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Ungodly long post on the Anthrocon/Crusader Cat thing
3 months ago
I wanted to address the Nazi-tinged situation that took place at Anthrocon over the weekend from my own personal perspective. Since I'm not known for my brevity of expression, I'll be posting this version in a couple of my long-form accounts, with links to it from my more bite-sized social media hangouts.
REVIEW
First, here's a review of the situation. On Saturday, Anthrocon held a fursuit parade, and for the first time they published (well before the convention) a list of what would and wouldn't be acceptable in order to be a participant in the event. There was some pushback to the "no poodling" rule, which stated that no skin could be shown anywhere on a participant's outfit. I sorta get the justification for this; it's part of the "don't break the magic" code in public settings, just like having rules about removing fursuit heads. The fantasy heritage from which a lot of furry comes (think Disney) has these rules so as not to upset younger members of the audience, who are likely to be more invested in the fantasy. While I understand to a degree the "no poodling" rule, I don't necessarily agree with it; I don't see it as being as upsetting to kids as a "headless" fursuit would be. But I digress; I'm only bringing this particular point up because it comes into play later.
In order to participate in the Anthrocon fursuit parade this year, every entrant was vetted by a member of the convention's staff, at which point they were either cleared or rejected from participation. One of the people cleared to march in the parade was Crusader Cat, whose fursuit character resembles a cross between the Buc-Ee's beaver and Moe Howard of the Three Stooges. While there were no "poodling" issues with his fursuit, suffice it so say Crusader Cat has a...problematic history.
Here's where I sidetrack for a moment to clearly state that I don't make knee-jerk reactions to rumors that float around the furry fandom. Goodness knows when I was more of a loose cannon years ago there were many rumors about myself--some true, mostly untrue. Be that as it may, I expect receipts--screenshots, photos, and other verifiable sources of information. Then, and only then, do I sift through the data and formulate as educated a conclusion as I can.
With that said, there is a LOT of verifiable information about Crusader Cat, and calling him an unsavory person would be an understatement. He's a former member of the Furry Raiders, an ultra-right "furries are filth" organization. He's a self-professed zoophile who has gone into disturbing detail about being intimate with his family's cats. He has threatened to kill members of the fandom he doesn't like on multiple occasions. The cherry on top of this manure sundae? He's a fucking Nazi.
There is no nuance or shades of grey when it comes to the subject of Nazism in decent society. They are utter pieces of shit that have no place. They're the human equivalent of a turd in a punchbowl, and should be exiled, shunned, and bodily removed from anywhere civilized humans gather--including furry conventions. And therein lies the issue.
Someone on Anthrocon's staff cleared Crusader Cat to take part on the fursuit parade last Saturday, and it rightly stirred an uproar. Aa of the writing of this essay, no one from Anthrocon has officially addressed the problem. This is not surprising; I've witnessed the teardown and aftermath of furry cons before, and there's a LOT of work to be done even after all the attendees have left. Right now, there's a firestorm of "poodling isn't allowed at Anthrocon, but Nazis are?!" It's a valid complaint, but I'm just saying there may be a little time before it's directly addressed.
Crusader Cat's history of threats and Nazism goes back some 15 years or so, and has gotten him banned from other furry conventions and online archive sites like Fur Affinity. While it may not be the responsibility of average furs like you and me to study the character quirks of every single member of the fandom, there is an expectation for those who run conventions to do so. The furry fandom is composed of many thousands of people in oppressed or slighted demographics, and they expect a con to be a safe space from those who wish them harm--folks like Crusader Cat. I have spoken to two furs personally who were assured by the convention staff that he was banned from the con space, and was refused a badge. While there are rumors floating around that he registered his badge and fursuit under assumed names, the distinctive appearance of his fursuit at the beginning of the parade should have been an immediate red flag.
So that's the issue at the moment. My personal thoughts follow.
ANTHROCON
Anthrocon will always have a warm spot in my heart. I attended without fail between 1999 and 2010, and only stopped then due to fiscal reasons from which I never fully recovered. Nonetheless, I considered AC "my" con for many years, and some of the finest memories and greatest friends I've had the privilege to meet are due to my attendance of Anthrocon. I still have pangs of FOMO every year when late June and early July come around.
Is the con flawless? Of course not; no convention is. But it's among the largest furry conventions in the world, and it's my personal opinion that it's for good reason. When I look at all the aspects it takes to run a con, not only in the hotel and convention spaces, but outreach to the local community as well, it makes my head spin. Every year is a "learn as you go" experience, and running it smoothly takes juggling multiple balls in the air all year long. I know for a fact I couldn't do it--and I have heartfelt respect to con runners who pull the reins in on potential chaos year after year at the many successful furry conventions around the world.
And here's where my personal experiences are likely to piss some people off.
