You
Klingon Son! You killed my Bastard!
by Qob!
I don't
know about you, but I am 12 years older than I was in 1996.
It's been a big 12 years. Most of KAG was full of piss and vinegar in
1996, the world was our oyster.
We were happily feared and worked hard at being outrageous. Since then
folks have married, gotten jobs
had kids, lost jobs, got divorced, remarried, lost loved ones, moved
and just generally been mugged by real
life. Also we have been mugged by Paramount and the "creators" of Star
Trek. We've seen our beloved
Klingons go from "OMG! The Klingons are here, we're DOOMED!" to such an
afterthought that it looks like there
will be no mention of Klingons in the next movie. They're sticking with
the Romulans as villains, brilliant! (not)
But, anyway! The thing I want to talk about is this: Klingons (us
rubberheaded fans) are being taken for granted.
As we've gotten older, those of us who are not gibbering maniacs, have
mellowed. Now in real life, that's a good thing. You're
finding your place in society, you're paying taxes, you aren't being
arrested every Saturday night anymore. Good for you!
But that's not what fandom should be about. Now the feddies, what's
left of them, are all about being grownups, we aren't.
Or we shouldn't be. Be a Bastard.
Whatever you do, make sure that people don't take Klingons for granted
anymore!
Be a Klingon Bastard. If you do an event in Klingon and go to the local
Burger Thing to
eat afterwards, be noticed! Insult your waitron! If you eat with the
Feddies, claim their French Fries
in the name of the Klingon Empire! If you go to a bar, loudly suggest
that the local sports team has
dubious claims to manhood! Be Clever! Be unsettling! Do the Unexpected!
Be fun and funny!
Stay in Character as much as possible, if you encounter other fans in
costume, Be the Klingon Bastard to them.
Years ago, I heard someone say, "OK the Klingons are here, now the
party gets started"
Be a party starter! If you must work with the Feddies, let them know
THEY are working FOR YOU,
not the other way around. Be a Bastard.
There is a perception that KAG is a wing of
StarFleet international,
that we are tame. While as real people we should not be pricks
and buttheads, we have a duty. No one should ever take Klingons for
granted.
This is especially important with our big Convention season in full
swing.
Kirk cried out "You Klingon bastard, you killed my son!" While no
murder should be performed at conventions, we do encourage you to steal
the spotlight
to be antagonistic to uniformed feddies when you are in Klingon. To
reject the
Khitomer accords and show people that Klingons still have teeth! Be a
Bastard.
"Do not go gentle into that good night...
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."


