Crush...Yiff...Destroy!

davemerrill · Qualificator Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Posts: 8

I dunno if this should go here or in the "Chit-Chat" area. Anyway...

Back in the Reagan years I grew up in Atlanta and started going to SF conventions in the mid -80s, 'cause I likes me the sci-fi. A fixture on the local scene was a guy named Albert M. Rainwater. He attached himself to our nascent anime club, just like he attached himself to every other fannish group in Atlanta, and he pretty much was ahead of his time in taking furry to the porno extreme. His emphasis on adult material, and his general demeanor, encouraged everybody to distance themselves from him.

Anyway, I lost touch with Al, except once or twice a year he'd phone me asking for copies of RANMA 1/2 episodes, and then at one point I heard he'd gone to jail, and at another point I'd heard he'd actually died. This, in fact, turned out to be true.

I've since moved out of the country and have lost touch with anybody from that time who would know anything about Al, why he went to jail (if he actually did go to jail) and how and why he died. It's probably morbid curiosity on my part, but I share with CYD a fascination with the more extreme members of fandom, and I thought that some of the old-school fans might have memories, fond or otherwise, of Al Rainwater.

So if you knew him or heard stories or anything, let me know. You can also email me at shougunwarrior@yahoo.com . Thanks for your interest.

Dave

PS - Al was also involved in the Dallas-area DALLAS BRAWL apa, under the name "Brian Shadrix".

Iconoclastic · Vociferator Joined: 08 Mar 2005 Posts: 338

Interesting! When I do a search on his alias I get a firefighter from Georgia. Probably not the same person.

Goofy · Vociferator Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 311

I did some research and, while I don't think I've found the guy you're looking for, I think I've found something that's more than a coincidence.

I did a newspaper search for "Albert Rainwater" and found a short news story in the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (6 April 1989):

LAWRENCEVILLE - Gwinnett authorities have issued a felony arrest warrant for a Duluth man charging him with one count of child molestation.

Maurice Albert Rainwater of 4415 Berkley Lake Road is accused of molesting a boy younger than 14, court records show.

The warrant, which carries a $5,000 bond, was signed earlier this week by Gwinnett Magistrate Maurice E. Naughton.

It strikes me as more than a coincidence that:

1) That the name "Maurice Albert Rainwater" pops up in an Atlantan newspaper and you knew an "Albert M. Rainwater". If it's him, it's like he reversed his first two names.

2) Both had some alledged criminal history.

3) Both had ties to Atlanta.

But maybe I'm jumping to conclusions here so don't take my word for it. There isn't much out there on this guy, so it could just be a conincidence. But it might give you a lead or two as to where to look.

EDIT: I also did a newsgroup search. They refer to him as the "Albert Rainwater" around 1995 and "the late Albert Rainwater" in 96, so I'm guessing he died sometime between those two years.

Dr. Mojo · Vociferator Joined: 19 Feb 2005 Posts: 399

1) That the name "Maurice Albert Rainwater" pops up in an Atlantan newspaper and you knew an "Albert M. Rainwater". If it's him, it's like he reversed his first two names.

He probably did. Nobody wants to be called "Maurice."

davemerrill · Qualificator Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Posts: 8

Wow, that's paydirt! That's Al, all right. I remember the address from the C/FO Atlanta membership list. I actually had to visit the house (he lived in his parent's basement, of course) to get back a bunch of C/FO zines he'd borrowed. I didn't go alone, and now I'm feeling pretty glad I didn't.

HOLY CRAP. I'd heard he was arrested for child molestation, but the gender was unclear. I guess it isn't unclear any more.

I've done Google searches myself, and all I've come up with are a few mentions on alt.fan.furry. How do you go about doing a newspaper search??

"Maurice". Jeez.

Goofy · Vociferator Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 311

My university has access to Factiva. Handy little tool that. It can do newspaper searches as far back as '85.

davemerrill · Qualificator Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Posts: 8

Man, what I missed by not reading the paper every day!!

