nazi memorabilia at AWA??

[davemerrill]

After the show this year - well, after the dealers room was closed, anyway - I found out that a dealer was selling Nazi memorabilia in the dealers room. No, really, here's a photo.



Neil took this photo. I had walked past this dealer at least twice but didn't notice the Nazi flag. I noticed the German Army WWII style uniforms, the hats, the "yaoi" armbands with "yaoi" where the swastika would be, but didn't see any actual swastikas. But they were there, pictures don't lie.

I'm deeply embarrassed that I and AWA and its staff, directors, and attendees, are in any way associated with somebody who would profit from trivializing one of the most horrific episodes in human history. Nazi memorabilia has no place being sold at AWA.

Right now there's a thread on the message board where discussion of this issue is taking place, and I urge everyone to take a moment to let the convention know your thoughts on this.

My personal feeling? I am going to take whatever steps necessary to ensure that this dealer, or any other dealer, will not be selling Nazi memorabilia at AWA next year, or any other year. It does not belong at AWA. Full stop, end of story.

Comments

[tochiro998.livejournal.com]

And how sad is it that in this day and age this: " The Internet's reaction to this thus far is "that's just allowed at that con because it's the South and people are more cool with it down there." " is a reality?

Of course Daryl should have said "as a subset on the internet that is the insular world of anime fandom" altho...I take that back, I'm sure there would be the same feeling in much of the mainstream. Sadly. All I have to do is turn on the TV and see/hear the same kind of mentality, but that drifts into politics and all that crap and I stop now.

Of course I have a view that the more one tries to suppress something like this the more power is given to it which makes it more attractive to those of the mindset, education and reason being better weapons but sometimes, yeah, you gotta fumigate the house and not just swat a roach.