KAGE
Time for full transparency here: I have a lot of respect for Uncle Kage. We were closer in my earlier years in the fandom, and have only touched base occasionally over the past few years, but my personal experiences with him have been a net positive. Have we butted heads? Of course! All friends do on occasion. I fully understand your mileage may vary. That said, much like Anthrocon itself, Sam will always have a warm place in my heart.
My first several years in the fandom were a roller coaster for me, mostly due to my being an unstable hothead at times. I was still getting used to therapy and medication, and there were times I got worse instead of better. I found myself forging a fairly shitty reputation, and in retrospect, a lot of it was my own fucking fault. I pissed off, and shit on, some very good people. To my own credit, I'd like to point out that I eventually figured out how to take ownership of my fuckups and apologize for them. A good many people that I battled with during those years are now friends. If I'm proud of anything I've accomplished in my life, it's that.
My point is, when I was at those low points, Kage was there. He often gave me advice that pissed me off, but it came from a truthful place and was intended to heal. When I was up against the wall and felt there was nowhere to turn, Sam was among the very few furs at the time who would offer support and cheer me on when I got up off my ass and decided to improve myself. He's one of the folks who went through my trials by fire with me, and gave me the benefit of the doubt when no one else would. That's worth its weight in gold in my book.
I consider, too, that everything Kage does as it relates to the furry fandom is done under a microscope. Every detail is scrutinized and judged, and if society teaches us anything, it's that you can NEVER please everyone. Has he ever made mistakes? Again, of course! Last I checked he was a human being. When I consider my history with Sam, I look at all the fuckups I made--under far less scrutiny than he faces almost every day--and he just went with the flow. He showed me loyalty and friendship when very few would, and I feel to this day I owe the same to my friend. It seems to be cool to a large group of furries to bash Kage at every turn; I refuse to fall prey to such peer pressure. He's proven to me, on numerous occasions, that at heart he's a good man.
One quick point I've been seeing crop up again and again in the discourse about this topic: Kage had his picture taken with Crusader Cat! From what I can gather, that photo was taken over ten years ago. I also consider that, as the show runner for one of the most popular furry conventions in the world, Sam is approached for photos ALL THE DAMN TIME. When confronted with such a request, sometimes he can't scroll through his mental Rolodex and vet the person in front of him; sometimes it's just easier to snap the pic so he can get to where he was going; I know at AC he's constantly rushing around to put out fires. For what it's worth, I know there are pics of me with 2 the Ranting Gryphon from 15 years or so ago. Believe it or not, he used to be a level-headed and genuinely fun person to be around. Hell, Reverend Jim Jones was a racial equality pioneer in his time; there are multiple pictures of him with Jimmy Carter! You can't always be fully aware of who's currently in your company, or more importantly, WHO THEY MAY BECOME.
SO WHAT NOW?
I believe someone dropped the ball at Anthrocon when it came to vetting Crusader Cat. I don't care if it was Kage himself or a volunteer. What has happened, has happened. It was a failure to read the room at that moment.
What I believe will happen is there will be a measured response to this fiasco--and Kage will be directly involved. I have no doubt that whatever is decided by the con won't be enough to satisfy some people. What breaks my heart is this will invariably draw more people to the Kage Hate Train, and from my personal perspective, that's a sad thing.
REVIEW
First, here's a review of the situation. On Saturday, Anthrocon held a fursuit parade, and for the first time they published (well before the convention) a list of what would and wouldn't be acceptable in order to be a participant in the event. There was some pushback to the "no poodling" rule, which stated that no skin could be shown anywhere on a participant's outfit. I sorta get the justification for this; it's part of the "don't break the magic" code in public settings, just like having rules about removing fursuit heads. The fantasy heritage from which a lot of furry comes (think Disney) has these rules so as not to upset younger members of the audience, who are likely to be more invested in the fantasy. While I understand to a degree the "no poodling" rule, I don't necessarily agree with it; I don't see it as being as upsetting to kids as a "headless" fursuit would be. But I digress; I'm only bringing this particular point up because it comes into play later.
In order to participate in the Anthrocon fursuit parade this year, every entrant was vetted by a member of the convention's staff, at which point they were either cleared or rejected from participation. One of the people cleared to march in the parade was Crusader Cat, whose fursuit character resembles a cross between the Buc-Ee's beaver and Moe Howard of the Three Stooges. While there were no "poodling" issues with his fursuit, suffice it so say Crusader Cat has a...problematic history.
Here's where I sidetrack for a moment to clearly state that I don't make knee-jerk reactions to rumors that float around the furry fandom. Goodness knows when I was more of a loose cannon years ago there were many rumors about myself--some true, mostly untrue. Be that as it may, I expect receipts--screenshots, photos, and other verifiable sources of information. Then, and only then, do I sift through the data and formulate as educated a conclusion as I can.