Jerry Collins · Vociferator Joined: 16 Jul 2003 Posts: 548

I've known Al for years,and the molestation charges were a shocker to a lot of the local fans..many thought his passing was a mercy ending for a deeply troubled life.others wanted to dig him up and defile his carcass...poor ,foolish soul.

Donotsue · Needs to get out more Joined: 17 Jan 2004 Posts: 884

Previously unknown Transformer Pedocon... Rainwater! =)

Together with Skiltare and Kidd they combine to form...

The mighty Pedoking!

Skunkfuckers Inc. · Needs to get out more Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 1006

Any news on how he died? I'm hoping for slow and pitiful, if not excruciatingly painful. Though I can imagine a worst case scenario where he died of AIDS after infecting hundreds of young boys.

Previously unknown Transformer Pedocon... Rainwater! =)

Together with Skiltare and Kidd they combine to form...

The mighty Pedoking!

I WANT ONE.

Jerry Collins · Vociferator Joined: 16 Jul 2003 Posts: 548

Al died from a combo of heart failure and diabetic complications

davemerrill · Qualificator Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Posts: 8

I gotta go with Jerry on this one. Al had a lot of serious issues, and while I don't wanna sound like a bleeding heart liberal, he deserved better treatment than the ostracism and abuse he got. I've seen a lot of similar behavior over the years (not the molestation, just the inappropriate display of adult material, etc) and I can't help but think that if a few people had, you know, actually SAID SOMETHING, like "Hey, that's inappropriate behavior, why not save it for when there aren't any minors around," stuff like that, Al might have gotten a clue. (On the other hand, maybe this approach was tried and didn't work.)

I run a con, and every year we get reports on abusive and creepy behavior, and the first thing you have to do is to tell the losers exactly what they're doing that's wrong, and to knock it the hell off or go home. I figure if even one of these people gets a clue that what they're doing is frowned upon by society, they might clean up their act.

FANDOM - SOCIETY'S LAST LINE OF DEFENSE!!!

You probably don't remember me Jerry, since the last time we were in the same place I was some asshole teenager, but I always got a kick out of your artwork, and still have my copies of NARF BLAZERS.

AngryPuritan · Needs to get out more Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 1361

Yeah, ignoring people who are clearly a disturbance is akin to asking them to continue. Sometimes, the behavior is really a cry for help.

davemerrill · Qualificator Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Posts: 8

Well, there's a total belief in the fan culture that if you EVER criticize anybody's actions, you're JUST AS BAD AS THE MUNDANES, if not YOUR PARENTS. And probably a Nazi, too. It's a belief system that encourages bad behavior and actually rewards it in many cases.

I blame the hippies, myself.

Glympse · Rasophore Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 61

I blame the hippies, myself.

Great. Now I'm imagining furry funk covered poorly with Pachouli. Thanks. Really.

MonicaKitty · Vociferator Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 663

Well, there's a total belief in the fan culture that if you EVER criticize anybody's actions, you're JUST AS BAD AS THE MUNDANES, if not YOUR PARENTS. And probably a Nazi, too. It's a belief system that encourages bad behavior and actually rewards it in many cases.

I blame the hippies, myself.

Hippies? I don't really see how belief in a cause, such as peace or the end of an unjust or unlawfull war is the same as blind devotion. Rather, I think you need to look at it not as a matter of devotion to the 'dumb, but the feeling of belonging. Furry accepts pretty much everyone. I mean, there's even pro-nazi furry crap out there. Anything vile you can list from A-Z is represented and pretty much absorbed happily into the whole. There are people who are ordinarily shunned for being not just perceived weirdos, like, say, Trekkies or Anime fans, but actually out and out perverts or freaks. Suddenly, they find this "warm" welcomming community that says- "Hey, tentacle rape of animals covered in alfredo sauce is great! And you really like to have sex with baby animals? Oh, that's cool too, to each their own." They, in turn, defend the whole because God knows if the fandumb collapses nobody else is going to accept them.

