Comments on: Two Separate But Related Issues, Two Separate But Related Posts #2

By: Dawn

Dawn — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:58:41 +0000

I don’t think you’re ‘the moderate’ but even if you were, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I have little patience for people who run around making shrill, hysterical noises about whatever cause they are fighting for. In my experience, the hysterical ones (who claim to be ‘radical and proud’) are often speaking out based on emotions, not objective judgement. They often fling accusations but don’t bother to back them up with solid facts. They may or may not have a valid cause, but they’re certainly no good at persuading people to their viewpoint. I would much rather listen to someone speak up calmly, listing all the pertinent facts and telling more than just one side of the story. If doing these things makes you a moderate, then I think that’s actually a good thing.

By: Delux

Delux — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:11:55 +0000

I’m not even going to go there with this Ashok cat, because that’s just a hot mess of ‘little girl I know better’ and who has time for that?

Anyway.

I think everyone has their own way of dealing w/ race and racism and calling out white folks (and others). I personally am a lot more acerbic and impatient with people than you are in these discussions but on the other hand, I’m not involved in the professional scifi community and these are people I am unlikely to be sitting next to at a convention panel or publishing event. I think having RL contact w/ people makes a difference.

By: Craig

Craig — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:47:05 +0000

You know, whenever POC bring up race, even in the ‘mildest’ of tones, we’re accused of being separtists and ‘get whitey.’ So I kind of factor that fact in reactions. Are you too moderate? I don’t think so. I just think you recognize the difference between ‘blind-spot’ bigotry (for instance, gender representation in SF submissions) and malicious bigotry (see, Wm. Sanders and Orson Scott Card). Are you too ‘radical’? I don’t think so. When some uses a racist term in a professional context (just as an example), I think there’s a moral imperative to stop that sort of thing.
I also think that Mr. Banker misses some of the nuances in your arguements.

By: Justin

Justin — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:29:55 +0000

What you think of this push and pull? Do I and other authors who speak out about racism, sexism, and other bigotry in SF go too far or not far enough? Am I the moderate here?

To answer this question, I certainly don’t think you’re the moderate, but in the thick of the argument I fear you begin to flail and lose sight of the target, possibly losing as many supporters as you gain. If anything I would want you to be more ruthless, but focussed. You have already mastered the hammer and knock things about that need to be knocked about, now learn how to use the knife to get in there for the close work.

I am unsure though if this is simply saying “moderate your tone” in a different fashion. In which case, please say so. As someone who considers you a friend, it’d be wrong for me not to at least let you know what I think.

By: tempest

tempest — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:51:12 +0000

I can only assume it would be me punching someone in the face.

By: Is American SFF racist? at Blogbharti

Is American SFF racist? at Blogbharti — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:47:32 +0000

[...] post and comments (the comments on Banker’s blog were unfortunately closed). She replies here. Linked by aishwarya. Join Blogbharti facebook [...]

By: unusualmusic

unusualmusic — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:34:04 +0000

I don’t get this comment at all. YOU pull your punches? Really? Then what the hell would be you going full throttle?

By: Moondancer

Moondancer — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:00:33 +0000

One would always hope that an author would handle a negative review with more class than this writer seems to be able to do. As a person involved in one roundtable with you, I can’t say I ever saw such offensive statements made. Perhaps if he bothered to do the work and quote things out the everything of yours he supposibly has read, his comments would have made more sense. Honestly, so far his statement have come off as little more than sour grapes.

By: skywardprodigal

skywardprodigal — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:36:07 +0000

I agree with Nora on the Barack Obama syndrome. You’re not this guy’s kind of blogger or writer and it looks like he’s got as much beef with your review of his book (and not reading it after 6 chapters) as he does with his perception of your willingness to take up for Asian poc.

By: Nora

Nora — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:18:41 +0000

Waitaminnit. He’s advocating ghettoizing all non-white non-male non-American authors into their own genre/industry, after complaining about the problems of ghettoizing non-American authors in his own blog post? This is a complete contradiction. And he’s accusing you of pulling your punches? You?! ::boggles::

He’d PM’ed me with a link to that blog post, but I hadn’t had time to go read it completely. I’ll go check it out now.

As for your “moderate”-ness: I think this is Barack Obama Syndrome. You’re always going to be too black for some people and not black enough for others, depending on their conceptualization of how black people are supposed to act. ::shrug:: No way to escape it, because the problem isn’t you, it’s the internalized racism of others.