A Message from the Editor:
A Dark Day For America
by Wendy Darling

The first edition of this zine, Inception, came out three years ago. This was only about two months after 9/11. After that catastrophic, world-changing event, we were all feeling pretty shell-shocked, but the world kept turning and the zine came out, and has come out, every quarter since them: Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer.

As I write this, it's Nov. 3, 2004, a dark day for America. I just listened to U.S. Senator John Kerry concede the election to President George W. Bush. At this moment, I feel the same sense of disbelief, sadness and rage that I felt on 9/11. Just as that should not have happened, this election should not have happened either.

While the voter turnout was outstanding — the highest since 1968! — the end result revolts me. It seems that the majority of people, at least a slight majority, favored the kind of insanity Bush has been pushing the past four years: war, fear-mongering, xenophobia, bashing of civil liberties, pandering to corporations, running up record-breaking deficits, disrespect for the U.N., and not giving a crap about our own country and its problems, like health care, unemployment. They're happy with four more years of a president who shows "moral leadership" and will "defend marriage" and work against abortion, proper sex education, and stem cell research, while ignoring global warming. They're also apparently happy with a leader who snuck out duty in Vietnam, was an alcoholic, did cocaine, and even now when he's "leader of the free world" looks and acts like a complete and utter idiot!

I actually came up with the design for this zine on 9/11. Everybody at my work was sent home and I was home, numb and shocked. I watched CNN for hours, checking Internet sites as well for news. Finally after too many hours of numbing, horrifying, sickening news, I decided to throw myself into doing the zine design. I am very, very proud of what this zine has been able to accomplish, and I'm very grateful to the dozens of people who have contributed their writing and artwork. I think Inception has worked out exceptionally well. I only wish my COUNTRY has done so well since 9/11 or that my COUNTRY had as much hope as I do for the zine. The list of horrible possibilities under Bush — who no longer has to worry about re-election — is long and scary. He may wind up bringing about more attacks on America, a civil war, maybe the Apocalypse. But let's hope he doesn't and that Americans don't allow him to. Let us all fight and work for a better future.

About the Author:
Wendy Darling (nickname Wiebke Fesch) is a web designer, fanfic author, and editor of Inception. She lives in Atlanta, GA, where she is self-employed, operating her own web design business, Metro Girl. Wendy is co-author of a Wraeththu Mythos novel called Breeding Discontent, and is an editor with Immanion Press. You can reach Wendy at wdarling@abraxis.com.