One of my all time favorite speakers, Ms. Kathy Sierra, today announced she was canceling her speaking engagement at ETech after having received numerous death threats. She (very bravely, might I add) posted the ordeal (a word of caution: it’s pretty graphic) on her site as a cry for help in what appears to be a world gone mad.

I’ve had the good fortune of hearing Kathy speak at South by Southwest the past two years and she is easily the most engaging and personable speaker at the conference. I haven’t had the privilege of meeting her in person, but if her off-stage presence is anything like her on-stage persona, she is one of the smartest and kindest people on the planet.

She, nor does anyone else, deserve to be treated in the manner that these rogue (and allegedly “A-list”) bloggers have treated her.

I’m unsure of what this all means in the grand scheme of things. I simply want to voice my support for someone who has inspired me and countless others through her words and writing. Kathy, you may not know all of us, but we’ve got your back.