Sonic Boom Protests

Ongoing The things described in this article are still happening, or are still being looked into. As a result, it may be subject to frequent change, and the information provided may not be entirely reliable.

Remember kids: always effect change through vandalism. What could go wrong?

While everyone else was posting on Facebook about less important political concerns, Chris decided that the most important issue facing the world, today, was to instead rabidly protest Sega's decision to make Sonic's arms blue in their latest non-canon game in the series. He is so passionate about this supposed defamation of his favorite video game character that he has gone so far as to write incoherent, rambling letters to Sega, throw tantrums about it on Facebook, and even threaten the lives of Sega employees. His angry, incoherent letters to Sega clearly show that Chris's prolonged estrangement from reality is at its apotheosis, and that concepts such as civility, moderation and channelling anger in any way that doesn't involve ranting like a child throwing a tantrum are by now completely alien concepts to Chris, or at least go out the window whenever he's annoyed. Unfortunately, unlike previous bouts of anger where Chris would film himself or take to social media to rage at his target, in this instance, he decided to take a hands-on approach to it, by vandalizing copies of Sonic Boom wherever he sees them. This would eventually lead to the infamous 26 December 2014 incident, which saw him pepper-spray a Gamestop employee and winding up in jail.

It remains unclear whether or not he will boycott Sonic Boom or just buy the games and watch the show like the consumerist lemming he is. Given his irrational hatred and acts of vandalism towards otherwise available games, the former is more likely.

Protests

Sonic's Arms Hatred: The Backstory

Chris's hatred for Sonic's blue arms started in February, when the first advertisements for the TV show appeared. In December he offered the following chronology:

3 December 2014 I have just received a question from one of my girl friends: "So, I'm curious, where did you hear about this blue-armed Sonic Issue? Is it something you discovered on your own, or is it a bigger issue in the Sonic community?" To best answer this question, and to VERY MUCH my visual dismay and further recollection: I HAVE been feeling this SINCE Last February. I needed to search for the ONE Announcement Trailer Video of the DAMN TV Show. I Remember finding it for myself on either Facebook through SEGA's feed, or on YouTube through the video recommendations, on my laptop, as we were moving into the temporary house. I felt UTTER Shock at the sight of the Blue Arms on Sonic immediately as I watched it for the first time that day in Early February, 2014; This Year. I was too busy and stressed from collecting as much as possible from the burnt house, and bringing them either to our Storage Unit, and this house's basement I had not thought about the issue much, UNTIL Last June or July with the E3 Trailers being presented on the SEGA and Sonic Facebook Pages! Since Then, I have continuously protested the Blue Arms by commenting and messaging them that "Sonic's Arms are NOT Blue!!!" And among which, I have Warned Them that this sort of thing would NOT end well for them, and it was, and still is, a Very Bad Idea!!! So, in short: I watched the damn trailer last February, I felt Pissed Off Then, I relearned about it last June or July: I Still felt Very Pissed Off, and NOW I am continually Growing and GROWING More Angry and PISSED OFF AT SEGA, NINTENDO AND CARTOON NETWORK AND EVERYONE ELSE INVOLVED THERE!!! I have Contacted SEGA and Commented NUMEROUSLY with MONTHS worth of time. They ignored me, Not Responded or Done Anything about it at all, and therefore the time for Talk IS LONG DONE AND OVERWITH!!! AND WE NEED ACTION UPON SEGA AND SONIC BOOM NOW MORE THAN EVER!!! Thank you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_A3e2bl334

For all the agitation and violence, Chris has never clearly explained exactly why this particular alteration to this particular cartoon character makes him so furious. The closest he came was in a June Facebook post:

“

I only just heard and seen the ugly change a few weeks ago, and I had too many other stresses going on to act earlier. Why do I feel this way? The same reason why many people feel Michael Jackson should not have had to change his color. Would you want to change your skin detail, just for a "change of image" or an "insecurity of self-concept"? I would not even commit suicide ever, because of how low in self-confidence and self-esteem I have been feeling for YEARS. I'm going to eventually pass natural. So let's get Sonic's arm color changed back!

”

He returned to the Michael Jackson analogy in November, arguing that "this Blue Arm Travesty is as Gosh Awful as Michael Jackson's whiteface thing!" He was careful to add, "Nothing personal against the Pop Star singer....And nothing personal against anyone of any Race or Color either."

While it is difficult to decipher Chris’s garbled sentences, it is clear that his fury is linked to his belief that Sonic, like all cartoon characters, is real and lives in a parallel universe. Like many autistic people, Chris is resistant to change, especially when it is forced upon him. Chris would not change (“commit suicide”) even in the face of tremendous hardship. Sonic, however, like the King of Pop, was forced to change for trivial reasons like “image.” Sonic has been Chris’s lifelong hero with whom he identifies strongly, so he has taken this injustice very personally. He assumes that countless millions feel the same way.

At other times, however, Chris has latched onto the idea that the blue arms cause him "sensory overload." While this is a real issue for autistics, it's obvious that what Chris really means is that the very idea that Sonic has blue arms make him apoplectic. If sensory overload was a real issue, all he would need to do is avoid Sonic Boom. The truth is that Chris believes that Sega is abusing his best friend, and it wounds him deeply.

