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An idea. A wonderful, awful idea.
Okay, I really shouldn't even be considering this, given how much I *suck*. I mean, I haven't even had the getupandgo to do a silly personal entry or call Mom for several days.
But. The idea hit me a few days ago, and now I really, really want it to happen. Because of stories I've been reading lately, and the way![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
johnxjohn has gotten me more interested than ever in the election, and something I've noticed, and today being today and me almost not noticing the date because my contact with the outside word is almost entirely fandom, I thought I'd at least put the idea out there.
A cross-fandom challenge, to write something in your fandom (or draw, I suppose), which involves real-life current events. It could be as simple as Mulder and Scully griping about the 2000 presidential elections and the upheaval it causes in the FBI when administrations change; it could a Riddle/Grindlewald/Hitler WWII trip; it could be Commodore Norrington being called North to fight in Queen Anne's war. Or having Agent Sands working an Iraqi POW camp. Or Teal'c getting hassled by the INS. Or somebody falling through the Guardian of Forever and altering history so that the Eugenics Wars never happened and in 2004 the greatest threat was bioterrorism and the US was embroiled in a war in Iraq. Or Methos working part-time on Warren Harding's presidential campaign. The idea being not to focus on research or realism or epic adventure particularly, but to point up that fic often purposely ignores the effects of world events, to remind us all that it isn't realistic for even our heroes to be able to ignore day-to-day politics, because it really is important. Really. And to make the election relevant for people who spend most of their time with fictional characters. (The fact that I have a kink for real-life politics in fic would be just a fringe benefit.)
And then everybody post them to every list and community they can over the week of Oct 26-Nov 2 before the elections, with an author's note encouraging Americans to read up, get out, and vote. If enough people participate across enough fandoms, I think it would be a really effective way to raise consciousness and enthusiasm in our community. The challenge itself would be completely non-partisan, although the stories (or whatever) wouldn't have to be, although it'd probably be better if we avoided ones so partisan they're trolly. And I'd have to ban "I Killed Kennedy" stories, of course.
[Poll #348626]
And please send other people here, too, if you think it's worth discussing. If I get enough positive response, I'd be willing to at least set up an lj comm, send out a reminder e-mail the week of, and throw off prompts if they're wanted. But I know myself well enough to know I'll do a really sucky job trying to run something like this, so I'd love it if somebody or somebodies more together was willing to take over the idea and the credit.
But. The idea hit me a few days ago, and now I really, really want it to happen. Because of stories I've been reading lately, and the way
johnxjohn has gotten me more interested than ever in the election, and something I've noticed, and today being today and me almost not noticing the date because my contact with the outside word is almost entirely fandom, I thought I'd at least put the idea out there.A cross-fandom challenge, to write something in your fandom (or draw, I suppose), which involves real-life current events. It could be as simple as Mulder and Scully griping about the 2000 presidential elections and the upheaval it causes in the FBI when administrations change; it could a Riddle/Grindlewald/Hitler WWII trip; it could be Commodore Norrington being called North to fight in Queen Anne's war. Or having Agent Sands working an Iraqi POW camp. Or Teal'c getting hassled by the INS. Or somebody falling through the Guardian of Forever and altering history so that the Eugenics Wars never happened and in 2004 the greatest threat was bioterrorism and the US was embroiled in a war in Iraq. Or Methos working part-time on Warren Harding's presidential campaign. The idea being not to focus on research or realism or epic adventure particularly, but to point up that fic often purposely ignores the effects of world events, to remind us all that it isn't realistic for even our heroes to be able to ignore day-to-day politics, because it really is important. Really. And to make the election relevant for people who spend most of their time with fictional characters. (The fact that I have a kink for real-life politics in fic would be just a fringe benefit.)
And then everybody post them to every list and community they can over the week of Oct 26-Nov 2 before the elections, with an author's note encouraging Americans to read up, get out, and vote. If enough people participate across enough fandoms, I think it would be a really effective way to raise consciousness and enthusiasm in our community. The challenge itself would be completely non-partisan, although the stories (or whatever) wouldn't have to be, although it'd probably be better if we avoided ones so partisan they're trolly. And I'd have to ban "I Killed Kennedy" stories, of course.
[Poll #348626]
And please send other people here, too, if you think it's worth discussing. If I get enough positive response, I'd be willing to at least set up an lj comm, send out a reminder e-mail the week of, and throw off prompts if they're wanted. But I know myself well enough to know I'll do a really sucky job trying to run something like this, so I'd love it if somebody or somebodies more together was willing to take over the idea and the credit.
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(Anonymous) 2004-09-11 07:21 pm (UTC)(link)no subject
(Anonymous) 2004-09-12 08:23 pm (UTC)(link)Ooh! Guessing game! Is it Kate Capshaw? I bet it was Kate Capshaw that sent this. No? Was it Tom Jones, then? It's not unusual for Tom Jones to send things, you know. I liked that song. The "It's not unusual" song. But I don't really think that Tom Jones sent something about someone's mother's email. That would be silly, I guess... Well, no guess! (:
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