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Magic: The Gathering Pro Reid Duke Apologizes For "Causing Pain" in the MTG Community


Just a couple of weeks after Magic: The Gathering professional player Reid Duke was inducted to the Magic Hall of Fame, the American MPL (Magic Pro League) member took it to Twitter to aplogize for the things he's said or did not say regarding the way his former teammate Owen Turtenwald allegedly "treated people".

In March, Kotaku reported about allegations of sexual harassment and/or other misconduct by Turtenwald, who by at that time was a well-known Magic pro player. Wizards of the Coast replaced his spot at the Mythic Invitational, and Autumn Burchett replaced his Magic Pro League position shortly after.

Turtenwald's former teammates Reid Duke and William "Huey" Jensen didn't address the issue around that time, but when Turtenwald apologized for his "terrible mistakes" in August, Duke tweeted a response to show his support for his friend. "True healing will come from actions rather than from words," Duke said. "In the last 11 months I've watched Owen make great strides in becoming a healthier person. I believe in my friend's ability to better himself and become a positive influence on those around him."

Although Duke's message was in positive light, some Twitter users criticized him for not addressing Turtenwald's alleged misconduct, and now he posted his apology on Twitter.

"I'm sorry for causing pain with the things I've said," Duke wrote. "I'm also sorry for what I haven't said--which I now realize can be just as serious. The truth is that the way Owen treated people was wrong, and that point is well understood between him and me. Any support I offer him is for the sake of the better person that I know he can be--and not to defend the conduct of his worst moments. I want MTG to be connected with safe spaces where everyone can feel welcome. I still want to be a resource for my friend to work through a terrible chapter of his life. But I also care deeply about our community, and recognize my choices have not been conducive to healing. I'm sorry that I haven't always put the community first this past year."

Well-said, Duke. His apology sounded sincere, and his attitude shows why many fans consider him to be a role model in the MTG community, and more importantly, a great friend to his former teammate. Despite the toxic resopnses to this apology on Twitter, many have accepted the apology with some fans even saying that he didn't need to sweat it.


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