So, it's not devotion to a common cause. It's devotion to a selfish desire for acceptance, and a social outlet where they won't be arrested or spit upon. In it's own way, that's more a reflection of Nazi ideals than furry-hate ever could be. Devotion to like-minded or, at least, enabling mutant outcasts is far stronger than just standing up for something you presumably believe in.

Shmeckopolis · Vociferator Joined: 31 Mar 2004 Posts: 327

I blame the hippies, myself.

Careful, before they start calling you a "little Eichman" for that one...

Between this guy's stuff back then, and Paul Kidd's antics now-ish, ya can't really say the rampant perversion 'round this fandom "isn't hurting anyone" anymore. These cons really need some better behavoir all-around, first off. And, a few more people telling the furry fandom to "RELAX WITH THE SPLOOGE" might help. Emphasis on might. But, hey, it can't hurt.

But, then again, when anyone does, they, too, get called little Eichmans...

EDIT: Monica, did you just devote a paragraph and a half to bitch about a short little off-the-cuff sentence?!

BREATHE!

Iconoclastic · Vociferator Joined: 08 Mar 2005 Posts: 338

There are people who are ordinarily shunned for being not just perceived weirdos, like, say, Trekkies or Anime fans, but actually out and out perverts or freaks. Suddenly, they find this "warm" welcomming community that says- "Hey, tentacle rape of animals covered in alfredo sauce is great! And you really like to have sex with baby animals? Oh, that's cool too, to each their own." They, in turn, defend the whole because God knows if the fandumb collapses nobody else is going to accept them.

That had to be my biggest shock! I thought this was simply an art scene with a bad fringe element. I didn't realize it was also a support group for anything under the sun. That sounds cool to me, but the reality is clear: this isn't a support group for recovery. It's a group of confused, fucked up people who are gleefully encouraging one another further into madness.

davemerrill · Qualificator Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Posts: 8

Well, I blame everything on the hippies. I watch old episodes of DRAGNET just to see Joe Friday lay a few "zingers" on those stoned-out weed-heads. But that's me.

You'd be surprised -- well, no, you wouldn't, actually -- at how many people feel that fandom is simply a support group for outcasts and the walking mentally wounded. Whether they acknowlede it outright or have internalized it to the point where it forms the background in their every thought or action, the idea of "Fandom is a Warm Loving Community That Accepts You As You Are And Will Not Judge Your Assholish Behavior" is rampant.

And it's a shame, but it just ain't so. Fandom exists because people like the same things and want to socialize with people who share their interests. It's not to provide psychological support for retards who "can't make it" in the "mundane" world. It's not the job of the fan club or the convention or the fanzine or website writer to act as apologist for the bad behavior of others.

You know, I feel sorry for the legions of poorly socialized, basement dwelling, chubby, unwashed, obsessive, does-not-play-well-with-others that inhabit fandom. Honestly I do. But what they need is counseling, not conventions. They need interaction, not the Internet. They need friends and relatives that will actually listen to them and get involved in their lives, and they need to learn that interacting with other human beings here on planet Earth is a two-way street that sometimes will not revolve completely around their own obsessions.

The "ideals" of the NSDAP generally reflected whatever Hitler and his team of toadying drug-abusing fuckups felt they could get away with without pissing off Krupp or IG Farben. What's fascinating is how Hitler's usual social schedule of staying up all night ranting, making delusional pronouncements and swapping private in-jokes with his special friends so closely resembles typical fan social behavior.

