DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Phanny, v. 3, issue 3, December 1944

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Phanny, v. 3, issue 3, December 1944

Page 15

15                P H A N N Y                15
______________________________

The suggested vocabulary derived from "stef" is a good start, but is not at all complete.
   As for the race question and emotionalism, it seems queer that Speer should see fit to make that criticism. Perhaps he is so used to taking an objective view of other matters, that he actually can't discern the emotional basis for his statements on this subject. His search is not for unbiased data on the subject, but for evidence of any and all sorts, however specious, which will support his convictions; a procedure which is not only unscientific, but foreign to his usual procedure.
   So the principal opponents of inter-racial breeding are those who consider one race superior to the other? Just how, then, Jack, do you account for the very high percentage of mixed blood in our "negro" population of some 13,000,000? -- As for boogie-woogie and racial equality; well it certainly wasn't mentioned in PHANNY; in fact, I don't think anyone except Laney mentioned the matter of the Negro contribution to modern American music; you must have been basing your statements on Fran's comments; quite possibly you misinterpreted his statements.
   Raym's "Rebuttal" is going to get more sneers than cheers, I suspect. I rather liked it, the idealism represented therein is too much lacking in fandom, and is a welcome relief to the over-sophiticated cynicism which is so prevalent. "Rebuttal" is very well written, too; probably the best prose Raym has turned o out.
THE FANTASY AMATEUR seems to have everthing in it that is necessary, plus a very good cover. -- I think, Suddsy, you'll find that Waldeyer's credentials are OK; I seem to remember listing them for him just before he applied, and he had more than the required amount of activity.
   The Laureate Awards seem fair enough to me. I'm more than pleased with an honorable mention. Chauvenet's embarrassment really wasn't justified, and the other Committee members were right in over ruling him, I think.
SPECIAL FAPA BALLOT (no rating) "OPEN LETTER...." (from L.A., B+) (from Doc, B-) [?] the discussion by Doc of the proposed amendments appeared three months sooner, I would have no serious criticism of his comments therein, eve though I do not agree with him on many points. But in any case, there is no possible justification for combining the gag rule in racial discussion, with the "obscenity" clause; they are not related phase of the same thing, regardless of the form in which they are presented. of the two unrelated parts, only one,--the obscenity clause--had been discussed by the membership previous to publication of the ballot itself. It is impossible to avoid the suspicion that the "gag" rule was tied to it as means of assuring passage of a pet scheme of the proponents; a scheme which probably had no propect of passage, except as a tail on the kite represented by the important "obscenity" clause. Such a procedure is an old but not so honorable trick for forcing through an otherwise unpopular piece of legislation.
   The voting reform certainly merits consideration; at least three months consideration previous to the date of presentation. Here again, there is to be found the basis for an ugly suspicion. If this particular amendment passes, then any of the others which also pass at the time, will require a majority of the active membership, to remove them from the constitution; yet they will be put into the constitution by a minority vote.  It follows then, that the proponents of these various amendments are deliberately taking advantage of an unparalled opportunity to make these measures a permanent part of the membership. The only honorable procedure would have been to introduce only the amendment to change voting procedure, leaving the others until the fate of that particular plan was determined.
   The two "Open Letters" came out too late to affect a majority of the members who are regular voters; whether or not they will be responsible for a larger vote remains to be seen.  -- The proposed change in the mailing date isn't particularly important, except for the fact (called to my attention by Warner) that it doesn't accomplish its avowed purpose. There will be twenty-five or thirty envelopes on the way to the official editor during the worst of the rush.

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15 P H A N N Y 15 ______________________________ The suggested vocabulary derived from "stef" is a good start, but is not at all complete. As for the race question and emotionalism, it seems queer that Speer should see fit to make that criticism. Perhaps he is so used to taking an objective view of other matters, that he actually can't discern the emotional basis for his statements on this subject. His search is not for unbiased data on the subject, but for evidence of any and all sorts, however specious, which will support his convictions; a procedure which is not only unscientific, but foreign to his usual procedure. So the principal opponents of inter-racial breeding are those who consider one race superior to the other? Just how, then, Jack, do you account for the very high percentage of mixed blood in our "negro" population of some 13,000,000? -- As for boogie-woogie and racial equality; well it certainly wasn't mentioned in PHANNY; in fact, I don't think anyone except Laney mentioned the matter of the Negro contribution to modern American music; you must have been basing your statements on Fran's comments; quite possibly you misinterpreted his statements. Raym's "Rebuttal" is going to get more sneers than cheers, I suspect. I rather liked it, the idealism represented therein is too much lacking in fandom, and is a welcome relief to the over-sophiticated cynicism which is so prevalent. "Rebuttal" is very well written, too; probably the best prose Raym has turned o out. THE FANTASY AMATEUR seems to have everthing in it that is necessary, plus a very good cover. -- I think, Suddsy, you'll find that Waldeyer's credentials are OK; I seem to remember listing them for him just before he applied, and he had more than the required amount of activity. The Laureate Awards seem fair enough to me. I'm more than pleased with an honorable mention. Chauvenet's embarrassment really wasn't justified, and the other Committee members were right in over ruling him, I think. SPECIAL FAPA BALLOT (no rating) "OPEN LETTER...." (from L.A., B+) (from Doc, B-) [?] the discussion by Doc of the proposed amendments appeared three months sooner, I would have no serious criticism of his comments therein, eve though I do not agree with him on many points. But in any case, there is no possible justification for combining the gag rule in racial discussion, with the "obscenity" clause; they are not related phase of the same thing, regardless of the form in which they are presented. of the two unrelated parts, only one,--the obscenity clause--had been discussed by the membership previous to publication of the ballot itself. It is impossible to avoid the suspicion that the "gag" rule was tied to it as means of assuring passage of a pet scheme of the proponents; a scheme which probably had no propect of passage, except as a tail on the kite represented by the important "obscenity" clause. Such a procedure is an old but not so honorable trick for forcing through an otherwise unpopular piece of legislation. The voting reform certainly merits consideration; at least three months consideration previous to the date of presentation. Here again, there is to be found the basis for an ugly suspicion. If this particular amendment passes, then any of the others which also pass at the time, will require a majority of the active membership, to remove them from the constitution; yet they will be put into the constitution by a minority vote. It follows then, that the proponents of these various amendments are deliberately taking advantage of an unparalled opportunity to make these measures a permanent part of the membership. The only honorable procedure would have been to introduce only the amendment to change voting procedure, leaving the others until the fate of that particular plan was determined. The two "Open Letters" came out too late to affect a majority of the members who are regular voters; whether or not they will be responsible for a larger vote remains to be seen. -- The proposed change in the mailing date isn't particularly important, except for the fact (called to my attention by Warner) that it doesn't accomplish its avowed purpose. There will be twenty-five or thirty envelopes on the way to the official editor during the worst of the rush.