Well Origins 2018 is over, now begins the ritual detox from
soda (had to tap the Mt. Dew) and regaining of sleep. To quote Murtaugh “I’m too old
for this shit.” This also looks to be
the last Origins for me, unless there are changes.
First and foremost, let me start with the good.
- · The Columbus Convention Center continues to be a great venue. Spacious, clean and welcoming. I lost my phone (bad) Hyatt security found it (good) and held it for me. Of course this blew my sleep schedule to hell, and I quickly became one of the walking dead (see above quote)
- · Paizo and our local Pathfinder/Starfinder Society continue to do a bang up job of support. Of course we have several out of state GMs, Venture Officers and others to help run things, but a lot of the set up falls on our local core of people, as well as the breakdown. Of course without the player base, we’d all have nothing to do. Also kudos to Crystal Frazier
- · The dealer room. While full of dealers, stores, publishers and other vendors, I didn’t feel crowded or overwhelmed on Friday (Wasn’t there to report on Saturday) Of course I visited Iron Wind Metals and Catalyst Games. Very enjoyable meeting, we talked minis at Iron Wind, and economics of scale, which Becca would have enjoyed. I also cursed Harmony Gold, and wished they die in a dumpster fire.
- · Becca and Beth. For hauling my fat aft back and forth to Origins and the like.
Of course there’s also the bad.
- · Paizo. Seriously guys, what the hell? We get apparently record breaking tables and you don’t have a booth? “Oh, you enjoyed the game and want to buy our stuff? Ummm, I’m sure someone down there will have it, good luck!”
- · Timing. Having Origins on Pride weekend just makes traffic a mess. Factoring in VP Pence’s visit on top of it… Glad I wasn’t there Saturday (aside, guys he wasn’t there to rain on your rainbow party. You want to keep calling the first president who was for Gay marriage before he became president, the man who nominated Richard Grenell ambasador to Germany, the man who said he “will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology” (and looks like he means it with Iran) anti-gay. Go ahead. I’ll keep laughing at you.)
- · Lack of sleep. Yeah I could have used more.
And then there’s the ugly.
The reason I won’t be going back to Origins, and that Becca didn’t go.
For those of you who understand conventions, there are
guests of honor. This year, Origins
invited Larry Correia, a
successful writer, gamer, and gun nut who has his own game coming out soon (we couldn’t
afford to join the kickstarter. When the
social justice whiners started badmouthing him, John Ward disinvited him. Note, he didn’t call up the man he invited,
nor did he even do his research himself, he just caved.
Hell, my knee put up more of a fight when it went out from
under me and the tendon was shredded.
This isn’t the first time the cowards have shouted down people they don’t
like. ConCarolinas and John Ringo came
to an agreement that he wouldn’t come.
Because the people who said that he made them uncomfortable were
threatening violence. Of course at the
end of the Con the staff apologized to John
Ringo. The same cowards who threatened to disrupt the Con put up a petition
to have the management removed, it got as of this writing a measly 107
signatures. David Weber’s petition for
free speech and assembly? Looks to be
closed, but already had 3704
signers, including me, in a week.
That’s 3704 people who put their names where there mouth is. When David
Weber and Eric Flint (and Jim Butcher and Sarah Hoyt and Salena Zito and
David Gerrold ….) say you fucked up? You
done fucked up.
I was looking forward to meeting Larry. So was Becca.
I even have a copy of book one of the Grimnoir here, that I was hoping
he’d sign. Instead, Origins pulled a
bait and switch, giving in to cowards.
Another thing to think of.
Those numbers. 107 anonymous
signatures, vs 3704 public. That’s the
kind of fuck up they caused. Not only
that the people supporting them outnumber those who don’t 30+ to 1, but those
3704 aren’t afraid to hide. Aside, I
wish I’d seen those numbers before tonight, as I’d have raised them to Tonya Woldridge, when I told her
why this was likely my last game.
The reason is all of the above. Origins dis-invited without warning an award
winning author and gamer. When called
out, they double down and said there were threats of behavior as protest. Larry himself breaks it down here. It’s all nice and vague “some fans” “disruptive”
nothing solid. And I was there, nothing
of the sort happened. But John Ward
basically called me (a fan of Larry, and his work) unwelcome. Well fine, I’m unwelcome. I went this year because I’d promised to GM,
and, unlike Origins apparently, I honour my commitments. I did protest. I proudly wore my Monster Hunter’s
International hat and had my Professional
Monster Hunters sticker on my laptop.
I didn’t make a scene, I didn’t yell.
Indeed, I met other fans of MHI who recognized my hat and we talked
about the books. I explained calmly that
it was my ‘protest hat’ and what I was protesting and why. My goal of catching a picture of me and John Ward
together with my hat on was a goal unfulfilled, but I at least educated some
people. Whether they take action or not
I can’t control, but at least they’re aware.
Finally, today, I told Tonya that I enjoyed it as always,
but this was my last Origins. I
explained I loved GMing at conventions, stress and all, but I won’t be
back. When she asked why, I tapped my
hat, then explained. I told her what I said
above on why I still came at all, but can’t do it again. I think she was surprised, likely thought I
was insane but we left on good terms as far as I can tell.
So that’s it. I’ll
continue to play, I’ll continue to support Paizo, even though they’re way to the
left of me as a whole, because I can talk to them. But Origins?
If they don’t want Larry, if they’re happy that David Weber won’t be
accepting any guests of honor positions?
Yeah I look around and I’m in good company.
Matthew C. Morris.
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