The Letter That Interstat Wouldn't Print

The Letter That Interstat Wouldn't Print is a 1984 letter by Sandra Necchi. It was submitted to Interstat, but the editor (Terri Meyer) refused to print it.
The letter was distributed by a fan (JG) in K/S & K.S. (Kindred Spirits) #9 in July 1984, and possibly other places.
At least one fan was perplexed as to why the letter was seen as an attack on Roddenberry: 
==Some Context==
Necchi's letter was in response to the very heated arguments in Interstat regarding fan opinion about the second Star Trek movie, The Wrath of Khan, and the upcoming movie, The Search for Spock. Fan allegiances were mixed in support of TPTB's (mainly Harve Bennett) upcoming commercial endeavor, as well as his (and other official Trek creators) presence in Interstat itself.
Fans had a lot to protect as they discussed the now-franchise, and having TPTB watching and reading their comments caused a lot of fans to couch their opinions, and in many cases, get scolded for speaking their mind. This was something that caused a great deal of conflict regarding censorship, honest opinion, accusations of "kissing ass," the power and powerlessness of fans, and all-around fan dynamics.
The Barbara that is refereed to below was a very controversial fan named Barbara P. Gordon, a fan whose strong opinions were often valid, but usually expressed in offensive and abrasive ways.
==Some Topics Discussed in the Original Letter==
* BNFs protecting their interests regarding relationships with TPTB; Meyer was very aware that many of the show's producers read Interstat, and she didn't want to lose their interest and her access to them due to other fans' critical opinions
* the pitting of Harve Bennett against Gene Roddenberry, and the convoluted "protection" some fans felt for these two men
* the powerlessness that many fans felt as they were used commercially
* the loss of what some fans felt to be the resistant and creative stance of fans long ago, their dissatisfaction with modern dull fans who were grateful for crumbs
* censorship
* fan intolerance of negative and spirited opinion
* fandom as a toxic culture of nice
* fannish desperation for more Trek makes fandom stupid and not critical enough
* the importance to some fans to be "well-behaved" and compliant
* the production, and sale, of an "unauthorized" script for Star Trek: The Search for Spock sold at one or more conventions, and the controversy this set off among fans
==Some Topics Discussed in the Responses==
* personal letters and permissions: was the letter to Interstat "public" (fans agreed that it was), and was it appropriate to print Meyer's response (fan's opinions were varied)
* the role of a letterzine that claimed to speak for all fans, and the responsibility of the editor in that letterzine
* was the hard work a fan did a "free pass" for other things?
* was the editor of a highly visible letterzine a "public figure," and therefore the rules were different than for average fans?
* if Meyer's letter had had a different tone, would that have made a difference regarding its inclusion in "Kindred Spirits"
==Excerpts==
==Teri Meyer's Response==
The fan who dispersed the letter also sent a copy of Teri Meyer's letter in response.
In that letter, Meyer stated that Necchi could be as critical as possible but Meyer would not allow her to do it "at Gene Roddenbery's expense," especially by casting Roddenberry in a weak and disgraced light, that it was bad enough "when the Coopers and Trimbles out there so vigorously promoted Harve Bennett at the expense of Gene Roddenberry" but when a fan, in attempting to put down one producer, did the same thing at the expense of Roddenberry, it was time to put an end to it.
Meyer also pointed out that the very people today Gene Roddenberry worked and communicated with on the studio lot also read Interstat. Meyer ended with stating that no other publication would print Necchi's letter, to not write another one to her, and that she hoped Necchi would understand.
==Other Fan Responses==
===Questions Regarding Permissions and "Personal Letters"===
From SBS: 
Comment by Necchi (original letter writer): 
From SBS: 
From LF: 
From CD: 
From JG: 
=== General Comments===
 
==References==
Category:1984 Open Letters
Category:Star Trek TOS Meta
Category:Meta in Print
Category:1984 Meta
Category:Star Trek Open Letters