Annoying

[dancerjodi]

Here's an article written about DragonCon, insulting patrons.

Here's a letter I sent to the editor in response:

I'm writing in response to your story "Geek Love" written by Claire Suddath on 9/8/05. It is clear that she didn't quite appreciate one of the true convention experiences on her recent trip to DragonCon.

I've attended DragonCon for three years now and revel in the costumes, panels and parties. I socialize with my fellow members of the 501st Legion of Stormtroopers (http://www.501st.com/), a group that has participated in many charity fundraisers.

Two ‘dorky’ members of our group collected an estimated $17,000 for the American Red Cross hurricane relief effort at DragonCon. Other fan groups and celebrities conducted similar fundraising for the cause, resulting in over $100,000 collected over the weekend. I'm wondering if Ms. Suddath can say the same about her own experiences.

We all have frivolous hobbies that others may not understand. Ms. Suddath only proves her ignorance about Sci-Fi fandom and makes herself look like a junior high school bully. I'm glad that there are venues like DragonCon available for the people who have moved past that stage in their lives so that they can enjoy themselves while putting in efforts for the greater good.

Comments

[tiamatlady]

wow. How mean was that article?
I can't believe they let her post that. Unfortunatly I'll bet you're the only well written answer they'll get, "dorks" tend to get huffy when ranting. *sighs*

I'm sorry that touched you, you're totally right in your response.

[futurenurselady.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's obvious that the only research she did for her article was to go and be passive. If you're going to write a column (even an opinion column), it's best to ask people why they're at the event instead of the observe and assume tactics she used.

[kyrene.livejournal.com]

You rock and I love you. Cheers!

Oh

[wench33.livejournal.com]

Let's take a ride and go dope slap the bitch!! grrrrrr.

and she's *so* proud of being mundane..ew!

[heinleinfan.livejournal.com]

Man. I really loved reading the Scene when I lived in Nashville. It was the type of paper that would have put up pictures of the dorkiness and done a well written article about the charity and such.

What happened while I was gone?!?


Grrrrrr...

[christmasjedi.livejournal.com]

Just read your response on the DDS list, and it's great!! Very nicely done. You avoided fueling the fire by pointing out what a geek you are, and nicely emphasized the respectable parts of being a geek. Bravo!

[electricsoup.livejournal.com]

go you - her article was nothing but ignorant and mean-spirited.

because, you know, there's NO generalizations that can be made about generic, shoe-shopping, gossip-magazine-reading, Friends-watching types of people that are completely unflattering. none at all. ;P

[jasonsmyr.livejournal.com]

Wonder how long the boyfriend will put up with her.. she just kinda sorta dislikes what he is about

[rojagato.livejournal.com]

No kidding. The sex must be fantastic, but that only lasts so long.

[jasonsmyr.livejournal.com]

hehe I was going to say that.. but decided to be nice..

[dionysia.livejournal.com]

Or he makes tons of $$$ in costuming.

[futurenurselady.livejournal.com]

Or maybe he's into being made fun of, or so used to it he doesn't realize there's relationships where that doesn't happen...

[rojagato.livejournal.com]

I was thinking about it from his point of view. ;)

[tisana.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I wonder about that... I mean, you don't have to share all your S.O.'s interests, but having a basic appreciation that something is important to them is key.
So, I'm a geek.
There's different kinds of geeks, of course. I happen to like SF&F and comics. I can date a man who doesn't like comics much, but a guy who has no appreciation of science fiction or related genres at all, or worse, doesn't read? Bleah. Wouldn't bother.

[alabastard.livejournal.com]

She did mention that making fun of people was a favourite activity of hers.

Good response, but of course she'll dismiss it. It's nothing we all haven't heard before, which is why we laugh at that little video clip of Triumph the Dog and the Star Wars folks, but she really could have used a little humour in her obviously bitter article, she was unneccessarily bitchy throughout, but came off quite that way, so likely few gave her words the time of day it tpook to read through them.

[deadwinter.livejournal.com]

She did mention that making fun of people was a favourite activity of hers.


Keep in mind that in paragraph 2 she says she's a nice person :)

[alabastard.livejournal.com]

Aren't they all?

[immortalessence.livejournal.com]

Wow. I'm pretty enraged. I think I'll write a letter later... when I've calmed down. I've had to deal with people like that all my life; you know, the sorts that are just boring people with no real character at all, indulging in bottomless interests that are nothing more than trends and fads that will pass in a month or two. She's just revelling in the fact that she herself is a completely uninteresting person, and has to pick on interesting people just to feel important.

Hate people like that. -.-

[isolatory.livejournal.com]

Some of the other Hate Mail (http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/News/Love_And_Hate_Mail/2005/09/15/Love_And_Hate_Mail/index.shtml) they got regarding the article was searingly accurate.

[tisana.livejournal.com]

"We all have frivolous hobbies that others may not understand"

Nicely done, making it a universal thing.

Good for you for sounding like an intelligent and caring human being in response to her intolerance.

[legitimatelove.livejournal.com]

Good for you, nice letter.

Go You!

[sanguineempathy.livejournal.com]

Well Spoken !! :)

I couldn''t hold back .... sigh

[jedimaster6872.livejournal.com]

I replied and this is what I wrote to them :

I'm writing in response to Claire Suddath's so-called "article". I do not think it was open minded. A few years ago, I won a charity auction at Dragoncon 2003. The money went to MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION. I will be a jedi in a future SW book by TIMOTHY ZAHN. The costume and non-costume groups out there,which I am proud member of the SW ones, do more than "dork out" at conventions. In the event that she actually took the time to see what was going on at the tables and ask questions like some people do, then she would have learned more and been more enlightened to what these, and other groups do. Is there any difference in anyone making fun of a person who dresses up as a Klingon,or as a stormtrooper ? not until you talk to them and find they are a firefighter or red cross personel in real life and feel bad about it.I hope there are readers who will actually ask questions of groups at local conventions. At Dragoncon, alot happens...and if you blink you might miss something, like a Stormtrooper collecting for hurricaine relief. Obviously she did alot of blinking.
Maybe when she is not a CON-VIRGIN then she can enjoy the con... if her boyfriend doesn't dump her that is.

Sincerely,
Justin Manning
Brockton Ma

[rantarn.livejournal.com]

Well said. And what a bitch she is.

[lachesis.livejournal.com]

"Planet Claire" is the perfect headline for her column, as it's obvious that's where she lives.

I wonder what Wil Wheaton would think of this? heh.