This weekend I attended a local sci-fi/fantasy convention called Shevacon. I was there to not only enjoy the weekend with fellow geeks, but to pimp my novel and artwork. Overall, a great time was had by all. However, there was one fly in the ointment for many at the event.
The convention (hereafter lovingly referred to as the "con") was hosted at a large and rather well known hotel in the area. As is often the case with such places, ours was not the only con in the place. In fact, there was a convention for people with troubled marriages. While we knew about the other convention, we did not know that it was run by and for Bible thumpers.
Two things happened: 1) the Bible thumpers felt that, since they were at their own convention, they had the right to wander around OUR con (despite the fact that they did not PAY to be a part of our con). 2) Not only did some of them crash our con, but they felt the need to offend many of the people who DID pay to attend.
This year's theme for the con was Steampunk. Yes, we had a few Darth Vaders, some Boba Fetts, wizards and other assorted geeky fun, but many people came in Steampunk styled garments. As a result, some young ladies (and quite a few not-so-young) were in Victorian era dress with corsets that emphasized a bit of the upper portions of their chests (quite nice, if you ask me). The Bible thumpers wandering through made sure to tell these ladies that they were WHORES! Yes, you read that right. To their faces these people felt they had the right to push their own brand of morality on a group of people, insulting them and calling them a name that, frankly, I would never use to a woman's face (even if the name were true).
It became so bad that several leaders of the con went to talk to the people in charge of the Bible thumping convention. Their words fell on deaf ears. They then proceeded to talk to the hotel staff. Thankfully the staff was as appalled as the rest of us and marched on over to the thumpers in charge and told them to either respect the others at the hotel or that they could leave!
I was once a part of this crowd. Even so, I cannot recall ever being this rude. Not to someone's face. And despite my having spent 17 years among such people, I am still amazed when I see and hear such things happening. However, I was pleased that it was the Bible thumpers who, despite their supposed moral superiority, were the ones that showed everyone else how miserably low they were on the moral totem pole. In fact, the entire weekend I saw the geeks (of which I am one) behaving in an exemplary manner, polite and respectful in all ways and, as should be expected, free with laughter and smiles. The Bible thumpers, on the other hand, looked miserable and frightened. I thought "perfect love casts out all fear"?
