I trundle off to Redemption happy as a lark tho I knew I'd have no email for 2 weeks and what happens? A prolific spree of posting previously unseen and positively unimagined.
I've spent the last week digging out (using a friend's PC periodically as I'm still not home). I know I've read over 1000 emails this week. I'm sure at various points my mailbox was full and some probably bounced - sorry Calle and Tiger.
There is no way in hell I'll be able (or even want) to respond to everything that's gone on. From my perspective it seems that some of my fellow list mates have attended the Kerr Avon School of Diplomacy and several have graduated with high honors. I don't want to stir the pot so just a few random thoughts.
I really enjoyed the posts from Fiona and Betty, an example of a well-reasoned and productive exchange from two people with different perspectives but mutual respect. I am also relieved that the serious posters did not take their exchanges off to another list. I find the intellectual stimulation of reading and occasionally participating in such exchanges to be a large part of why I participate in fandom.
I recall someone (sorry, but I don't remember who it was) posting that s/he disliked having their interpretation of a character dismissed as "merely" individual interpretation. I think there is a point that has been overlooked in the discussions. We, each of us, bring to fandom our own individual experiences, including childhood, education, religious beliefs (or not), political beliefs, philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation, preferences in art, music, literature, etc. I am not arguing that the characters, the series, or canon is therefore relativistic. A word was said, an action happened or it did not. My point, and I do have one, is that it behooves each of us to be aware of differing perspectives, the different lenses through which each of us views B7. That is why I find it so useful for list participants to provide examples that support their theory or interpretation. I don't believe anyone is implying a value judgment based on a person's ability to provide hard evidence or use lit crit presentation but it certainly provides support for your claim and enables someone with a different background to see what may not otherwise be seen.
Personally I find that it is very easy to have one's perspective shifted by large consumption of fanfic. Going back and watching the tapes after several months of zine consumption can be unnerving.
I owe Neil an apology. Yes, I know, I too am somewhat shocked by this admission. While I was at the con, I heard a little about the thread hijacking debate and I brought Neil to task for using the phrase "hijacking." I realise that the phrase is common net usage but it carries with it a connotation of deliberate intent. When I actually read Neil's original post on this theme, I found that he never used the phrase. In fact, I found his initial request to be simply that: a request. Yes, I know it got ugly after a few hundred posts and some absolutely evil things were said (Penny, I hope you've rejoined, I love your perspective and I'd miss you terribly). In reflecting on Neil's original request, I found it simply asking for courtesy. If you were in the middle of discussing something you considered of keen interest, would you appreciate an interruption that was out of context and tone? Without getting into theology, do unto others, etc. Really not such a radical request from my perspective and certainly, I don't see it as quashing participation or an attempt to control.
If this were Freedom City, I'd ask Steve and Paula to write a clever story summing up the uproar. It's amazing how something can presented in fiction in a way that allows the reader to see a wider perspective, or at perhaps something other than one's own. If you haven't seen Steve and Paula's zine, I encourage you to buy one. It's a steal at the price and IMHO, it's worth that and more, especially for the illos which are in the style of Matt Groening. (Life in Hell does have a certain symmetry with B7 after all).
I encourage those of you (Neil, Fiona, and others) who are not on Freedom City to subscribe on at least a trial basis. It's not as if all we do is chat about sex and slash. It would be fun to see the Slash debate argued without fear of offending those who are observing. In fact there are a couple of questions that I'd like to raise within the Slash debate, but plan to do so on FC.
All opinions above are my own. I don't claim to speak for anyone other than me and I am not defending Neil simply because I once proposed to him (there's a waiting line - Imagine! I'm second, behind Una, so no line jumping from any of you)
Morrigan who hasn't vanished off the face of the earth but is *still* moving. However, I do have fanfic appearing in Star Four, Forbidden Star Three, TTBA, and in some upcoming zines (Val&Linda, Neil) so everyone should buy those zines too!