11Alive abusive, insensitive and wrong

On September 4 - 7th the Dragoncon convention started.  On the 5th, the annual parade was featured in the daily and evening news. Multiple stories were told about the con's activities, including the very real fact of a much needed infusion of cash tothe local shops, stores and nightclubs.

The tone and direction of the two largest stories was not only insulting to the people attending, but the freporting was skewed, inaccurate and downright hostile.

The first story is an ATTEMPT at journalism, but the off camera reporter shows his aggressive and nasty nature with every off color remark and rude question.  "Does your father know you dress like that?" (It was a DRESS) "Do you wish you had those three months back?" (This to someone who was obviously proud of his work) "Let me guess not married, right?" (Because he dared dress in a full body costume) "Let me guess.. Love at first sight, right?" (said in a mocking tone and then a verbal roll of the eyes when they mentioned they met on-line) and on and on and ON!
The offensive videos have been removed from the net.


The second story is simply about how Dragoncon SMELLS. As a 20 year veteran of conventions, I can attest to the fact that if you go to a BOWLING BALL CONVENTION... you will get people who have been eating the wrong foods, been on their feet all day AND NEED A SHOWER!! The bias and mean spirited editing is clear. There have always been problem people at the convention.  That doesn't mean you need an oxygen tank to walk in the door. 


This isn't about one person's feelings.  This isn't about the individuals who were insulted and demeaned in the videos. This protest is about basic respect and Journelistic integrity. The community of Dragoncon and all the subgenres' of fans who attend it should take notice.  WE ARE NOT RESPECTED!!

It is time that the "Frat boy" mentality around cosplayers, Sci Fi fans, readers, writers, gamers and all the REST OF "US"



SIMPLY because we spend our hobby time creating costumes, or reading books or playing games, does not mean we are "easy targets". Weight, height, social ability has no bearing on common decency and basic respect.

Channel 11 owes us an online apology, a retraction online/evening news/personally!!  The reporter with such a nasty bias should be in another line of work.  The producer who let these attacks on the air should  be shown JUST HOW LARGE A DEMOGRAPHIC HE PISSED OFF!!

We the undersigned are angry and disappointed at your treatment of the DragonCon attendees during the Labor Day holiday weekend.  The reporting itself was unprofessional, mean-spirited and unacceptable. During the broadcast, the comments made had no place in broadcasting and were in fact, personal attacks. Finding out the convention was featured on Televison was a morale booster at first. Then finding out the mocking nature of the pieces was not only infuriating, it is UNACCEPTABLE.

The origional piece did notice the positive affect we, as a group, had on th e local economy. Having institutions such as yours mocking and deriding us for no discernable reasons can have the opposite effect. Especially on people who sponsor such irresponsible and abusive actinos like Channel 11's.


The Channel 11 staff should retract and apologize on air, for their malicious attacks and insults to the attendees and the Fandom genre in particular.

Thank you for your time

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