We're always interested in sponsoring teen zines. We're a teen apparel company. We may sponsor you with some of our products (tops, tanks, dresses, accessories, etc.) for you to give out as freebies or in contests, in exchange for you putting us on your banner or writing an intro of our company. Please email me if you find this idea interesting.
Cathy
Marketing

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Hey Cathy,

We're not really interested. We're not much for fashion. Thanks for the offer though.

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Your buttons are causin' a ruckus
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Hey,

I thought you'd like to hear about some of the trouble your buttons have caused:

I am also proud to say that I wore the button that said: 'This uniform violates my rights,' which raised quite a few brows, plus a good talking to by the assistant principal, who told me not to wear it. I kept it on, and even wore it the next day. I then got another talking to. I was fed up with all this bull they keep giving me. I told them that they can't make me take it off because in the Student Code of Conduct/Bill of Rights book, it said that every student has the right to the freedom of expression, which in other words, is my button. I was then able to wear the button without any more 'talking to's' and influenced many other people to wear buttons. None were against the school or its dress code, but it still gave the children more power. I have also had many offers, so lets get a button maker, and we could make some money off of them."

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Hi Liz,

Thanks for the letting us know about this trouble! Just in case you didn't know, we love BRAT!

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Fungus bot from the Drop Out collective
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hey oblivion kids!

thanks for the trade! i read the whole zine the first i got it. i'm not sure what to say about it. the contents of the zine was amazing. you manage to cover a lot of the youth topics that need to be addressed. how many ppl are involved w/ oblivion? i'm part of the drop out collective and we only have a few ppl to work with.

did you ever get dropout 7? i'll send you kids one if you haven't. if you can actually send one for drop out too, that would be great. oblivion would be a great addition to our zine library. here's one of my zines, breakdown. it's antischool so maybe someone would be interested. actually, i wanted to write for your zine. maybe i can do something abt school. take a look at it to see my writing style. hopefully it'll be fine.

thanks. and be sure to keep in touch. fungus bot breakdown productions po box 188602 sacramento, ca 95818-8602 ce7in@antisocial.com

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Hey fungus,

Oblivion's the work of a core group of folks, with many more contributing art, writing, etc. You can find out more on the table of contents page. We're always looking for writers, so if you'd like to write for us, let us know or simply send an article in!

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Big important typo in Oblivion 8
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Hi.

In Oblivion 8, in the article about distribution, you put the prior review case as "Burch v. Baker" but it is actually "Burch v. Barker." No wonder I couldn't find anything about it online. The only way I found it was in my principal's copy of "Deskbook Encyclopedia Of American School Law." I was pleased to find out that it was a 9th circuit court ruling and not just a Washington ruling, so it's applicable up here in Alaska too.

Chris Swasey

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Hey Chris,

Thanks for pointing that out. That is a rather important spelling error. Our bad! Remember all you zinester kids, Burch vs. Barker is the case you want to know if you plan on distributing your zine on campus. Read it, know it, distribute.

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Aren't you just a cog in the machine?
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Oblivion,

Hello, i just got my issue of Oblivion today -- it's good. I just thought that I would tell you something.

OK, so you are "angry" & you release your anger with Oblivion. Sure, that's productive & admirable in comparison to those that do nothing, but does it really do anything? Obviously, there's millions of shit already in print on how school sux, govt. sux, etc. A lot is in the local library. Secondly, don't you contribute money to the nation's GDP (1,666 inches of paper must cost something). Also, I'm sure you pay taxes -- directly or indirectly -- somewhere in the production of Oblivion. Either way, you strengthen the very forces you are trying to weaken; namely those of the government.

Don't you think that they love that? Yes, you're publication may annoy them a bit, but that's all, if even it does that. Your publication gives you the illusion of freedom, but does anything actually change? No way man! Like Ted Kaczynksi wrote in his manifesto: you can do anything you want as long as it's not important.

Obviously, the government doesn't give a fuck about youth rights & they never will if left to their own devices. You may try to show them how mature & reasonable you are by publishing as opposed to, let's say, terrorism. But either way, it's hopeless.

Emma Goldman: "Easier to condemn than to think."

Okay, so how about taking your anger one step further -- actually make your dreams and aspirations true! It's been done before & can be done again. Create your own high school! Show them that you have what it takes. It looks like Oblivion is well-organized with contacts here & there. Be an example to Amerika's youth: We beat the system! Otherwise, the more you whine & complain, the more helpless it looks.

