Swords & Wizardry Light - Forum

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Frank Mentzer Removed as a Guest of Honor from Gary Con



Sometimes it seems like we are in a time of un-personing the main influencers in the OSR. The removal of Zak S from the community over the last week was huge. I'm guessing Contessa is feeling its oats because now Gary Con has removed Frank Mentzer as a Guest of Honor from Gary Con.

Heres the announcement (you can read in full here:  https://garycon.com/blog/2019/02/18/harbinger-unheeded/)

Note that I am highlighting certain text that I will be commenting on below.

Harbinger Unheeded
          February 18, 2019  
By MELF
After much deliberation, I made the decision to remove Frank Mentzer as a Guest of Honor from Gary Con. His past misconduct and threatening behavior violate the ethics and harassment policies established by Gary Con. This was a difficult decision for me because Frank was a long-time friend and employee of my Dad, he has been to every Gary Con and had the honorarium of Old Guard attached to his name. He made significant contributions to the gaming industry in the 1980s with Basic D&D and the RPGA. However, Frank’s harassing behavior, threatening communications, tone-deaf and unapologetic responses are unacceptable to say the least and not the kind of behavior that represents what Gary Con is about. This form of toxic aggression is detrimental to the safe space we as a gaming community strive for.

I want to make something crystal clear, Gary Con is about celebrating the love of gaming, making friends, having fun and sharing camaraderie. All while we honor the memory of my father, one of the most important figures in RPG history. In order for Gary Con to continue to be the premiere gaming convention that it is, we must ensure that everyone feels welcome, safe, and believes that they are a valued member of our community regardless of their gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or what edition that they play. I want everyone to understand that if someone acts inappropriately, the staff will take action swiftly to correct it.  It is my reasoned judgment that having Frank as a Guest of Honor was counter to these principles.  That is the bottom line.

Luke Gygax
Founder, Gary Con
Wow. So, nothing new. Its the same drama that was attached to Frank at last year's Gary Con and he didn't get uninvited. It is also especially harsh wording. After Frank was removed as a Guest of Honor from Gamehole in fall of 2017 he was left, primarily, with two of the three Old School Cons a year. This past fall, citing health issues, Frank was limiting his convention appearances to one on a year - Gary Con. It's looking like Frank is done on the convention circuit.

Frank's comment on the situation:




19 comments:

  1. Not sure how to feel about this. If Mr Mentzer was disparaging the family or anything to do with the Con, I can support them. If Mr Mentzer agreed not to disparage the family or the Con, then maybe this was heavy handed. I don't know 1/10th of the story, so I can't say.

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  2. Envious losers, lying bullies, neurotic crybabies, and now virtue-signaling cowards. Colourful creators like Arneson and Gygax could not be hired today to mop the floor at companies run by those bedwetters.

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    Replies
    1. Bedwetters at best. Herald in the new era when the likes of Delforano have become the RPG gatekeepers.
      Death to us!

      Delete
    2. That must be why the hobby is thriving now in a way it never did in the old days. Because of all the gatekeeping...

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  3. What were the issues from last year?

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    1. He sent a nasty PM to another member at Dragonsfoot, then made a ludicrous claim that he was hacked after DF booted him. Also, he was sending completely inappropriate messages to a young female RPG/videogame developer. Additionally, his KS was a raging garbage fire, but if GaryCon banned everyone who ran one of those, they wouldn't have any guests at all.

      Delete
    2. Internet meaniness and Storytelling? THE DEUCE

      If someone hits on you, and you think they are beneath you and/or of lower status than you, that's literally a crime.

      Delete
    3. Again, no one is saying Frank Mentzer committed a crime. And contrary to the lurid metaphors you keep using, no one is being sent to the gallows, the guillotine, or the gulag either.

      You're probably aware that one of our freedoms in democratic countries is "freedom of association". Among other things, that means no one has to associate themselves with Zak S. or Frank Mentzer if they don't wish to do so. And they frankly don't owe you or me an explanation for that decision.

      Delete
  4. Erik, as a one time Frank supporter I have information that this has nothing at all to do with anything that is publicly known about Frank.

    And if EOTB happens by I would once again like to humbly apologize.

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    Replies
    1. So what is this super-secret squirrel info you supposedly have?

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  5. Would Luke have banned his father, I wonder?

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  6. What exactly is Mentzer actually accused of?

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  7. I can understand if someone says, "no," and you don't pursue further.

    I have to say that ^^ because my parole officer is outside my window. He just panned his flashlight at the restraining order. "THANK YOU, OFFICER ALLEN!"

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  8. What does the title “harbinger unheeded” represent? Harbinger of what? Seems cryptic.

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  9. I'm reading the Garycon policy and I don't see anything about past actions: https://garycon.com/policies/ Perhaps the policy needs to be updated.

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    Replies
    1. The written policies are boilerplate. Like Patreon deplatforming people they disagree with, it really doesn't matter, as long as they don't like you.

      It's too bad.

      Delete
  10. I had been planning to make the drive up to Gary Con this year, despite the snow. I understand I have no insight or information about why this happened to Frank but I have to say that I am so utterly sick to death of the negative climate being dragged into the wider gaming community that I've decided not to attend. I won't be going to Gen Con this year either for many of the same reasons. I think I will be happier just staying at home and enjoying D&D, Gamma World, Traveller and all the rest with my teenage sons and my wonderful friends.

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  11. If someone wrote that I was Toxic... Now if Luke said this was due to a personal matter between them, I would be ok with it

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