From: "Strong, Lee" <strongl at sddc.army.mil>
To: "WSFA (E-mail)" <WSFAList at WSFA.org>
Subject: [WSFA] FW: Lee Strong
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 16:09:48 -0400
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>

>  -----Original Message-----
> From: Strong, Lee
> Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 4:42 PM
> To: 'wsfa0410b at keithlynch.net'
> Cc: Strong, Lee
> Subject: Lee Strong
>
>     On 12 October 2004, Keith Lynch noted that Lee Strong had not
> participated in a WSFA activity since April 2004.  I delayed responding
> because I wanted to see if anyone else had a comment, and to take some
> time to compose my reply.
>     The bottom line is that I no longer feel welcome in WSFA.
>     There are several reasons for this.  Leaving aside a number of
> contributing factors that WSFA and WSFAns have no control over, there are
> two major reasons for feeling unwelcome.
>     First, I am not a fan.  I come to a **science fiction association**
> for the purpose of enjoying **science fiction**.  As a practical matter,
> fandom's chief activities are gossiping about oneself and other fans,
> drinking beer, and engaging in cheap sex.  I enjoy a certain amount of
> gossip, but not an exclusive diet of it.  I seldom drink alcohol, and I
> seek sex that's priceless rather than cheap.  So,  the emotional rewards
> of fandom are considerably less for me than for others.
>     Second, and more importantly, WSFA is a very hostile environment for
> a Republican.  On 16 April 2004, the club applauded Madeleine Yeh's
> symbolic decapitation of Attorney General John Ashcroft specifically and
> Republicans generally.  Subsequently, Madeleine offered a symbolic
> decapitation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield and invoked
> malevolent occult forces against George W. Bush.  Eric Jablow was the only
> person who objected.  Subsequently, Barry Newton offered for sale bumper
> stickers repeating the myth that George Bush lost the 2000 Presidential
> Election and Steve Smith repeated the myth that George Bush is mentally
> ill.  These things are in the official club records.  These statements and
> actions, together with many similar statements and actions sustained by
> WSFAns and other members of the fannish community over many years, create
> an obviously hostile environment for people who vote Republican or who
> favor effective and constitutional legal and military action against
> terrorists.
>     Accordingly, I have not participated in WSFA activities since April
> 2004.