The Second Season

After discovering that the Sonic Boom is renewed for a second season, Chris posted on Facebook to complain about it again.

5 December 2014 A Second Season of the ‪#‎SonicBoom‬ show with those, UGH!!!, Blue Arms?!!! Hell No!!! Boycott ‪#‎CartoonNetwork‬ With Me!!! Refuse to Watch the channel!!! Refuse to go to their Website for Any Reason as well!!! And TELL THEM TO PULL THE DAMN CARTOON FROM THE AIR AND FORCE ‪#‎SEGA‬ TO RECOLOUR SONIC'S ARMS BACK IMMEDIATELY!!! http://www.gamnesia.com/news/sonic-boom-cartoon-is-very-successful-second-season-confirmed

Spreading the Good Word

5 December 2014 Also, Spreading the good word around; commenting and messaging others as I have? Copy/Paste the following short-but-direct message, with the link below: SONIC'S ARMS ARE NOT BLUE, AND THEY SERIOUSLY CAUSE SENSORY OVERLOADS IN ME!!! SEGA NEEDS TO RECALL EVERYTHING SONIC BOOM AND CHANGE SONIC'S ARM COLOUR BACK IMMEDIATELY!!! FOLLOW ME IN BOYCOTTING SONIC BOOM, UNTIL SEGA WISES UP, RECALLS EVERYTHING AND CHANGES HIS ARM COLOUR BACK, NOW!!! Join My Group, FIX SONIC'S ARMS IMMEDIATELY, SEGA!!!, and Sign Our Petition NOW!!! https://www.facebook.com/groups/fixSonicsArmsImmediatelySEGA/

Greatest Mistake Ever

7 December 2014 Follow My Lead to Force SEGA to Wise Up and Fix Their Greatest Mistake Ever!!!

Chris later on posted a link to this post to his Facebook group:

EVERYONE! I am going to hand-write to SEGA about this matter, and I have just called their 1-800 number and left a message last night. I will call again middle of this coming week if they do not call me back. I am urging everyone in the group to write and/or telephone SEGA as well, and INSIST and DEMAND upon them to Recall Everything Sonic Boom, including the cartoon and video games, and Change Sonic's Arm Colour Back Immediately!!! Suggest for them to do the following: -Recall ALL remaining stock of the Sonic Boom Games and Merchandise from ALL of the stores carrying them. -On the eSHOPS, IMMEDIATELY change the initial software to reflect Sonic with his original Tan Colour Arms, as well ALL video and imagery therein on there. -Replace ALL of their imagery and videos on their official websites and pages to reflect Sonic with the original tan colour arms as well. -IMMEDIATELY create NEW game Cards, Discs AND Inserts with Sonic's original tan colour arms. And on the software, the arm colour MUST be there INITIALLY; BEFORE any downloaded Software Updates. -INSTILL downloadable Software Updates for all of the already sold games to reflect Sonic Initially with tan colour arms as well. -REMOVE the Sonic Boom Cartoon from the Television and Internet airwaves, and change ALL of the Season One Episodes for Sonic to have his Original Tan Colour Arms, and Initially make that default in ALL following Seasons of episodes, including the Second Season. -AND They Must Announce this Recall and Update, As well as Apologies to Every Individual Person who Has Found Little to GREATEST Offense in the new Arm Colour, IMMEDIATELY, WORLDWIDE BROADCAST AND IN PRINTED MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS EVERYWHERE!!! Also, copy and paste the following true statement in your letters and telephone conversations: "The very sight of Sonic's Blue Arms makes our ally, Christian Weston Chandler of Ruckersville, VA, suffer from consistent Sensory Overloads. Upon seeing them, his brain immediately shuts down into a momentary to lengthy (depending on how long he is forced to displeasingly endure the horrific sight) state of mental paralysis. Combined with his Autism, he only gets more angry as each day passes with this pair of blue arms still remains. Either the Change back to him having tan colored arms happens IMMEDIATELY, or he and our THOUSANDS to MILLIONS of allies in the Sonic the Hedgehog Loyal Fanbase will only get more Angry and Outraged to the point of coming right over there to your office and doing something Very Bad there." Also, if somehow you have managed to receive a copy of either Sonic Boom game (no questions asked), you should SMASH the Game Disc and or Game Card, and enclose the pieces with your Letter to SEGA of America. To show them that we are Very Serious and Passionate towards Rectifying their mistake in changing Sonic's arm colour. Below is their address, and Customer Support phone number; LET'S GIVE THEM HELL AND BACK IN FORCING THEM TO WISE UP AND CHANGE SONIC'S ARMS BACK IMMEDIATELY!!! [REDACTED] ‪#‎SEGA‬ ‪#‎SonicTheHedgehog‬ ‪#‎SonicBoom‬ ‪#‎Nintendo‬ ‪#‎CartoonNetwork‬ ‪#‎GameStop‬ ‪#‎ToysRUs‬ ‪#‎WalMart‬ ‪#‎Target‬ ‪#‎BestBuy‬ ‪#‎WiiU‬ ‪#‎Wii‬ ‪#‎3DS‬ ‪#‎DS‬ ‪#‎DSi‬ ‪#‎AmyRose‬ ‪#‎Tails‬ ‪#‎Knuckles‬ ‪#‎Robotnik‬ ‪#‎Eggman‬

Pickle Joke

In Chris's new "FIX SONIC'S ARMS BACK" Facebook group, Chris posted about the pickle joke in the show, surprisingly being neutral about it.