Also, there's something else that must be brought into consideration. Perhaps you like having a scapegoat to blame your problems on. Hitler always kept enough Jews here & there so that he could blame them for all his shortcomings. Of course, this is perhaps a too dramatic example, but keep it in mind.

Umm ... I'm finished. I'm curious what your response is (if you have even read this far). You must think that I'm an idiot.

Thanks for your time. Good luck on all your endeavors!

Kacper Jarecki
Brooklyn, NY

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Kacper,

First off, I don't think you're completely insane. You're correct, we do contribute to the gross domestic product. But despite individual ideologies, Oblivion isn't an anti-capitalism organization. We're not trying to weaken the government. We're trying to raise awareness of youth issues.

The idea of creating your own high school is a good one. However, it's no better than publishing a zine. We occasionally get letters asking why we publish this youth shit when there's real issues out there -- a few recent ones being police violence and nuclear waste in space. That's bull shit. Police violence is a legitimate issue. So is space junk. So is youth rights. Your issue is not the only valid one.

So, while I agree that creating your own high school is a good idea, I must disagree with your notion that publishing a zine is a bad idea.

With Oblivion, we hope that some folks will get involved in something -- anything! I don't care if it's youth rights or saving the whales. Do something!

And yes, you're Hitler comparison is way too fucking dramatic. We're not blaming society's problems on the Jewish religion. If a legislature passes an anti-youth law or a school suspends a kid for dying their hair, we should be able to call it out. It's not placing blame or scapegoating -- it's called accountability. Accountability is required of public officials. If I am paying your salary, I want to know that you're not making stupid decisions. Accountability differs considerably from blaming Jews.

How about you create your own high school, then we can publicize it. It's a win-win situation.

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Want a free vacation?
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Hi Oblivion,

My name is Kate Tucker, and I am the Marketing Director of an outdoor adventure company for teenagers in Golden, Colorado. We focus on learning leadership skills, building confidence and teamwork through camping, backpacking, rock climbing, kayaking, horseback riding, sailing, mountain biking and white water rafting adventures throughout the west, pacific northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, Costa Rica and Europe. Summer 2000 is our 24th season!

We would love to invite a writer to join our program to see what it's all about. Your teen readers will love what we have to offer. Please contact me for further information and to set an appointment to talk.

Thanks,

Kate

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Hello Kate,

Thanks for the interest in Oblivion, but I don't think such an article would fit in our zine. We focus mainly on politics and activism -- curfew laws, free speech issues, the juvenile justice system, etc. As much as we'd love a free vacation, it just wouldn't fit our theme. So again, thanks for the offer, but we must decline.

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Tunisia lacks zines. Help!
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Dear sir,

I am a teacher of english at a secondary school in Tunisia. We lack english magazines which are very essential to pupils. Could you please send me some issues to my pupils to improve their english?

Messaoudi Makram

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Messaoudi,

Damn! Mailing to Tunisia is expensive. I hope your students enjoy the zines!

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Buttons good, profanity bad
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Hello --

My name is Kelly and I am 15 years old. I appreciate the buttons and their meaning very much. I am known to as the "modern-day hippie" in my school, and I have to say, I wouldn't mind wearing those buttons, working against the establishment, and stickin' it to the man. However, I do not feel that "f** the curfew" is appropriate. I feel that this phrase, especially the use of profanity, would completely defeat the purpose, and go against the cause. Also, it truly offends me. Someone who wore that would not get much use out of it, because the establishment would force whomever wore it to take it off. Not only that, but those who saw it would not think highly of the hippie/nonconformist race.

Thank you for your time. I hope you will consider my plea.

God's Peace and Love --

Kelly/Billy Bob/hippie chick

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Kelly,

I understand where you're coming from. I generally prefer slogans sans profanity as well, but that's not to say profanity doesn't have it's place. Sometimes people feel like saying "fuck the curfew," and I say more power to them. If it offends you, I'd have to say too bad. A lot of things offend me -- the mall, the Super Bowl, that "God Hates Fags" guy. However, I don't think we should banish any of those. Diversity requires tolerance -- tolerance of things you find offensive. Without that, we might require fag-hating or, God forbid, all become hippie chicks.

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Keep up the good work
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I remember when I had to go look at the etext site to get old issues of oblivion; you are doing a kickass job. If I have anything intelligent to say ever I will contribute it. Again, thank you so much; you do a lot of good in simply getting this material out.

Del
efjohnson@ou.edu