Sitting down 15 minutes ago to write up Domain Game turn reports, I get a nasty-gram email on my personal email from an anonymous schmoe crying a river about my recent low-key pro-union post. A post I graciously deleted to keep things game-oriented and civil here, I hasten to add.
Since that's not enough apparently to mollify the seemingly-endless victimology of some on the Right in this country, this one is for you “Taxpayer_007”. Anyone else here just for the gaming (and I do love my libertarian friends out there), please drive on to the other posts.
For good measure, here's the Leonard Cohen vid from my former post:
You are kidding me right, someone sent you an email about that Cohen video? That has to be the lamest thing I have heard today. This GOP governors/Koch brothers hard-on about unions is outta control.
ReplyDeleteMan now let's get on with some gaming. What's shaking with your Dominion game anyways
"I do love my libertarian friends out there"
ReplyDeleteThanks CK LOL. We love you too, man.
Thanks guys. This is it for me and politics on the blog all the same.
ReplyDeleteGot some Runequest posts coming down the pike.
We overpaid, fat-cat state employees thank you for your support. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to get enmeshed in a terrible flame war over just pointing out differences in play style and editions, so steer clear of politics. Unless of course the politics exist in your game world. And even then I'm sure that there would be right wing nutjobs who think that your idea of equal opportunity employment for elves is unfair and organized dwarven trade guilds are ruining your imaginary empire... you just can't win with some people.
ReplyDeleteWhat Trey said. Also, I started following the blog because of your previous political post - if nothing else it brought my attention to everything else you're doing here. For that much, it was totally worth your time.
ReplyDeleteAlso: public employees are taxpayers too. For reals.
@Trey
ReplyDeleteAnytime, I just plain like the plump cigars and silk top hats that come with fat-catdom. But then again I have been a union boss at points in my career, so I would.
@John
Hey man, I am all for Elf rights--I have many friends who are Elves--but would you really want one marrying your daughter?
@Hopeless
Hey's that great, stick around for the gaming.
In the end, I see no difference between political and nonpolitical content when it comes to any art, and I include roleplaying as a folkart. Roleplaying is a safe environment to deal with anything you want, and no one gets hurt, so why do people start the hate when they encounter a political or social point being made? Because the current political atmosphere is very volatile, and will get worse as the economy gets worse.
ReplyDeleteFact is, unions didn't bankrupt America, neither did black and brown people. Wall street crooks and their paid-for political candidates did it, and at the top, they're all pirates and crooks, and we the people let them get away with it, and have been letting them get away with it for years. Some people like admitting they've been fooled by promises of one day becoming a millionaire, but just watch in horror as the disgruntled deny reality and look for scapegoats to sacrifice. We have only ourselves to trust to take responsibility for this world.
I meant *Some people DONT like admitting they've been fooled...
ReplyDeleteThat's what appeasement gets you, Chris. ;)
ReplyDeleteAs highlighted by yourself;
**Anyone else here just for the gaming (and I do love my libertarian friends out there), please drive on to the other posts.**
And goodness knows how people can get by in day-to-day life if they have AC11 hide and an inability to dodge/filter out anything they might take offence to. :/
Personally, my only problem with the Leonard Cohen rallying cry being posted on a gaming blog is that my mind automatically drifts into filk mode (erm, where's /that/ nowadays?).
=> http://www.angelfire.com/mn2/jwerp/fun/bardsongs/Monty.html *g* sorry, Chris!
verification: mabel (wrestling with tigers here...)
While I disagree with you politically, I think your blog is great, and I hope you continue to state your views gaming or otherwise, whether people agree with you or not!
ReplyDeletedo you see a distinction between
ReplyDeletepublic service unions &
unions that organize employees of private corporation ?
@Irbyz
ReplyDeleteSorry to traumatize you with flashbacks of filks past. I myself channel American Civil War reenactor moments with that ditty.
"And goodness knows how people can get by in day-to-day life if they have AC11 hide and an inability to dodge/filter out anything they might take offence to."
That made me laugh out loud.