10 December 2014 I know well I said not to talk about the show much, or post any spoilers. This time, though, I am willing to make this exception. I have heard that in the show, Sonic ordered a sandwich with no pickles, but is served the sandwich with extra pickles. I feel neutral/indifferent about the joke. But my friend read a bit into it as a possible reference to myself, as well as a possible middle finger gesture to me from SEGA. Being Serious and Sincere, no sarcasm or jokes: what do y'all think/feel from this lame pickled vegetable joke? Answer in the comments of this post.

For Christ's and God's Sake

Chris shared another of SEGA's Facebook posts, this time about introducing the main character, and Chris as usual complained about his blue arms.

12 December 2014 For Christ's and God's Sake, PLEASe CHANGE HIS ARM COLOUR BACK IMMEDIATELY, SEGA!!!

E-mail to SEGA

On 12 December 2014, Chris contacted SEGA Customer Service via e-mail about Sonic's blue arms, noting a "HeXBox -Loving INTERNET TROLL" that impersonated him before.

Ticket #137668: SONIC'S ARMS ARE. NOT BLUE!!!: Hello, Thank you for contacting Sega of America Customer Service. Your request (#137668) has been received, and is being reviewed by our support staff. Response times may vary, but typically you will hear back from us within the same business day. Our agents are on hand from 9AM to 5PM Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Friday (with the exception of US national holidays). Requests received over the weekend will be answered the following Monday. To review the status of this request and add additional comments, follow the link below: http://help.sega.com/requests/137668 You may also reply via email.

Chrischansonichu, Nov 20 00:07: Listen, I DID NOT contact you initially with the message there. That was a HeXBox -Loving INTERNET TROLL PRETENDING TO BE ME. But since I have your attention now, I will bring it up directly with you now. MONTHS NOW, Sonic's Arms Being Blue has SERIOUSLY BEEN BOTHERING ME! They have caused me sensory overload Every Time I see them! They Have To Be Changed Back Now!!! I have contacted SEGA via their Facebook page, as well as the Sonic the Hedgehog Facebook page. Please see attached screen cap photos. PLEASE RECALL EVERYTHING SONIC BOOM RIGHT NOW AND CHANGE HIS ARM COLOUR BACK!!! Or I will Do Worse!!! I am still Very Pissed Off that no one has Fixed the Monstrosity that is Changing Sonic's Arm Color! I am Boycotting the Sonic Boom Games and TV Show and the Toys, minus the two I bought to illustrate my point, and everything else of it. FIX SONIC'S ARM COLOR NOW, or I CONTINUE TO RANT, RAVE, BOYCOTT AND COMPLAIN!!!! SERIOUSLY!!! IF I FIND EITHER SONIC BOOM GAME ON ANY SHELVES IN THE STORES, WITH SONIC'S ARMS STILL BLUE, I WILL BE GOING SOO FUCKING CRAZY TO PREVENT EVERYONE FROM SEEING THE BLUE ARM MONSTROSITY!!! DO YOU HEAR ME, SEGA?! I WOULD TOTALLY BOYCOTT A N CHANNEL AND ENCOURAGE EVERYONE ELSE TO DO THAT AS WELL!!! WISE UP NOW AND RECALL EVERYTHING SONIC BOOM NOW, and maybe I would close the group and the petition and give y'all my money as well. AND THIS IS MORE THAN JUST SOFTWARE UPDATES!!! YOU RECALL ALL OF THE WIIU AND 3DS GAMES, AND CHANGE THE ARM COLOURS IN THE GAME INSERTS, AND CHANGE THE ARM COLOURS IN THE INITIAL SOFTWARE DISCS AND CARTRIDGES, PRE-UPDATE!!! AND PULL THE CARTOON AND CHANGE THE ARM COLOURS IN EVERY SINGLE EPISODE OF THE N SHOW! AND RECALL ALL OF THE SONIC PLUSHES AND FIGURES FROM THE STORES, AND CHANGE HIS ARM COLOUR ON EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM AS WELL!!! DO IT ALL NOW, OR THERE WILL BE SERIOUS SENSORY DAMAGE AND THEN SOME HELL TO PAY!!!

The forces of CWCville besiege GameStop

Main article: GameStop Assault

On 26 December, Chris violated a previous ban from GameStop by not only entering the store, but vandalizing a Sonic Boom display, then macing an employee who was calling security on the way out. All of this was recorded by a presumably bewildered bystander, and was uploaded to Tumblr the next day. Within two days of his attack, Chris was incarcerated in Albemarle Jail, awaiting a hearing on 29 December for his crimes.