to not attack anybody in the Lock Legion. They have their flaws, yes, but I really want to see them clean up their act. And if you do attack them, then you are worse than they could ever be.

I would love to come back in the future and make cartoons again alongside my buddies, but I just cannot accept this behavior.

-Jonah G.