There Went a Bit of My Heart
Feb. 11th, 2014 05:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chomijiSo this happened: Oh Dear: SFWA Bulletin Petition.
It's probably not of interest to anyone but science fiction literature fans. It's a continuation of the shenanigans that started last summer when several foolishly misogynistic things happened, one after the other, in the professional rag of the Science Fiction Writers of America, followed by a stunning piece of racism on the SFWA official Twitter (see timeline/summary here). The result was that most of the SFWA members voted to change the way the content management of the SFWA Bulletin would be handled.
The petition in question objects to the proposed changes, which the writers consider to be overly "PC." There were two versions of this document. The one that was actually submitted is a tough read, full of extracts from correspondence and invocations of Freedom of Speech and concluding with a quotation from Charlton Heston, who is cited as an "early civil rights activist." The earlier version, which is also available online, was positively appalling. At one point, the writer compared the hard-working writers who will be thoughtlessly slapped around by the new rules to slaves picking cotton, at the mercy of the folks in the Big House.
No, I am not kidding.
If you can make yourself do it, follow one of the links to the actual (final) petition, and take a look at the signatories.
Who happen to include someone for whom I've long had all the respect in the world.
Damn.
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Date: 2014-02-11 11:07 pm (UTC)Honestly, I am an SFWA member out of inertia. I seriously wonder whether it's worth it when I don't...use it for a hell of a lot.
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Date: 2014-02-11 11:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-02-12 02:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-02-12 02:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-02-12 04:03 am (UTC)I notice that the signatories are mainly geriatric. That's very telling.
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Date: 2014-02-15 03:49 am (UTC)*sigh* I'm not so young myself these days, Phae. Also, there are a number of older authors who are as exasperated with this thing as I am. There have been some good discussions about this online (as well as a lot of unpleasantness).
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Date: 2014-02-15 06:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-02-14 12:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-02-15 03:50 am (UTC)Can I have a hug, Nenya-nadi? I need one!
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Date: 2014-02-15 04:33 am (UTC)One thinks it may have been a case of mixing up one's priorities or letting one's associations with existing friends overtake good sense regarding the larger picture (one has rather thought of her as someone generally opposed to sexism and racism and discrimination of all kinds, certainly!) but whatever was meant, one cannot help but be disappointed. Bad choice, there, I feel.
Sigh. :(
Lots of hugs. <3