I’m pretty quiet about fandom, most days. I watch, I listen, and I usually keep my mouth shut. Usually, there are other folks around who are saying what I’d like to say, only doing it better. Today though, I have seen one to many folks spouting off about conspiracy theory this and fannish safety that, and it’s time to rant. (This, by the by, is the straw that broke the camel’s back)

This is for every single person out there who is right now riding their high horse full of fannish indignation that, OMG, underage smutfic will now get folks in trouble, NOES!! LJ is evol!

Where the bleeding hell have you been living? Do you not listen to the news or read the paper? Have you not noticed that we are living in a time of relentless HYSTERIA regarding the combination of children and smut in ANY context? (real, fictional, in your head, words on paper, sculpture, paint, pixels…..) When was the crack laced kool aid passed out that caused some folks to buy into the idea that “fandom” does not and should not have to worry about the concerns and crappy laws of the wider world? (Except, of course, when we want to raise money and/or awareness for a Worthy Cause.)

To put it plainer, fannish does not equal exempt from real laws. We have some lousy laws on the books, and WE let them get there. That, and the all pervading fear of being used as a subject of a Miller Test means any service will have to crack down on questionable content, and no company looking down the barrel of an obscenity charge (or worse) is going to go to bat for you based solely on the fact that you are a beautiful and unique snowflake and your Snarry PWP is True Art. (Wait! You mean threatening the life of the president is a crime? How could we have missed that one?)

This is not to say that there are not folks who happen to be fannish that are aware there there is a World Outside of LJ. There are lots of them, and most of them are cool, intelligent, and often level headed. For the rest, I have some questions.

Where have you been in all your screeching glory when OTHER artists have been labeled obscene? People not on LJ, maybe even not online at all.

Have you ever protested a blue law? Do you know if you town has any?

Has your city ever tried to restrict cabaret licenses, put a curfew on strip clubs, or passed a “no touch during lap dances” ordinance? Did you have a problem with that? If you did, did you try to stop it?

Is it different when those sleazy “real pornographers” get shoved into the ghetto? What makes them different?

What do you know about the age of consent in your state? Do you agree with it?

Have any of your local schools been pressured into removing books from the library?

So the morality cops are coming after you now. Did you speak up for anyone else when it was their turn?

Halfway though The Book That Ate The Planet (and fandom) now. Yes, I succumbed to the world-enveloping hysteria. Sue me.