Ukraine Group Build

[WarhammerAdjacent]

Hi all, by kind permission of the admin team I'd like to make a quick plug for a group build and competition I'm running to raise money for those in need in Ukraine. I appreciate that the war is a 'hot button' topic at the moment so please don't turn this into the discussion of the wider politics. The idea is that for those who wish to help it's an opportunity to raise some money for the victims of the war not make political points about the whys and wherefores, if this group build upsets you then I'm sorry for your distress and would encourage you to browse some of the amazing work on the forum and wish you well for the future.

The GB is currently active on Facebook (our group is here #ForUkraineGB Facebook Group and we already have some genuinely incredible work on display including animatronic figures of a brilliant standard) and bluesky (check out #ForUkraineGB). I've attached a flyer below with more information but the premise is that you can join in any time from now, submissions for the competition should be made by August 1st (I'll share a link) and the winners will be announced on the 24th August. We have a range of categories including figures and dioramas, I'm arranging a panel of judges to pick their favourites and we've had over £500 worth of prizes donated by some very generous members of the modelling community.

If you'd like to get involved and aren't active on Facebook or Bluesky please let me know either on here or by PM and I'll look into other options. I'll keep these threads updated in the coming months with more details as things develop.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this, for your support if you decide to back the GB and your tolerance and patience if you prefer not to.

Stefan

 

[Redcap]

Hi Stefan.

We have already exchanged a difference of opinion on the 'White Rose Guild of Miniatures' FB site regarding this topic and which has resulted in the site moderator over there Colin (a friend of yours?) effectively telling the membership and those echoing sentiments similar to my own expressed here that if they don't agree with his decision to let you promote this on the model forum, then they should "leave the site" and also that he will enter into no debate or explanation for doing so. Effectively, an exercise in autocracy and nothing less.

This entire topic and however it is packaged for public consumption is overtly political. Indeed, this same promotional thread as I say has now appeared on the aforementioned site (maybe others too?) and whilst you say on that site also that it is "not political" in intent, your listing above here on PF has a central image slogan of "Heroyam Slava" that is akin to something straight out of a Soviet era publication in favour of Ukraine. I politely suggest that this imagery alone betrays your true intent and political undercurrent and that the proposed modelling element is merely a convenient smokescreen for the same.

Our hobby (both bench time and on social media) is probably and for many of us the last remaining sanctuary we have from the outside world of both domestic worries and continuous world politics projected 24/7 into our homes and in many cases, with a 'suggestion' as to where an individual's thoughts and opinions should be and if not, then accompanied by a sinister sub-current of "check and if necessary adjust your thoughts" prevails. Having attended model shows all over the UK and in Europe, this great hobby brings people together regardless of nationality, race, gender, age, sexuality and dare I say even politics (or it did with the latter until recently) and long may that continue. Despite the veneer of "it is all about the war casualties not politics or sides" then were I to propose a corresponding modelling theme of doing models for a help young Russian conscripts also brutalised by the war and with a theme of doing 'Z' liveried vehicles, figures and aircraft, then would that be allowed on modelling social media sites such as this (and the White Rose site) if I promised it was done not for politics but rather, 'in the name of charity and humanity only'?.......Exactly!

So what will be proposed next on this and other sites, naked support for the current Israel /Palestine (Hamas) conflict and with modelling used as cover to promote political allegiances or political agendas?

I respectfully appeal to the site moderators that we do not go down the dangerous road of allowing our hobby to be used as platform for overtly politically and partisan motivated matters such as this and enter the murky and dangerous world of politics. Also bear in mind that the first time the moderators say "No" to someone on a like theme and then, they cite a list of individuals /causes that (were) allowed to promote via this medium on your site, then you greatly expose both the site and you individually to allegations of selective favoritism or worst still, to allegations of bias and /or discriminatory behaviour.

Such a situation and scenario could of course then have potential for all manner of (costly!) legal ramifications and by all manner of people intent upon mischief.

Let's leave politics to the politicians (all of them) as don't you think they divide us all enough already.

Gary

 

[WarhammerAdjacent]

Hi Gary, I am really glad you joined in and I think it’s really helpful of you to voice an alternative opinion so eloquently. As you so rightly point out, the idea that only one view in a community is acceptable and others shouldn’t be tolerated is by definition authoritarian and something to be avoided. We should welcome a wide range of different approaches and views in our hobby, as you say one of its great strengths is bringing people together and we can’t do that if we only welcome people who either think the same as us or are coerced through the chastisement of our theirs into keeping their views to themselves. I wouldn’t want to feel that you felt you couldn’t voice your opinions within our community just because I don’t agree with them, that would not be right. Of course ultimately it was you and others who personally harassed the admin at white rose to take down my thread because you disliked it, here was me thinking ‘cancel culture’ was for youngsters!

At the same time let’s not be disingenuous here. You could have ‘kept politics out of your hobby’ tonight, all you had to do was not read this thread, just as you haven’t read several others. There’s plenty of stuff on here I don’t particularly like or find interesting so I ignore it. That way others have the freedom to enjoy their hobby in their way and I can do so in mine. You’ve made a conscious decision to follow me round on the internet complaining about my project. I don’t mind because the algorithm loves attention, if you and others had ignored the thread on Facebook it would have disappeared within a couple of hours, instead you brought it to the attention of enough people to get 20 more members of the GB. Ultimately though the person bringing politics into your hobby is you.

As for the principle of ‘keep politics out of modelling’, hobbies mean different things for different people. For some it’s about avoiding the real world and for others it’s a way to engage with it, both are fair and can co-exist. At the same time maybe you should consider what a privileged position you are in to be able to keep politics out of your hobby. Several of the contributors to the GB are in Ukraine now, yesterday was the anniversary of the death of a well known Ukranian modeller and box-art painter who was killed by the Russians. They don’t have that luxury of keeping politics out of their hobby. Similarly you talk about the unifying effects, if you like I can direct you to interviews with female and ethnic minority modellers and you can learn about their experiences of discrimination within the community. They don’t have the privilege of keeping politics out of their hobby. You on the other hand could just ignore this post and get on with your life. Please, have a pleasant evening.