cathschaffstump | SFWA: Privilege and Institutionalized Everythingism (Reply)

First of all, let's get this out of the way.

Artists should go read this over at Whatever. Also, if you go, there's another great Ursula Vernon insect picture, and if you're like me, you'd go far afield to see what Ursula Vernon draws.

***

'Cause ain't nothin' more powerful than education, let's just let some information boil this recent issue all down for us. Here's what prompted the insect army: the quote below about the recent SFWA petition, captured in its original glory by Natalie Luhrs, which just suggests that Resnick and Malzberg were just bringing back sexy in that SFWA journal.

“The problem is that the ‘vocal minority’ of insects who make up the new generation of writers don’t scramble for the shadows when outside lights shines on them—they bare their pincers and go for the jugular. Maybe it is a good thing that SFWA keeps them locked up. The newer members who Scalzi et al. brought in are an embarrassment to the genre.” — (name withheld) on SFF.net, during the recent unpleasantness.

Hey, Mr. Name Withheld, I hope you're having a great day. Let's start with some basics.

Now, Sunny Moraine does a great job talking about the first amendment, and you're probably aware that there was no violation of it, as that's been playing on the Internet for about a week.

I can't help but note the credentialism of the signers of the petition, so since you seem to be into that sort of thing, you should be aware that I'm not an expert in White Privilege, but I've taken some classes, gone to some conferences, and teach students who aren't from around here. And I'm a woman, so there's that. It's not an impressive credential, like winning the Nebula, but I get by, and I think we can talk.

***

But, there are a few things you might want to know to catch you up to speed with the rights of The Other in the twenty-first century, as this seems to be kind of the heart of the matter, or why the "insects" are chittering. In other words, it's time to explain to you what "outside light" really shines in this century.

Read the rest of this entry »

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.