Anyway, here's what Gwinnett Superior Court has to say:

ALBERT MAURICE RAINWATER
Defendant
case number 89-B-01035-7
STATE VERSUS RAINWATER, ALBERT MA
Gwinnett Superior Criminal Court
Filing Date 12/31/89
Disposition Date 12/31/89
Category I
Type SB

So, who knows what "Category I" and "Type SB" are?

davemerrill · Qualificator Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Posts: 8

Oh yeah, if you have any questions, feel free to ASK THE CON NAZI!!

http://www.animejump.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=62&page=1

MonicaKitty · Vociferator Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 663

It's a group of confused, fucked up people who are gleefully encouraging one another further into madness.

That's about the best description I've ever heard for it. Really I find it sad. I like anthro-art. The use of animals in place of humans is a time-tested convention for satire, comedy, drama, and fantasy. Furry Splooge Porn should not be the entirety of fandom- and it's certainly not. But it does cast the biggest shadow. It's proponants and supporters are by far the loudest, most abnoxious members of the whole. Fighting their madness is almost impossible, so endless and overwhelming is their noise.

Paul · Needs to get out more Joined: 01 Feb 2004 Posts: 1092

Furry Splooge Porn should not be the entirety of fandom- and it's certainly not. But it does cast the biggest shadow. It's proponants and supporters are by far the loudest, most abnoxious members of the whole.

Hmmm, just a thought here - does anyone have an idea, a suggestion, how big a part of the fandom that's about the spooge? Perhaps it's not possible to figure out... maybe not even important, but still... Just curious.

I recall someone here who has or had a sig that read "observing the 10% that cause 100% of the problems" or something to that effect. OTOH, what I hear from cons (never been to one myself) is that about 50% of the art on sale/display is porn. I must presume that's because there is a big audience for that. And one could argue (as some do here) that by accepting all the public displays of things that should have been kept private, the entire furrydumb is to blame for its own fucked-up-ness anyway...

Computolio · Needs to get out more Joined: 01 Jun 2003 Posts: 865

The talk of saving furrydumb from becoming a fetish culture in this thread is seriously annoying. It was fated to become what it is today from day zero, and it would have done it with or without Mark Merlino et. al.

The porn and the individuals it attracts is neither an unpleasant side effect nor a problem. It is the entire point.

davemerrill · Qualificator Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Posts: 8

Well, I'm being pretty general when I talk of "fandom". I know very few self-defined "furries", have never been to a furry con, don't "keep up" with all the latest furry gossip, except every once in awhile I'll gawk at A.F.F. for shits and giggles.

The best part about getting in on the "ground floor" of anime fandom in the 1980s, apart from AWESOME SHITTY 19TH GENERATION 6 HOUR VHS TAPES, was being able to have a say in how the fandom was defined and what was acceptable and what wasn't. I'm not gonna say there aren't pedos and some really disturbed and disturbing people in anime fandom, but when they, or their bad behavior, shows up, they get smacked down. Most anime cons have rules about what you can display in the art show or the artists alley, the hentai programming is limited to after midnight and is ID checked, and in general there are enough responsible people in positions of authority to keep the inmates under control. Sure, there's tons of dirty anime pictures on the internet and lots of anime porn, but the hentai monster hasn't come to define "anime" the way the furry porn has come to define "furry".

Not that there aren't anime fans getting busted for kiddy touchy feely, but so far those cases are the exception, rather than the inevitable happening.

Goofy · Vociferator Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 311

Not that there aren't anime fans getting busted for kiddy touchy feely, but so far those cases are the exception, rather than the inevitable happening.

Whether they're an exception is debatable, as per studies I've read. Anime tends to sexualise youth and innocence, and this reflects Japanese society as a whole in that their (partiarchal) society tends to place great emphasis on a young woman's beauty, more so than Western cultures. This emphasis partially explains why Japan has a large teen sex industry (The other explaination is that teenage girls want money). That's not to say anime causes this. But anime does reflect this attitude. And I think this does give a lot of Western anime fans the wrong idea about Japan.

Having said that, I'd agree that the effects of anime fanaticism are less harmful than the effects of furry fanaticism.

Jerry Collins · Vociferator Joined: 16 Jul 2003 Posts: 548

What lives these people lead.....

