This started as a comment in ’s journal, but it took on a life of it’s own. (I thought unsubbing from would allow me to ignore the exploding stupid. Not so.)

Frankly, I think the entitlement problem (ie - right now, someone IS paying for your “free” speech) is what will eventually kill fandom. Like, kill it dead. Because the people with real power in the real world will soon, or are in the process now, of looking over at this little corner of the world. If all they see is a bunch of children demanding that some non-existent rights be protected by persons and corporations with no actual obligation to do so, they will take the issue seriously why?

If fandom-at-large is unable to present itself to the world (or at least the US government) as responsible and cognizant of what the real laws in the real world (or the portion of the real world covered by the US) are, fandom at large will not win this or any other fight, because fandom does not exist on it’s own special planet. (No, LJ is not your own special happy fairy land where nasty mundane concerns cannot enter.)

It was fine when the worst legal problem fen had to worry about was copyright. Copyright in the general sense, and the production and enjoyment of deriavitve works, is a big honkin gray area with thousands of angles, billions of opinions, and lots of leeway and wriggle room. The current debate over depictions of underage sex, childporn, and corruption of minors in general has NOTHING to do with that.

The current debate is an hyesterical witch hunt and for the love of any god ever, LJ is not the enemy here! America (fucked up country that we are) needs a good, jucy, relentless witch hunt every so often. Salem. The red scare. HUAC. Satanic day care workers. Now it’s anything to do with sex and children, anywhere, anytime, anyhow. This is real, this is bad, this is not going to go away, and it’s very likely going to get worse before it gets better.

LJ is every bit as concerned about that big torch bearing (and frankly, dangerious) mob as fandom-at-large SHOULD be, if fandom-at-large weren’t too busy threatening to hold it’s collective breath ’till it turns blue and faints ’cause OMG, we’re bein’ OPRESSED and MISTREATED by THE MAN! (ie, every single threat to flee to GJ, JournalFen, etc…) Right. Because this is all about you.

No, actually, this has NOTHING to do with you. Fandom, you are not that special. You do not count for a hill of beans in this fight, because you are not fighting. You are demanding that other people fight for you. You are demanding that someone else pay for your free lunch. You are insisting that your rights are more important than anyone elses.

Fandom, you are full of shit. Get off your asses, and look around at the world we are living in, and realize that you are stuck here with the rest of us.