A Note From the Editor
Over the years, we’ve had many incarnations of the “About Us” page. They’ve all said the same basic thing for the most part: we talk about all the things someone can get “geeky” about (comics, movies, video games, music, TV, sports, books, etc) and the only rule we enforce is “don’t be a juicebag.” Here is the Webster Dictionary definition of juicebag.
juicebag - (noun) 1. an obnoxious or contemptible person 2. a gender-neutral equivalent to douchebag See also: jerk, asshat
Our world is changing. People have become much more angry and defensive over what they consider to be “their” media. You’ll hear things like “this isn’t my ______ that I grew up with” or “that’s not the real _______.” People will challenge others knowledge and love of comics, movies, video games, etc, trying to find what they consider ‘real fans.’ This sort of response shows their pettiness and magnifies their insecurities. They will argue that franchises like Star Wars, Star Trek and the MCU are victims of forced diversity. They will purposely tank movie reviews of films because they believe that their “favorite franchises” having sold out to political correctness. You will NEVER see that sort of response from the Great Geek Refuge. Ever.
All of our writers and podcasters are believers in the beauty of diversity and will review the media on its merits. There will be no attempt to find some sort of agenda or “hot take.” We don’t do edgy comments or controversial views for the sake of clicks or listens. We are genuine, we are diverse, and we are committed to equality. That being said, we are no longer existing solely on the creedo “don’t be a juicebag.” It has expanded because it has needed to be further explained. We will not allow gatekeepers who feel that it is their duty to restrict who can and who can’t discuss or enjoy certain things. A franchise or work of art does not belong to any one person or group; it belongs to us all. There will be no “controversial for the sake of being controversial.” First off, that’s pathetic. Secondly, if you have an opinion about something that is contrary to what others feel and believe, have a good reason for it and we will gladly discuss it. There is never any reason to disparage any person, race, group, or gender, ever. End of sentence. If you can’t understand that other people have struggled to see representation in media then you are simply ignoring history and we do not have time for it.
Now, there are certain groups that do NOT deserve respect or recognition. They are the ones rooted in hate, bigotry, racism, sexism or any other sort of divisive tactic. These groups will not get a voice. The only intolerance we have here at GGR is against intolerance. It’s not a hard concept to understand.
The Great Greek Refuge is a safe place for geeks to commune with each other. The “great” in our name is an example of two things: our continuing mission to be better than we were before and to be as large as needed to welcome everyone. While we are few in number, we have space for many. We will not exclude, we will not talk down to, and we will not allow anyone to make others feel unwelcome. We as the geek community can do great things, and we will be an example.
Thank you for stopping by. Feel free to hang out as long as you’d like.
Mike Lunsford, Editor-in-Chief of The Great Geek Refuge
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