Comments on: What freedom to assemble?

By: jtb-in-texas

jtb-in-texas — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 22:43:42 +0000

Apparently the world did not end. Barack Obama was elected and GOP right-wingers didn’t storm the gates of the Electoral College bitterly clinging to guns, Bibles, or those cute little handi-wipes Tony Roma’s used to pass out when you ordered ribs…

Maybe the Minnesota Police over-reacted because of the demonstrations in Colorado and at the previous Conventions?

Maybe we can all breath a bit easier no and get back to Steampunk fiction, not the political hyperbole?

By: Julia Murray

Julia Murray — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 12:44:27 +0000

having just heard of steampunk yesterday (literally) and having been on many sides of many political debates (also at many levels of “society”) i hope that the editors? of the magazine do not shortsightedly discourage some possibly misguided or misinformed people from being readers. Ignorance, though not a social value is a fact in everybody’s lives, and no one needs to make enemies or unfortunate distinctions based on thinking that some people must be more ignorant than others just because of their overt political alignment. If steam -era culture or a reimagination of it is to provide a guide to surviving these days, then i for one prefer not to prejudge anyone for being mistaken in one aspect, because they may be vital and inspiring and non-destructive in others. Let’s keep the possibilities endless. You never know what direction will prove helpful as the surveillance/security state(s) reformulate themselves.

STEAM: hot air applied to make life better for ALL. That’s proper Victorian (steam) utopianism .

By: SC

SC — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:00:13 +0000

Another response to JC, respectfully, in regards to what steampunk is. It is a combination of two words. If you came here looking for the ‘steam’ part, there is plenty of that to find in articles about gadgets, gizmos, and gaslights. But there is also that ‘punk’ word. Punk is politics, among other things. For example, Punk rock isn’t just rock, it’s politically charged. The politics of steampunk may not be your politics, and that is fine. Everyone has the capacity to read something, even if they disagree with it, and then to choose what to retain. Just like you can listen to punk rock because you like the guitar solos, even if you disagree with the message. If you want to retain just the steam part of steampunk, that’s fine. But this is a steampunk magazine, so there will be punk politics.

I don’t think Admin was trying to alienate Gary, but I do think they were frustrated with his lack of an attempt to understand the issue and subsequent brush off of the magazine. They did not actually say “I neither need nor want readers like Gary, and I’m better off without them,” they said they wouldn’t be sorry he wasn’t reading anymore. They aren’t garnering for people to buy the magazine, so they don’t need to taylor to an audience. They write what they write, and if people don’t want to read it, they don’t have to. What they’re saying is they won’t lose any sleep at night for losing a Gary or two here and there.

That said, I’m glad you took the time to play devil’s advocate, JC, it shows you’re willing to think about the issue and present your argument in a way that Gary did not. I hope you keep reading the magazine.

By: Capt Varg

Capt Varg — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:59:30 +0000

Back in the ’60′s, the public saw the police use fire hoses and attack dogs on peaceful marchers in Selma, AL the public was shocked and they turned in favor of the marchers. But when Anarchist riot in the streets and the public sees them throwing stones at the police the public side with the police. So why shouldn’t I find it ironic, when I read about Anarchist complaining that their civil rights are not being respected under the law?

In 2000 someone asked Michel Jordan why he didn’t publicly endorse Al Gore, he said, “Because Republicans buy shoes with my name on them too.”

By: Jesse

Jesse — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 23:14:15 +0000

Odd that there was no response from the admin based on JC’s post. Frankly, I couldn’t agree more.

I see this world slowly slipping away and moving on to something superficial and indifferent… but I don’t see it as the boogey man coming to take my children. It’s a “progressive” trend towards immorality, vanishing of rights, expansion of personal pleasures and further seperation between the classes. It’s not the evil republicans at the RNC. It’s not the current administration, or the new one on November 7th. It’s not the military, the police, or the gangs.

It’s all of them, in a way. And it’s you and me. The world is dying, and as much as I’d like to think there’s a head at the end of the snake that’s controlling it all… the further you take your hands and run it down the snake’s body, the more you realize that you’re just going in circles. There is no “One World” agenda. There is no plot by the republicans to take over the world. Underneath that devil’s mask is another mask that looks like my face, and under that… is one that looks like yours, etc.

