Thanks to the pandemic going on right now, a lot of events and functions planned this year are being cancelled. In my neck of the woods, furry conventions – gatherings I once looked forward to – will not be happening this year for fear of spreading this voracious virus. I’ll grant you that it sucks, but better this than potentially exposing thousands of people to a potential killer.
I was planning to attend my local convention – Fur Eh – this year, but that’s not happening. Most notably, the most well-known if not largest convention, Anthrocon, will also not be happening this year. A convention that brings millions to the Pittsburgh economy and gives folks a few days of laughs will not take place this year.
To be honest, I wish I could say I felt bad about it, but I don’t.
After hearing 2’s side of the story concerning how Kage and others treated him, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to return to that convention ever again, or any one that Kage has some involvement with. Admittedly I’m not much of a con-goer, but having the option is always nice. Now, those options are fading away. I’d like to think that my stance on this will make some kind of difference, but on the whole I know it won’t. One voice in that kind of maelstrom is never heard.
I don’t know the whole story and probably never will. There’s no way I’d ever get the story out of Kage, and the AC board would just say he’s a Nazi or alt-right or some shit. Far left reactionary idealism has taken over a lot of conventions these days, and forcing conformity under threat of violence is just repugnant. Sorry, AC…if the Furry Raiders can’t go, then neither can the Antifa furs. If you allow one but not the other, then your hypocrisy is evident.
I feel bad for the next generation of furs because they’ll never really understand how awesome the conventions were. It didn’t matter who you were or what your background was. You were there because you shared a love of anthropomorphic culture. Beyond that, nothing mattered. For one weekend out of the year, you could mingle with folks you may have met online or through some other means, attend panels on anything from art to fursuit design, and maybe meet some of your favorite artists in person. Now, I’m not so sure what a convention like AC is like anymore. Knowing that someone could just yell ‘NAZI!’ and point their finger at you, and have you tossed out feels less like a convention and more like a cult meeting. No thanks.
I do wonder what other changes will happen because of the pandemic. Maybe there will be some introspection on all this. Maybe identity politics will fade away from the fandom as people realize the utter stupidity of it. Maybe the concept of ‘social justice’ as we see it now will die, and true diversity of thought will be allowed back in. It’s OK to disagree with someone on some issues…it’s not a black and white issue. The mark of maturity is realizing that you might be wrong on some things, and are willing to listen and through that, grow.
But maturity is the problem, isn’t it? There’s a lack of it as younger furs, who’ve never been told no, now try to impose their views on others and make them conform. Thin-skinned cry-bullies who kick up a fuss when they’re shown to either be wrong or are challenged in any way. These are the ones taking over the conventions, and infecting them with their immature, narrow-minded ways of thinking. They think they’re diverse, stunning, and brave, but in reality they’re just naive. In a world where tolerance and respect used to be the way, these people have created a fandom filled with politics, drama, and an overall sense of oppression that would have given Hitler a boner.
So no, I won’t be shedding a tear over the loss of AC this year. I won’t bat an eye next year when their attendance is down, nor would I even raise a glass if/when the con finally dies. To me, AC died when 2 was betrayed and ousted by people he once considered friends. I met some great people there, and have fond memories of my times in that place.
But now…never again.