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October 8, 2000
*****
The Zine Revolution:
intro by Karl Wenclas
I've been a zinester for nine years and during that
time I've listened to zinesters endlessly talk about
how brave they are, how they're creating a "print
revolution," how great zine writers are, how we're an
"alternative literature" and so on. Well, you can't
have it both ways. Either zine writers ARE good, and
deserving of support or attention, or they're not. I'm
saying to zinesters "put up or shut up." It's one thing
to sound off in Podunk, Iowa; quite another to do it in
front of the big boys in New York.
I've told the NY literati how much courage and
integrity underground writers have. With this petition
campaign, I've put my own head on the chopping block.
Unlike most zinesters, I've actually been published in
a few "legit" lit-periodicals, Paris Review, Open City,
BookForum, as recently as this past spring. Literary
people have warned me that by pursuing this campaign I
was throwing away my own modest ("pathetic") writing
career---but I've gone through with it because I have
faith in zine writers. I've believed, you see, all
those things they've been saying for the past nine
years.
Who is Rick Moody? His real name is Hiram F. Moody III.
His father, Hiram F. Moody Jr., is a wealthy NY
investment banker, who himself chairs a large
foundation---(the Wenner-Gren Foundation). "Rick" Moody
has been called by Time Out NY "the busiest writer in
Manhattan." He's the literati's darling, in fact; their
fair-haired boy, publishing regularly in all the
big-paying New York magazines like The New Yorker and
Vanity Fair. His novels sell well; one of them, The Ice
Storm, was made into a successful movie, providing him
with substantial income. He no doubt also receives
ample income from a trust fund, like most of his NY
writing brethren. I know of a literary writer in NY who
is considered "poor" because his trust fund income is
only 100 thousand a year. One can assume that Moody's
exceeds this.
Should he be receiving money from an arts foundation?
Do any of you know what a foundation is? It's a
tax-free shelter. That pool of money sits in the
endowment tax-free; it can be invested in the stock
market, in art and antiques; it pays no capital gains
as its value increases. To make up for the tax money
the Guggenheim family has NOT paid, the difference is
made up by you and me. SHOULD a foundation be merely a
way to circulate money from rich people to other rich
people, tax free? I don't think so. I'm saying, let's
spread some of that money around.
I've never applied for a grant, because I don't believe
tax shelters---which serve mainly to benefit rich
people---should even exist. But if they ARE here, and
if the wealthiest families in America---Rockefellers,
Fords, Kennedys, et al--- use them to avoid taxes while
simultaneously having free reign of the houses, horses,
offices, cars, yachts, etc owned by the foundations,
and hold lavish parties and benefits paid for by these
secure islands of largesse, then I say again, let them
spread some of that money around!
Does it make a difference that Moody's family is very
wealthy, blue blood and all that? ABSOLUTELY. This guy
has had every advantage from the moment of birth---he's
written about his friggin' nanny!---the right
connections and references; the very best education.
His way was smoothed from day one. Now, on top of this,
he receives scarce grant money? What's wrong with this
picture? Believe me, I know the reverse situation,
having NO one to fall back on, no leg up. No one has
ever given me anything. I've lived by my wits my entire
life---now I'm using those wits to try to change this
shitty culture and this inequitable society. The Moody
campaign is merely one tool in our bag of tricks. We're
going all the way on this, because frankly literature
today sucks---which is maybe why none of you has heard
of esteemed author Rick Moody! Where are the writers of
outrage who can portray the truths about this society,
in understandable terms the way Charles Dickens and
Victor Hugo and Frank Norris and John Steinbeck did in
their times? Such writers are out there. They're in the
underground. They need exposure. We're going to give it
to them.
Is this envy? To accuse someone of envy is like
accusing them of class war. THEY can wage class war on
us day and night, working us longer hours for less pay;
breaking our unions; putting someone or other's
daughter or son on every magazines cover in town or
handing them million-dollar book contracts (Anne Rice's
20 year old son) but if we express one whisper of
complaint about this we're waging "class war" and are
"envious." Zinedom was the last place I expected to
find blatant apologists for the cliques that run this
society---or do zinesters, in their daydream lives, not
understand how their own country works?
Really, there is no excuse for not signing the Protest.
This drive will get the underground attention. Our
cause is just. Rick Moody has been aware of this plan
for months (I know a friend of his). I've been warned
off. But no one, least of all Moody, has tried to
JUSTIFY his receiving the money, because it can't be
justified, not when a Jack Saunders toils in obscurity
for 30 years without help; not when a very talented
young zine writer like Ann Sterzinger works two jobs in
very bad health, with no time and energy to write.
The writers promoted by the magazines and promo engines
of the New York media are predominately from prep
school, Ivy League backgrounds, from wealth. I've
documented this in 45 issues of New Philistine. These
sons and daughters of privilege often are the same
people receiving grants, Rick Moody being an
outstanding example of one; the writers who least need
help. The elite NY clique controls the endowment pie
and divides it among themselves---because no one calls
them on this.
The ULA is assaulting the lit-establishment head-on,
going after their favorite son, in the interests of the
underground---in YOUR interest---and we ask for your
help. We're doing, not merely talking. The literary
crowd in New York regards zinesters as "losers"---a
direct quote. If zine writers won't stand up for
themselves, maybe this designation is not all wrong.
We look forward to your support.
Karl Wenclas
*****
A Statement of Protest
We the undersigned PROTEST the year
2000 Guggenheim grant to well-known
author Rick Moody, because it
exemplifies the practice of giving
financial assistance to already
SUCCESSFUL and AFFLUENT writers,
well-connected, who clearly don't need
the help---while other writers abjectly
struggle---and because this runs
counter to the implicit charitable
purpose behind the tax-exempt status of
a foundation like John Simon Guggenheim.
Original Signers: October 8, 2000:
King Wenclas
Michael Jackman
Doug Bassett
Ann Sterzinger
Joe Smith
Steve Kostecke
Other Signers:
Jack Saunders
Jeff Potter
Tom Hendricks
Laurel Speer
Sugene Yang
Chris Cassarino
Robert P. Helms
Jerianne Thompson
Joseph Verrilli
Alden Scott Crow
Michelle Aiello
Chris Estey
Brendan Michael O'Mara
Chris Boarts Larson
Kate Flannery
Susan Boren
Owen Thomas
Anthony Rayson
Fred Wright
Peter E. Lewis
Kyle Bravo
Lisa B. Falour
Brant Kersovich
Jason Koivu
Stephen T. Vaughn
Angel Meiss
Madrea Crownover
Cullen Carter
John Johnson
Piche'
Joshua Glenn
Phil Wagner
R. John Xerxes