Dejan · Prattler Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 103

From my past recollections of the fandom I'd also say that a lot of creepshow drama experiences are created by the combination of antisocial creeps clashing with insecure nerds.

The creeps start being creepy and the nerds aggravate the situation by loosing their cool and panicking.
Either inaction or overeaction to the initial creep-attack leads to the creeps having a batshit-insane fit and the poor nerds having a "situation".

I'd recomnend working in a retirement home or something similar for a bit where you have to work with difficult people and stressful situations if you want to learn to "defuse" creeps. I'm sure convention security folks would agree.
It really works wonders.
I had to share a bungalow with notorious Nekobe on Eurofurence 5 and he never started any shit around me (unfortunately he , of course, started shit around other people and lots of drama ensued, but not around me, so HA!). All I had to endure were some pretty one sided conversations, but those were kinda fascinating like a visit to a 19th century asylum where the visitors get to throw bread and fruits at the inmates.

Just my two cents about fandom freaks....

Now to the question if a fandom could educate freaks and prevent them from turning into child-molesting puppyfuckers and make them somewhat bearable to society? definetly ....mmmmmmayyybeee.
I'd say it greatly depends on the fandom being able to critically self-reflect and not having it's head lodged firmly in it's anus...
...which is where CYD comes in.

baserock love · Vociferator Joined: 04 Dec 2004 Posts: 685

I would like to see what kind of furry art this guy was into. Wonder if there was any babyfur, chibi, or cub art in the mix?

Sean · Qualificator Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Posts: 28

Al died from a combo of heart failure and diabetic complications

It was from hemochromatosis, so I heard (a buildup of excess iron in the bloodstream that causes body tissues to "rust", for lack of a better explanation).

Will post later about what I know/knew about Albert and what others told me about him, plus (BONUS SHAME) the art commission I drew for him...stay tuned.

baserock love · Vociferator Joined: 04 Dec 2004 Posts: 685

Al died from a combo of heart failure and diabetic complications

It was from hemochromatosis, so I heard (a buildup of excess iron in the bloodstream that causes body tissues to "rust", for lack of a better explanation).

Will post later about what I know/knew about Albert and what others told me about him, plus (BONUS SHAME) the art commission I drew for him...stay tuned.

I'm highly anticipating and dreading at the same time what will follow this post. Dare we look into the dark morass that is the heart of a child molestor? Bring it on I say!

Sean · Qualificator Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Posts: 28

I'm highly anticipating and dreading at the same time what will follow this post. Dare we look into the dark morass that is the heart of a child molestor? Bring it on I say!

I almost had my entire long, boring, winding story finished when my computer locked up and I lost it all, so I'm going to rewrite it bullet-point style.

- Apologies in advance for the sketchiness of my memories.

- I entered furry fandom in the mid-'90s via cartoon fandom, and exchanged snail letters and photocopied drawings with Todd 'Scout' Sutherland.

- Eventually I got my first Internet account and began posting drawings of WB characters and my own creations, both clean and dirty.

- Out of the blue came a letter from Albert, praising my art and requesting an adult drawing of Minerva and Hello Nurse together.

- I mentioned this to Todd, who mentioned that Al was a bit of a weird sort, without getting into details, but advised "eh, do what ya like anyway".

- So I obligingly drew it up, scanned it for posterity, and sent it away. I believe he was happy with it, and we may have exchanged one or two more letters and pictures.

- Soon afterwards, furry small press publisher Brian Miller posted to a.f.f that Al had died. I sent Brian my condolences.

- Brian described Al as a good guy and a proud American Indian, so I shrugged and chalked up the difference in Todd's opinion to a personality clash.

- Feeling charitable, I made a donation to the American Hemachromatosis Foundation in Al's name, and (unwisely) released the scanned commission for all to download, with a sidebar blurb stating "in memory of Albert Rainwater".

