I've read a couple of those articles too. Here are my convoluted thoughts.

It's really really really hard to recognize your own position of privilege. I'm going to use privilege and power pretty much interchangeably.

If you don't know what I'm talking about with privilege, read this classic article about white privilege: http://www.amptoons.com/blog/files/mcintosh.html

We all have privilege to differing degrees because of factors not entirely within our control such as race, socio-economic status, ability, business acumen, sexuality, gender, and a bunch of different factors.

I'm white and thus have some privilege. I've walked into an innercity, predominently black school on library business and been waived past security measures. The black father behind me bringing a forgotten lunch (who looked like he belonged more than me) went through the metal detectors and an extended questioning to get into the school.

I don't have power/privilege because of my gender. My brother and I lived in the same dorm years apart. I was routinely harassed by guys in cars and on foot at a certain intersection near that dorm. There were times at night it wasn't safe for me to walk alone. They actually had a safety patrol so I didn't have to. My brother never had this issue. However because of my sexuality, I have the privilege of talking about my life partner and people assume the correct gender.

We all have differing levels of privilege. It varies from situation to situation.

The Penny Arcade guys were bullied growing up. There they lacked the power because of (I don't know but guessing) lack of social acumen and athletic ability (or whatever, just going with the two most common). In some ways, they still see themselves as victims. Many of their fans likely (again going with stereotypes and typical social patterns) were similarly bullied as children/young adults. And all the fanboys who rally around the dickwolves also still see themselves as victims, but this time they can fight back.

No one ever sees themselves as the bully. We tend to focus on our lack of privilege, not our actual power. This is why you see a superstar/athlete/tycoon crying about how "mean" the media is to them. And why the Penny Arcade creators who wield incredible power in their corner of the universe can utterly fail to see how they are now the bully. How they and their fans can still cry "oppression" and "free speech".

You laughed at the joke in that context. That doesn't make you a bad person. Penny Arcade made the joke becuase they have never been that type of victim. They've never had to call a safety patrol because they were afraid to walk across campus. And they never consoled a friend who was raped on the anniversary of that rape. That makes them thoughtless, but not bad people. When this was pointed out to them, they should have done a mea culpa and ended it. It was their response they propelled them into the stratosphere of douchery.

No one is saying they don't have the freedom of speech to write these things, but maybe they need to think about it a bit harder. And they need to recognize that they are now in the position of power. As one of the former bullied, they should be more likely to take the side of the bullied. But we all know that isn't how the world usually works.

I am more concerned about the time they actively covered up a sexual assault on one of their volunteers. In the links here: http://elizabethsampat.com/quit-fucking-going-to-pax-already-what-is-wrong-with-you/ (elizabethsampat.com)

I'm afraid the "bullied young men turn to bullying online" is so common that it is frustrating and almost dull. Relevant: Weev and the cult of angry young men. http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/12/4693710/the-end-of-kindness-weev-and-the-cult-of-the-angry-young-man (www.theverge.com)

The better question is how do we raise the next generation to be more empathetic and compassionate people. Becuase I've written off anyone over the age of 12 by this point.