I can't speak for everyone, but the members I know and myself have been steampunk fans for 10+ years. We love the style. We love this movement. It's why we've volunteered so much time through the years to blogs, online magazines, printable publications, forums and social media.
That doesn't mean we can't be (self-)critical.
What has differentiated the Smoking, now Never Was, Lounge from the start is that we do allow political discussions.
There are many views on what steampunk is and what it should be. Never Was Magazine and Never Was Lounge are platforms to have those discussions.