Re: [OTT]Student Politics/ Future Shock

> > Militant Ukelele-players singing "When I'm
> > Cleaning Winders", and people wearing "University of Mordor" or
"Crush
> > Elvish Imperialism!" T-shirts.
> 
> As someone who didn't live through all this, what are these groups? 
For
> that matter, what's wrong w/ Elvish imperialism?

OTT is right... Over The Top.

What are these groups? Dramatis Personae:

Gay Lib - In the middle 70s, prejudice against homosexuals was at least
as common as racial prejudice in the 1920s. It was often expressed in
bashings, or even jail sentences for private acts between consenting
adults. Gay Lib was a group (ultimately successful) that campaigned for
at least tolerance, if not full acceptance. It was thanks to their
efforts that the Sydney Gay Mardi Gras came into being - one of the
world's great annual parties. Gay Lib provided us with a solid power
base - about 5% of the student body.

Tolkein Society (TolSoc)- Founded in the 60's, even before JRRT became
popular with the hippies in the US, the Tolkein Society ran (and still
does AFAIK) the annual "Tolkeinfest", a play performed in the
University's Great Hall. Often "Farmer Giles of Ham" or one of JRRT's
lesser known works.
With the release of the new movie LOTR, there'll be a blaze of T-shirts,
caps, all the usual commercial hoohah. But the "University of Mordor"
T-shirts showed the University's crest, subtly changed (the centre star
replaced by a lidless eye), and were homemade silkscreen jobs. The
"Crush Elvish Imperialism" ones were similar, showing a hord of Orcs
protesting against Lawful Goodness. D&D was new then - it hit Australia
in 1975 - and only a few knew about it, or played it. It sure confused
the radical leftists, they weren't in on the joke.
The TolSoc was the "Illuminati" of the picture, controlling the putsch
(did I say the head of Gay Lib was a senior member of the TolSoc?).
People who played RPGs as Chaotics were really good at figuring out how
to hornswaggle the radicals.

Formalin - "To preserve the University Union" - an extremely
Conservative or rather Conservationist party, who just wanted student
facilities to be preserved intact, not sold off to get money to send to
radical causes overseas. This was both a cover for the others, being a
recognised political party and thus able to propose candidates for
election, and a honeypot to attract the attentions of the Trots,
Maoists, Anarchists and others who had a habit of barging in and
interrupting meetings. Often the hecklers, stooges and infiltrators were
the only participants at the official meetings, as far as I can tell.
Never attended any, myself.

George Formby Appreciation Society - I'll see if I can find a URL. GF
was an entertainer of the late 30s and early 40's, who strummed a
Ukelele and sang such classics as "Imagine Me in the Maginot Line,
sitting in a mine in the Maginot Line", and "When I'm cleaning Winders",
his signature tune. This was the second level of cover, between Formalin
and the TolSoc.

Don't worry: in about 2030 you'll have to explain that in 2002 almost
no-one had full VR in their home, you'll have to explain who Elvis was,
that the killing of Chimpanzees was not classed as homicide, that
tobacco was still legal but marijuana wasn't. And they won't understand,
either.