And for Mabel, one need go no further than the last line of her book: "The chute door opens as I crack my whip and shout, 'Let them come,' Out slink the striped cats, snarling and roaring, leaping at each other or at me. It's a matchless thrill, and life without it is not worth while to me."
Amen sister.
@Fenway
ReplyDeleteThanks that means a lot actually, since it's generally how I act both at the gaming table and in the blogosphere.
I genuinely like many of the people I have met in this community both real and virtual, not matter what their persuasion. (Or more cynically I bond with the people in this part of the hobby who dislike all the same new crap I do too.)
@Clovis
Yes there's a good deal of distinction between public and private sector unions both legally and politically (the former comes with tempered with balances with the greater good of the public for instance).
Hell yes! Solidarity forever!
ReplyDeleteI think swearing off political posts might be a mistake. Maybe an even split of political posts and gaming posts is the way to go. You could change the name of the blog to Hill Communes or Joe Hill Cantons...
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I welcome the occasional commie rat post and I'm pleasantly surprised by the existence of the OSR's radical underbelly...
I've got to say, I prefer Billy Bragg's version:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8fCQ-Dctm8
Or, of course:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KO90EdKB-g
I just stick to games for the most part on my blog and YouTube channel. Things normally get heated when I bring in the real world issues. It's also good to realize that your followers or subscribers may be of various viewpoints politically or socially. I think I may be a polar opposite of many of my subcribers when it comes to real world social issues and politics, so maybe that is another reason why I stay silent on those fronts. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to the Domain game Turn 3.
@Drune
ReplyDeleteHmm...Hill Communes does have a certain ring to it.
Ironically though, one of the intentions of this blog was to give me an outlet for writing about something other than the union, workplace, and political issues I have been doing in day job world for over a decade now. I guess life refuses to stubbornly resist being put into boxes.
@DrBargle
The Billy Bragg and Florence Henderson versions are indeed better--I liked the stridency of the Dropkick Murphys given the reason for the post.
BTW Interviewing Billy Bragg was one of the highlights of my career. Terrifically funny and mischievous fellar.
@Samwise
I am afraid to ask, Tim. ; )
Things for the nudge on the turn reports. Witness today's blog post.
> Sorry to traumatize you with flashbacks of filks past. I myself channel American Civil War reenactor moments with that ditty.
ReplyDeleteMore personal background I don't recall you mentioning in passing, Chris? A fairly wide range of other hobbies/interests/day jobs/etc. around here, no doubt!
>> "And goodness knows how people can get by in day-to-day life if they have AC11 hide and an inability to dodge/filter out anything they might take offence to."
> That made me laugh out loud.
Cheers! You lost another fairly soon after your reply. :p
Hey, ho...
> And for Mabel, one need go no further than the last line of her book: "The chute door opens as I crack my whip and shout, 'Let them come,' Out slink the striped cats, snarling and roaring, leaping at each other or at me. It's a matchless thrill, and life without it is not worth while to me."
> Amen sister.
Nicely quoted, thank you.
Wasn't my preferred method of working with the big cats - and even less "politically correct" nowadays - but beats being a couch potato disconnected from the rest of nature hands-down. As if there's much "wild" left nowadays, in any non-anthropocentric context, anyhow. (Plenty "wild" there, but not the pretty sort: as might be expected when we don't even recognise that we never were "domesticated"?).
The only trouble with living with striped fire is that losing that is an even greater fall than for those who have couch-potatoed their way through life. Well, OK, I guess the latter are better padded for any fall, too?
Cheers,
David.
(p.s. also http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/harami2000/htt_1.jpg / http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/harami2000/htt_2.jpg )
@Irbyz
ReplyDeleteThat's the thing about being a restless personality, after four decades of it you end up with a lot of zig and zags. But I have been generally always more of a wargamer than a roleplayer (though the two labels blend more than many people care to admit).
Wonderful copy of Stark's book, a real treasure.
One of the pity's of modern life is the increasing elimination of the "wild", likely one of the largest subconscious motivators for the popularity of fantasy.
That Dropkick Murphys song is great.
ReplyDelete