RaceFail '09

[sabotabby]

It's still going on? Seriously?*

I assume you guys all know where I stand on this sort of asshaberdashery. Other people have spoken far more eloquently than I have already.

* I mean, I know that race fail never ends, but haven't people learned anything?

Comments

[sadie-sabot.livejournal.com]

I don't know how much longer I'm gonna be able to avoid it. I've been studiously ignoring most of the posts aobut ti because dammit, i need to pass this class I'm taking plus raise that kid and I am way to susceptible to getting all involved and having a elevated heart rate because of it. but some smart people on my flist are posting aobut it and it's hard to keep away.

dammit, I don't consider myself part of fandom,but the truth is I love sci-fi, spec fic, fantasy, etc and so in truth I'm a fan. But....ugh.

[sabotabby]

There are decent people in fandom, and I like the internet because it's easier to search them out. But damn, there's a lot of fail going around.

[stoneself.livejournal.com]

here's probably the best balm to come out of this so far.

* * *

here's a good summary

here's a different summary and the post that the first link responds to.

[roter-terror.livejournal.com]

What's this?

[sabotabby]

This debate that started over cultural appropriation in fiction, or something, that blossomed into an epic flamewar, and people who really ought to know better being utterly racist and outing other people. rydra_wong has links to everything, including summaries, but don't look unless you like the feeling of your head banging into your desk repeatedly.

[roter-terror.livejournal.com]

I'm not going to bother following that link. 1. It's livejournal. I don't care about livejournal drama. 2. I care even less about fanfic.

[sabotabby]

It's not about fanfic (it started about a professional writer), but yeah, don't click it.

[caprinus.livejournal.com]

It's not just livejournal drama, either. There are published authors and popular editors and con organizers on a variety of blogging platforms.

please do not summarize

[krinndnz.livejournal.com]

I have been lucky enough to avoid the circular-firing-squad angle of this particular blow-up in most regards. Of course, luck only goes so far. I ended up reading about it mostly through willshetterly (as I write this, it's basically a coin-toss whether or not that name will be struck through). I ended up deciding that regardless of Shetterly's other attributes, I don't need him in my info-flow.

Re: please do not summarize

[sabotabby]

He's baleeted again. I think he Googles himself or something so aren't we all supposed to call him Sh*tt*rly?

Re: please do not summarize

[caprinus.livejournal.com]

Shitturdly!

Re: please do not summarize

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

Shetterfail! is what one person came up with (don't remember who).

Re: please do not summarize

[zingerella.livejournal.com]

I think at this point, it's so fractal it's impossible to summarize. The entire epic fail defies narrative convention.

[frippy.livejournal.com]

I finally took a look at this whole thing today. I'm still confused for the most part, but... oh dear.

[sabotabby]

I am afraid to look at the new stuff.

[frippy.livejournal.com]

Oh I didn't get that far. I kind of gave up around "I'm not really white, you see, because..."

I just don't get why people take it so personally and get defensive whenever white privilege is brought up -- nobody's calling it [Your Name] privilege or saying you as an individual had a life without any problems, but rather that there are assumptions and practices that were deliberately put in place to keep a defined Other from having a place, part, or voice in the community -- those that aren't in that Other group benefit by not having to face whatever discrimination comes out of those particular assumptions and practices. It's like having a relationship fight with someone totally irrational and unreasonable -- "WHAT SO YOU'RE SAYING I'M A RACIST NOW?!? I DIDN'T KEEP SLAVES!"

I have been thinking white privilege lately because I've been reading a book about sundown towns. I may talk about it because it is extremely fascinating, thought-provoking, and depressing, but I can already hear certain people get defensive with me because they were white and grew up in a 'hood or a depressed region and didn't have it easy, therefore it's pointless for me to note that racism has led to the deliberate establishment of many all-white communities in the midwest and northern US. Because how dare I, by mentioning that this did happen and still has effects in the present day, implicate them personally in institutionalized practices from which they or their family may have possibly benefited at detriment to others. UGH.

(In case anyone else is interested in reading: The book is James Loewen's Sundown Towns and it seems to be, like, one of the only extensive books on the subject.)

[tanyahp.livejournal.com]

I know about sundown towns. Total agreement with you in that talking about white privilege isn't about calling an individual racist (even though they might be racist). Have you seen this video?

[lokilokust.livejournal.com]

against my better judgment, i've been following it.
really, none of it has surprised me so far.
white folks getting defensive and playing the victim when called on their racism isn't anything new, and some of those crackers should have known the fuck better.

[sabotabby]

It's nothing new, except that some of the participants are folks that I'd heretofore respected.

[bcholmes.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's the part that's so awful. I've met a lot of the participants through WisCon, and others are, like, friends of friends. And, ugh. It's just awful.

Have you ever considered WisCon, by the way? You might really dig it, or possibly hate it totally.

[ironed_orchid]

Yeah, although now I think we could also call it "crazy book writing bloggers accuse LJers who prefer not to have their full names plastered all over the internet paranoid and vindictive"-Fail.

Although that doesn't have the same ring.

I spent Tuesday and Wednesday nights reading the exchanges between Will Shetterly and coffeeandink and went to bed in complete and utter bogglement.

[sabotabby]

I swear, if anyone outed me like what happened to coffeeandink I'd declare an internet jihad on their ass. It would not be pretty.

[ironed_orchid]

Seriously! I'd sign up to be in your posse.

Of course, that you just get you accused of being petty, paranoid, and vindictive. And threats that your novels (or anything else) will never ever get published.

I don't fucking believe these people.

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

I KNOW. It was like, "How can I not only be an utter privileged racist ass but also ENDANGER a critic of mine?" I guess she might not want to, but I think she'd have an excellent case for at least TOS'ing his sorry ass off wordpress.

oh, THAT'S why people refuse to take SF \ F seriously

[jordansc.livejournal.com]

Even the posts I agree with in these threads raise my hackles because they imply the existence of such absurd counterarguments.