by
ART RAPP
NFFF
I don't think you boys are on the ball. Even by Aristotelian logic your opposition to the National Fantasy Fan Federation doesn't seem sensible. For example, there are those of you who sneer at all things fannish. You point to the bumbling inefficiency of the NFFF in 1946 or 47 or whenever it was that you happened to blow your slannish top. Today, in 1950, you still haven't noticed that N3F is no longer in the hands of the guys you feuded with five years ago. # Not having been around at the time, I don't know how justified you were in abandoning the NFFF in disgust in those days; I do know that today the NFFF is being run on a businesslike basis by fans whose enthusiasm doesn't make them overlook practical difficulties. There is, in the present day NFFF, little or no starry-eyed babbling about making fandom a force to be felt in the non-fan world. The aim of the NFFF is to make fandom as varied and interesting as possible for those who care to follow the hobby. In short, NFFF is not the political crusade which is apparently your evaluation of it; it's more like a service club, such as the Lions or the Elks are in the business world. The two chief aims of the NFFF at the present time are to help new fans get started in fandom, and increasing the amount of fanactivity.
In the first category, the NFFF doesn't simply hound neofen until they join the NFFF, and then forget 'em. It has a large number of members who correspond with new members, try to put them in contact with local fans in their towns, or in touch with other fans who have the same special interests. NFFF also has, or is preparing, various data sheets of interest to new fans -- such as lists of current fanzines, fanclubs, benefits available to NFFF members, and other such information. And there are plenty of benefits which you get by joining the NFFF. In cash terms, you can get reduced rates on at least ten fanzines; if you're an all-fanzine subscriber, the savings on this alone will probably take care of your $1.00 per year NFFF dues. Plans are underway to make fantasy books and also office supplies available to N3Fers at reduced rates.
The NFFF now sponsors three fanzines, two of which, The National Fantasy Fan, and Postwarp, are available to members only. The third, Futurist, will be available to non-members, but at a higher cost.
In short, anyone who is in favor of fandom as a hobby is crazy not to support the NFFF, which is doing more for fandom than any other club in the field.
And if you are one of those Insurgents who hates the entire concept of fandom -- well, it's no use asking you to support the NFFF, but I wish you would do a cortico-thalamic pause, and hereafter make plain in your denunciations that you are against the NFFF because it is helping fandom. After all, if the NFFF was as much of a millstone around fandom's neck as you-all claim, you should be in favor of it!
I would also suggest, to you rabid anti-NFFFers, that you join the NFFF for a year, and find out what it's doing these days. And if you still think it's being mismanaged by the time 1951 rolls round -- well, you're always free to run for President or Director yourself, you know!
You can get NFFF application blanks from me, Art Rapp, 2120 Bay St. Saginaw, Michigan.
By Roscoe, it's time to stop apologizing for the NFFF -- and time to start bragging about it!
Text versions and page scans Judy Bemis
Data entry by Judy Bemis
Updated June 18, 2015. If you have a comment about these web pages please send a note to the Fanac Webmaster. Thank you.