Starts at pg79 as listed on the scans/pg83 by PDF pagecount. Copy/paste of the questionable but readable OCR below:.
https://whiningkentpigs.com/DW/oldzines/europa6-8.pdf
Wargamer as elitist-
The following comments stem from several different sources and
ideas. Tom Oleson has made several remarKS‘to me in the past. I
have a review to appear in a future issue of "Panzerfaust" that
~touches on sexism. Than appeared Walter's comments on Wargamer—
Widow (E 4/5, p 76) ~ and the plea to complain, change recipes,
etc. ' -
Like the Immortals of the Persian Kings, wargamers are made up of
a special and limited group. Unlike the Immortals, they are not
especially picked, nor are others specifically excluded. This
group of people called wargamers seem to be middle to upper class
in background, White, male, bookish of nature, and can spend tre—
mendous amount of time and energy acting as if they Were Rommel
of the desert, etc. SP1 recently pointed out they send free games
to those serving prison terms. I think this is great. In effect,
We have little contact with women or members of the IOWer class,
and there appears to be a racial Split. I haVe met more women war—
gamers then black wargamers. I have never met a prisoner who play—
ed wargames. ' ' ' ‘
E 6—8 page 80 Jack Greene: Isla Vista
t******w**************************************w
Why do we constitute such a limited elite? This is a question to
which I hope some of the readers address themselves to. The class
split could most likely be traced to aVailability and use of games
within the middle and upper classes; further there is an "egghead"
image that would tend to mean rejection from the lower class. It
could be argued that the race split would be explained by this as
well. Quite poSSibly black wargamers are blacks who have been in»
tegrated into the middle class and hold such values as the middle
class. Finally, from a classic standpoint, the upper class tends
‘ to feel it uses its head, instead of its hands. Many wargamers
that I have known are physically totally unexcited in the life
they lead. That is, wargamers are friends who I would not expect
to be on ovarnight hikes, involved heavily in physically demanding
work or play, etc. That these are Vast generaliZations goes with-
out saying, but they may give us a perSpeotive to work from.
So why are women so uninvolved in wargaming? I would like to give
my own limited thoughts and than have a woman who lives in DAS
(my home)(cf E 3) give her view and how she interacts with her
lover (who is also a wargamer). One of the reasons I feel Warga—
ming is frowned upon by some lies in its very nature — the glori—
fication of war and killing. I know when I order ui the Austrian
reserves in "Torgau", as Daun I do not think in terms of tha dead,
but the glory and spirit of the period. I argue that it is not orb—~
1y a good Sound outlet, but that it does teach.
Another aspect of wargaming is the time and energy expanded by the
hardcore fanatic. Is there any time left for anyone else? Tom Olen
son has made the point to me of the horrible truth that a warga~
mer hides. That truth being just how much he or she would play
wargames if the feeling of guilt and the need to eat were to be
removed.
Finally, I view war as an outgrowth of hunting; sometimes a form
of scalp taking. Be it cultural or genetic (or both as I feel) men
are overwhelmingly the members of the "warrior" class. In turn,
wargaming Would tend toaappeal to them. However, the cultural in—
fluence I feel is stillavery important consideration. Women are
not "expected" to pla.y soldiers, but instead a.re expected to play
with dolls.
As a postscript, any convention should haVe something constructed
by women for women so that they do not end up at conventions with
nothing to do but Sit at dealei” 5 tables. That is, unless they
Want to enter into one of the tournaments...,
What follows is one of the first "recipes" that we had thachance
to exchange in any Wargaming publication:
There is a school of thought which puts forth the theory that
man has an instinctive drive to increase h.is territorial hol—
dings. Robert Ardrey, author of "African Genesis", calls the
drive the "territorial imperative". Although as a feminist I
object to the uSe of "man" as the generic for a.l] human kind
(including womankind), in this case I Use it advisedly. The
need for constant expansion of territory seems to me to be a
male trait; male dogs, tomcats, roosters, stallions, and bulls
are the ones who instinctively assert their masculinity by do—
ing battle with any other male of their species who invades
their neighborhood. This is the territorial imperative at
work.
Man is the only creature who consciously kills others of his
own species for sport. Man is the only animal who kills those
NOT of his own Species for sport. Man is also the only crea—
ture who kills females of his own kind for any reason. At
E 6—8, page 81* Jack Greene: Isla Vista
*******************************************************************
this point I can almost hear Jack reminding me that this was
supposed to be a statement on wargaming, So perhaps I'd better
make my point.
After living with an avid wargamer for over a year, I have come
to the realizatidn that wargaming is a form of sublimation for
the animal kingdom's territorial imperative, and not a pleasant
one, at that. It is not to his credit that a man chooses to
kill for sport, even if the"bodies" are only cardboard game—
pieces. Wargaming-is not, like chess, a game of pure strategy,
All the wargamers I have met (and I know several — all male,
needless to say), have had a strong element of the homocidal
maniac in their nature. A lust for violence — on the game-
board at least « seems to be a prerequisite for being a warga—
mer.
So far, I have tried to be theoretiCal and objective. But I am
curious to know if there are other women who have shared my
feelings of nausea and dnust when my lover has been involved
in a wargame in the next room, and I have heard him pounding
on the table, yelling "BLOOD MUST FLOWII". He is, at that mo—
ment, separated from me by a gulf that I don't eVen WANT to
bridge. It's no wonder to me that so few women are wargamers.
I think that tendency to lose touch with one’s humanity is a
trait generally shared by far more men than women, with warga—
mine as a prime example. “
Wow. There is really not too much else I wish to discuss in this
issuer
I am always open to comments and/or questions. I also hope to rem
ceiVe some feedback on the topics discussed and approach to game
reviews that I have taken for ”Europa".
(lwlh. No, I don't know who this women is who wrote the above sta—
.tements. Jack answered: "...the woman wanted to remain unknown;
she lives in the house. There will be more coming along in this
vein which has rocked me to my roots as far as my being a wargamer
and what that means in full brOad philisopichal sic — terms". I
really look forward to "more in this vein" of this unknown — and
"other — SHEs.)
((wlh. And: Re—read the last sentenCes of Jack‘s article... He .-
and all the others, including me, contribuating to E Would like
to get some response from you; there can't be a silent majority
in a zine like E I even consider whether I shouldn't limit he
permission (1) to subscribe to those who are willing to contribute
more or less regularely... Actually, why not?
I have no feedback—system — and I don't intend to ever have one,
Since I don't believe in it. But: there are your letters, your re—
views in other zines « this is the only feedback—system I agree
with.
But, again, your comments and your reviews are of no big use, if
you only write that Jack’s, Tom's, Rian’s (etc etc) article has
been excellent/good/interesting §etc etc) as usual — though, of
course this also is nice of you and better than nothing at all
or even the contrary). neviews mentioning that E has imprOVed, is
an excellent zine (etc etc) are nice too, and of course I am 1i—
king them also. But, that is not what I, what we really need (nor
do I intend torpfiblish this kind of reviews and comments here — as
others do in their Mail/Reader's Columns).
PleaSe, be more precise: write your THOUGHTS, your ideas, your mo—
re detailed comments. At least, if you are interested also that
those contribuating to E continue to write such articles...)).