- I later became friends with Brian and his compatriots, and we emailed, chatted, and got together at several furry cons.

- Al's name was rarely mentioned in those days, but one telling comment came from Brian at Anthrocon 2000, who euphemistically said in passing that Al was "into the 'young side' of life", which puzzled me at the time and now gives me cold chills.

- Side note: Shortly after his death, Brian received a stack of Al's artwork from his mother and had planned to publish it as "A Bucket of Rainwater", but I don't think it ever panned out. Knowing what I know now about his peccadilloes, this is perhaps a Good Thing.

That's as far as my experience goes.

baserock love · Vociferator Joined: 04 Dec 2004 Posts: 685

It's so sad, i really empathize. First we kill all his people, then we litter in front of his busstop ads. But did we really have to turn the noble native americans into gay child molesting furries? I blame the internet.

Monkey King · Vociferator Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 459

Hey, what's this "we"? My family was too poor to have the internet back when the white man was turning the Indians into gay pedophile furries. Don't bring ME into this.

Goofy · Vociferator Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 311

My ancestors were too busy importing slaves from Africa and turning them into six-breasted dick-nipple vixenherms.

adabsurdum · Rasophore Joined: 13 May 2005 Posts: 53

I entered furry fandom in the mid-'90s via cartoon fandom...

Just curious, but has anyone ever categorized any "risk factors" for (or avenues to) furrydom? A formal taxonomy would be nice...

Osfer · Rasophore Joined: 08 Aug 2005 Posts: 56

My ancestors were scattered over three continents and half a dozen continents -- it's a statistical miracle I exist at all.

Many avenues lead to the furdom because the furdom is soft -- at least, it was. It was this community you'd never heard of full of people who were nice to you even if your art sucked and you were a whiny bitch, and you just didn't know enough about life to grok that these people were often nice because of personality disorders and the associated medication.
You're a cartoon enthusiast and look for pictures, a zoophile enthusiast looking for pictures, whatever -- when you see yoru first furry picture, you go looking for more just to find out what the hell it is, and *poof* you land in the soft, insidious cushion that is furry.

I imagine it's different nowadays, with the Intarweb, so significant in turning the furry folks from a communal interest group into an actual community, now also informing people of its existence even before they find it for themselves, and adding some social stigma.

Which isn't to say I think the stigma's undeserved, really.

Computolio · Needs to get out more Joined: 01 Jun 2003 Posts: 865

You know, it's hard to think of worse things to be remembered for than furry porn.

Osfer · Rasophore Joined: 08 Aug 2005 Posts: 56

There's always this gem.

Goofy · Vociferator Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 311

There's always this gem.

It's the William Hung version of Mikey the Mullet Kid.

"HERRO MY FUTURE GIRRFRIEND!"

Osfer · Rasophore Joined: 08 Aug 2005 Posts: 56

Gotta love that ascot.

baserock love · Vociferator Joined: 04 Dec 2004 Posts: 685

You know, it's hard to think of worse things to be remembered for than furry porn.

What about that one guy who was furry artist and him and his wife died in a tent cuz a lamp sprung a gas leak or something. His friends kept paying to have his website hosted with a big R.I.P and "in memorial" and it was filled with nothing but "hypertrophic horse art" i.e. enormous penises. What a legacy to leave, i think his name was stellos? I may be mistaken, that name came up though. So sad.

Zepper · Qualificator Joined: 29 Dec 2003 Posts: 27

Baserock, I believe you are right about Stellos. I did some Googling and found this:

http://unicorn.wereanimal.net/FurryEquines/Artists/S/Stellos/Index.htm

I guess that would explain why his pictures stopped showing up on FurBid! I always found them kind of weird.

OMG-NEWB!~!!! · Coadjutor Joined: 25 Jun 2005 Posts: 75

So out there somewhere is a picture of Minerva Minc and Hello Nurse with "In memoery of..."

That's gotta confuse the hell out of some people.