Clean up Fandom Crusade

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Launched in an effort to clean up fandom in 1951 by Russell Watkins in his fanzine Dawn. Fans, for some strange reason, didn't think they were particularly dirty or that they needed to be sanitized. Most people in the microcosm reacted with derisive laughter to his pleas not to publish anything having to do with sex or that might be considered "critical" of religion. He claimed concern that postal authorities, who at that time were sometimes opening the mail to look for pornography and other "illegal" political activity, might come down hard on fanzines and fandom, but while there may have been legitimate reasons for the concern, most fan editors felt fandom should not set up its own board of censors but instead remain true to its basically anarchistic nature and leave such things to individuals to sort out for themselves. Watkins was much lampooned, joined the armed forces and gafiated, pretty much in that order.


Fanhistory 1951
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