Ahh, the joys of model railroading. Or not.
One of the things I've traditionally liked about being a model railroader and trainspotter is that I can rub virtual shoulders with the most conservative people on the planet (for example, Paul Weyrich, christopath and homophobe extraordinaire, is a rabid trolley enthusiast and I happily subscribed to [and once was quoted by] his magazine The New Electric Railroad Journal for many many years despite knowing that we'd be exchanging gunfire if we ever met outside of the trolley-spotting world. And he's not the only one; the model railroad world is easily the most conservative circle I am even remotely associated with) without immediately falling into a screaming match about politics. It made a nice change from the rest of my life, which has become a non-stop political battle.
Apparently this little truce has been declared over. I just received the December issue of Railroad Model Craftsman and, to my intense disgust, saw that one of the more jingoistic brass importers (their product line is heavily tilted towards Union Pacific [Evil Party super deluxe sparkle team leaders all] equipment) has produced a limited edition Abu Gharib edition model of a Union Pacific engine, painted in B*sh junta colors and with the name of the Coward in Chief scribbled across the sides of the engine, and, to announce it, put a FULL PAGE ad for it right in the middle of the magazine.
Gee, thanks, that's just what I needed, to have someone stuff a blatant political ad right into the middle of a railroad magazine, assuming that everyone who reads it will not immediately bolt for the computer to dash off an indignant letter to the editor (or, in my case, rip the goddamn page out of the magazine, then hurl the magazine to the floor with great force.) I've always liked RMC; it's always been a more hands on, if somewhat flaky, magazine than the 800 pound behemoth that is Model Railroader, but ads for a special! Maximum Leader Genius locomotive are right up with with Osama Bin Laden 9-11 commemorative decal sets in the "what were they thinking???" category.
I guess I can always cancel my subscription and write to Mr. Weyrich asking if he's going to ever reincarnate TNERJ (when TNERJ quoted me, they carefully snipped the ascii pink triangle off my usenet post, so it's not as if they didn't know that I was a pinko commie semi-fag when I was saying nice things about TNERJ), but it would be nice to be able to subscribe to a generalist model railroad magazine from this continent, even though my railroad doesn't have much to do with North American railroading anymore.
Comments
Just stumbled across you page here while surfing the net.
First, let me say I’m (proudly) a “Dittohead” and my politics are somewhat to the Right of Sean Hannity (but to the Left of Michael Savage!).
I happened to see the same ad which you descirbe and I have to tell you, it turned my stomach. Or, in the words of Archie Bunker, “Aww, Jeezz. Will ya lookit dis!” I couldnt have been more upset if it had been a Bill Clinton paint job on that loco.
For me, model railroading has always been a “politics free” zone. It is a place where people of diverse backgrounds can come together in fellowship. I don’t want to see that changed. Regardless of what the “Big Model Importers” do, I think it is up to people like you and I to rise above their attempt at petty political statements and just go about sharing our love of trains.
Sincerly, George E. Jones Port Able and Eastern Railway (HO scale)
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I don't know Dave-- I think for some Bush supporters the fact that he's as embattled as he is just brings out an extra measure of stridency. The flip side of that stridency is desperation, methinks.
Here in the Dalla-Ft Worth area, the signs on I-35 announcing the turnoff to the George Bush tollway used to say "George H. W. Bush Tollway." I don't know if they made an announcement about it or anything, but they took them down and replaced them with signs that just say "George Bush Tollway." Not even GB, Sr. It's a very subtle way of admitting local embarassment, from my vantage point.
That's a great looking mountain, by the way.