With that said, there is a LOT of verifiable information about Crusader Cat, and calling him an unsavory person would be an understatement. He's a former member of the Furry Raiders, an ultra-right "furries are filth" organization. He's a self-professed zoophile who has gone into disturbing detail about being intimate with his family's cats. He has threatened to kill members of the fandom he doesn't like on multiple occasions. The cherry on top of this manure sundae? He's a fucking Nazi.
There is no nuance or shades of grey when it comes to the subject of Nazism in decent society. They are utter pieces of shit that have no place. They're the human equivalent of a turd in a punchbowl, and should be exiled, shunned, and bodily removed from anywhere civilized humans gather--including furry conventions. And therein lies the issue.
Someone on Anthrocon's staff cleared Crusader Cat to take part on the fursuit parade last Saturday, and it rightly stirred an uproar. Aa of the writing of this essay, no one from Anthrocon has officially addressed the problem. This is not surprising; I've witnessed the teardown and aftermath of furry cons before, and there's a LOT of work to be done even after all the attendees have left. Right now, there's a firestorm of "poodling isn't allowed at Anthrocon, but Nazis are?!" It's a valid complaint, but I'm just saying there may be a little time before it's directly addressed.
Crusader Cat's history of threats and Nazism goes back some 15 years or so, and has gotten him banned from other furry conventions and online archive sites like Fur Affinity. While it may not be the responsibility of average furs like you and me to study the character quirks of every single member of the fandom, there is an expectation for those who run conventions to do so. The furry fandom is composed of many thousands of people in oppressed or slighted demographics, and they expect a con to be a safe space from those who wish them harm--folks like Crusader Cat. I have spoken to two furs personally who were assured by the convention staff that he was banned from the con space, and was refused a badge. While there are rumors floating around that he registered his badge and fursuit under assumed names, the distinctive appearance of his fursuit at the beginning of the parade should have been an immediate red flag.
So that's the issue at the moment. My personal thoughts follow.
ANTHROCON
Anthrocon will always have a warm spot in my heart. I attended without fail between 1999 and 2010, and only stopped then due to fiscal reasons from which I never fully recovered. Nonetheless, I considered AC "my" con for many years, and some of the finest memories and greatest friends I've had the privilege to meet are due to my attendance of Anthrocon. I still have pangs of FOMO every year when late June and early July come around.
Is the con flawless? Of course not; no convention is. But it's among the largest furry conventions in the world, and it's my personal opinion that it's for good reason. When I look at all the aspects it takes to run a con, not only in the hotel and convention spaces, but outreach to the local community as well, it makes my head spin. Every year is a "learn as you go" experience, and running it smoothly takes juggling multiple balls in the air all year long. I know for a fact I couldn't do it--and I have heartfelt respect to con runners who pull the reins in on potential chaos year after year at the many successful furry conventions around the world.
And here's where my personal experiences are likely to piss some people off.
KAGE
Time for full transparency here: I have a lot of respect for Uncle Kage. We were closer in my earlier years in the fandom, and have only touched base occasionally over the past few years, but my personal experiences with him have been a net positive. Have we butted heads? Of course! All friends do on occasion. I fully understand your mileage may vary. That said, much like Anthrocon itself, Sam will always have a warm place in my heart.
My first several years in the fandom were a roller coaster for me, mostly due to my being an unstable hothead at times. I was still getting used to therapy and medication, and there were times I got worse instead of better. I found myself forging a fairly shitty reputation, and in retrospect, a lot of it was my own fucking fault. I pissed off, and shit on, some very good people. To my own credit, I'd like to point out that I eventually figured out how to take ownership of my fuckups and apologize for them. A good many people that I battled with during those years are now friends. If I'm proud of anything I've accomplished in my life, it's that.
My point is, when I was at those low points, Kage was there. He often gave me advice that pissed me off, but it came from a truthful place and was intended to heal. When I was up against the wall and felt there was nowhere to turn, Sam was among the very few furs at the time who would offer support and cheer me on when I got up off my ass and decided to improve myself. He's one of the folks who went through my trials by fire with me, and gave me the benefit of the doubt when no one else would. That's worth its weight in gold in my book.
I consider, too, that everything Kage does as it relates to the furry fandom is done under a microscope. Every detail is scrutinized and judged, and if society teaches us anything, it's that you can NEVER please everyone. Has he ever made mistakes? Again, of course! Last I checked he was a human being. When I consider my history with Sam, I look at all the fuckups I made--under far less scrutiny than he faces almost every day--and he just went with the flow. He showed me loyalty and friendship when very few would, and I feel to this day I owe the same to my friend. It seems to be cool to a large group of furries to bash Kage at every turn; I refuse to fall prey to such peer pressure. He's proven to me, on numerous occasions, that at heart he's a good man.