I don’t believe for a second that the US Government is doing what these conspiracy theorists are doing. Simply, because this site is here. You can wake up, type out a blog slandering the government… and go on to live another day. You haven’t been silenced. Nobody’s knocking on your door and stealing your thoughts. In a way, this country is more anti-government than it ever has been… even in the most prosperous times we’ve ever seen (minus the last year, of course) and people STILL think big brother is coming for them.

By: Le pew

Le pew — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 02:22:24 +0000

The gov’nt, Wealthy, however you want to identify “THEM” will always remain in power, “WE”, will always say that it is fucked up, and it always will be fucked up…but we can always make it uncomfortable for “THEM”and thats kinda fun, eh?

By: MontaGael

MontaGael — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:20:44 +0000

The hardest part was to sit through all the news programs, all the politicians, all the pundits, listening to them call the protesters Anarchists. No one seems to really understand that anarchy is not chaos, not destructive, violent behavior. Anarchy is not hedonistic, anarchy is civil responsibility in its truest, most fundamental expression.

Anarchy is the belief that participatory governance is superior to representative government. That any and all issues that can be decided locally SHOULD be decided locally, and that issues that cannot be decided locally should be decided collaboratively with confederations of local groups.

This is not to say that I am against the protests that happened in the Twin Cities. I firmly believe that protest and civil disobedience are very important and necessary to bring about social justice. However, when using protest and civil disobedience one needs to make certain that one isn’t providing a justification for the “righteous indignation” that resulted last month. Think Gandhi and salt production. Think MLK, Jr. and the Bus Boycott or the sit-ins.

Don’t give your enemies weapons to use against you. Be smarter than that.

By: JC

JC — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:55:21 +0000

Wow. I’m a bit shocked that I’m writing this–and even more shocked that I should need to–but somebody needs to play the devil’s advocate.

Since Gary probably won’t be coming back, I’ll speak on his behalf. His point, which he tried inelloquently to make, is that he found the link to this site and came here to share in the thoughts and opinions of others on Steampunk topics. Instead, he found splashed across the front page political invective which ran contrary to his beliefs.

It’s your site and you can print here what you wish, but you are only depriving yourself of readers. If your response is to think “I neither need nor want readers like Gary, and I’m better off without them,” then you’re as divisive as any of the protesters or “dualistic thinkers” you mentioned above; and in that case you should consider changing your format from Sci-Fi to politics. People of all sorts come to “Steampunk Magazine” for Steampunk, not politics. Many of your readers may happen to think like you, but your site, and Steampunk in general, would benefit by divesting itself of politics and focusing on the escapism Steampunk is meant to provide.

Again, it’s your site, and if you choose to make it a political pulpit then so be it. Just be aware that in so doing, you will in effect be closing ranks with like-minded thinkers and contradicting the diversity you claim to endorse.

By: admin

admin — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:18:15 +0000

Thanks Gary. Interestingly, the post I wrote was -before- any of the scheduled protests, and referred to a pre-emptive strike by the police. Secondly, I’d like to draw your attention to right-wing protesters who are not quite as respectful as you’d claim: GodHatesFags, a group that pickets the funerals of gays, come to mind quite readily. Then perhaps the radical pro-life movement, which all over the country assembles to harass, intimidate, and block abortion clinics, targeting some of the poorest and most dis-enfranchised people in the country. And occasionally they bomb the places or shoot the doctors.
This isn’t about one side or another having a higher moral ground. Actually, this isn’t about a world with two sides, liberal vs. conservative (yay for dualistic thinking!). Rather, a repressive government that is choosing to crack down on certain dissent while allowing other dissent.
I can’t say I’m sorry that you won’t be reading the magazine anymore.

By: gary

gary — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:30:55 +0000

As a first time visitor to this site i thought this was going to be a really cool and interesting site i would enjoy reading…..then i see this liberal piece of crap. bye. I wont cya later.

BTW the reason people protesting the RNC had police on their backs is because they were rioting, marching and getting inside the convention and interrupting, did you see republicans doing that? No. We protest respectfully.