One quick point I've been seeing crop up again and again in the discourse about this topic: Kage had his picture taken with Crusader Cat! From what I can gather, that photo was taken over ten years ago. I also consider that, as the show runner for one of the most popular furry conventions in the world, Sam is approached for photos ALL THE DAMN TIME. When confronted with such a request, sometimes he can't scroll through his mental Rolodex and vet the person in front of him; sometimes it's just easier to snap the pic so he can get to where he was going; I know at AC he's constantly rushing around to put out fires. For what it's worth, I know there are pics of me with 2 the Ranting Gryphon from 15 years or so ago. Believe it or not, he used to be a level-headed and genuinely fun person to be around. Hell, Reverend Jim Jones was a racial equality pioneer in his time; there are multiple pictures of him with Jimmy Carter! You can't always be fully aware of who's currently in your company, or more importantly, WHO THEY MAY BECOME.
SO WHAT NOW?
I believe someone dropped the ball at Anthrocon when it came to vetting Crusader Cat. I don't care if it was Kage himself or a volunteer. What has happened, has happened. It was a failure to read the room at that moment.
What I believe will happen is there will be a measured response to this fiasco--and Kage will be directly involved. I have no doubt that whatever is decided by the con won't be enough to satisfy some people. What breaks my heart is this will invariably draw more people to the Kage Hate Train, and from my personal perspective, that's a sad thing.
It's kinda funny; I haven't spoken directly to Kage in a good while now, but I just wanted to put a little foam on the runway before the inevitable pouncing on his reputation took place. Just because we're not in constant touch doesn't mean I don't still consider him a friend, and I feel I owe him that much.
This will be something that Kage and the board will be looking at to find out what happened, and do what can be done to keep it from happening again, I'm sure. Another thing about how Kage and the board run the con is looking for ways to keep improving it. The results from over some 25 plus years prove that.
Again, well said, my friend.
99% of the time, I just let furry drama roll off my back, usually because I have no skin in the game. But there are people out there right this minute opining that they believe Kage is in some way "pro Nazi fur," and I know in my bones that is blatantly untrue. As I've mentioned elsewhere, Sam and I aren't as close as we used to be, but I have no doubt whatsoever that if I were attacked in an unreasonable manner, he'd step up and say something on my behalf. THAT's the Kage you and I know.
Jim Cummings has a podcast, "Toon'd in With Jim Cummings." Charlie Adler was a recent guest on the show. When Jim asks what cons Charlie will be attending soon, Charlie mentions he will be at Megaplex, and then he goes on to talk about when he was invited to Anthrocon several years ago, as Jim was a year or so difference from when Charlie was there. Charlie and Jim spoke with great affection about furries, and how his worries were laid to rest after he spoke to the organizers of AC. It's a lovely tribute to what some of what Kage and others have done for the fandom.
https://youtu.be/QBXo4tS9o1U?t=151
Keep in mind one bad con experience can drive talent to avoid specific cons in the future. That they keep coming back, and recommend their fellow creatives to visit, says volumes.
I contend that if you're in the fandom long enough, you'll get people who despise you on the wobbly foundation of happenstance and uninformed rumors. Everyone I know who's taken the time and had the opportunity to get to know Sam has come away with a positive image of him. Has he made mistakes? Hell, yes. Have you? Have I? Hasn't EVERYONE? As we've both pointed out, he's taken the time during the hectic insanity that is Anthrocon to extend kindnesses to thousands of furs over the years, people he likely doesn't even know. I know I have neither his stamina or tolerance for the endless reputation-bashing he's taken over the years. For every picture he's had taken of himself with Crusader Cat, there are over a thousand examples of his helping depressed, despondent, and just plain lost furs feel accepted, wanted, and special. It's on the coattails of this personal history that I'm compelled to offer the people with rage hardons against Kage both of my middle fingers.
"Anthrocon was made aware of a controversial individual who participated in the Fursuit Parade on July 5th, 2025. After careful review with our team members, we believe that this individual specifically and intentionally circumvented our Event and Safety measures (including costume review) with the intention of causing a scene and disruption.
We want to reassure the members of our community that this individual is not allowed membership at Anthrocon now or in the future. Given the urgent and sensitive nature of the individual's actions, we took special exception to our policy of not discussing bans or banned individuals as we want our attendees to know that we hear them and take their concerns seriously.
Anthrocon strives to be a positive and supportive member of our furry community. The Anthrocon staff and venue partners want to thank everyone for their patience and information as we endeavor to host the best furry event that we possibly can. Sincerely, Anthrocon, Inc."
Now you're being redundant. I mean, wasn't that the entire point of the Furry Raiders? To be outright Nazis but to be "cute" about it?