Lackey kicked off Nebula Conference

[Gary McGath]

The Nebula Conference is removing Mercedes Lackey, apparently for using
a dirty word while on a panel.

https://file770.com/mercedes-lackey-removed-from-the-nebula-conference/

English, it seems, must always have taboo words. The older ones,
concerning religion and bodily functions have lost most of their force.
The ones which are currently dirty are derogatory terms about human
classifications.

The current batch is so dirty that you can't even give the context and
replace letters with punctuation. Therefore, it's mandatory to condemn
those who use those words without giving any context.

The article gives some clues that Lackey wasn't actually insulting
anyone. The offense was the mere fact of using a dirty word.

The use of a racial slur violates the instruction to
“Respect all cultures and communities. Do not make
derogatory or offensive statements even as a joke.”

Taboos give "dirty" words their power. They increase the words' ability
to shock and hurt, to the detriment of the people they refer to and the
advantage of the people who intentionally use them for that purpose.

They make it impossible to judge the offense, since any explanation
would repeat the alleged offense. The person using the word _must_ be
condemned without a fair trial.


--
Gary McGath http://www.mcgath.com

[Gary McGath]

On 5/23/22 7:38 AM, Gary McGath wrote:
> The Nebula Conference is removing Mercedes Lackey, apparently for using
> a dirty word while on a panel.

It appears that the dirty word was "colored people." Presumably the
NAACP is also banned from the Nebula Conference.

[evelynchim...@gmail.com]

On Monday, May 23, 2022 at 7:38:38 AM UTC-4, Gary McGath wrote:
> The Nebula Conference is removing Mercedes Lackey, apparently for using
> a dirty word while on a panel.
>
> https://file770.com/mercedes-lackey-removed-from-the-nebula-conference/

> ...

I am sure I am not the only one to find irony in the fact that Lackey was
removed from the conference just hours after she was made a
Grand Master by that same conference.

--
Evelyn C. Leeper

[Magewolf]

Now they just have to take steps to rescind it since she turned out to be
the wrong kind of person.

I can not help but think it would be funny if one of the black lesbians
in wheelchairs they hand out awards to turned out to secretly be a middle-
aged straight white male and he showed up to accept it in person. I
suspect that he would not be treated as well as Tiptree was.

[Keith F. Lynch]

ele...@optonline.net <evelynchim...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Gary McGath wrote:
>> The Nebula Conference is removing Mercedes Lackey, apparently for using
>> a dirty word while on a panel.

>> https://file770.com/mercedes-lackey-removed-from-the-nebula-conference/

> I am sure I am not the only one to find irony in the fact that
> Lackey was removed from the conference just hours after she was
> made a Grand Master by that same conference.

I think it's completely outrageous that they denounced and "canceled"
an elderly woman for accidentally saying "colored person" rather than
"person of color" in the process of praising such a person -- who
wasn't in the least bit offended. Especially since she had done far
more to help such people, and at far greater personal risk, than
probably all of her cancelers put together. It's the elevation of
performative slacktivism over actual activism.

I suggest that the cancelers be canceled. I suggest that all SFWA
members who support tolerance, forgiveness, and free speech promptly
resign from SFWA and form a new organization.
--
Keith F. Lynch - http://keithlynch.net/
Please see http://keithlynch.net/email.html before emailing me.

[Ninapenda Jibini]

Gary McGath <ga...@REMOVEmcgathREMOVE.com> wrote in
news:t6frns$1vs0g$1...@dont-email.me:

Welcome to the Leftist Paradise.

--
Terry Austin

Proof that Alan Baker is a liar and a fool, and even stupider than
Lynn:
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/sw-border-migration


"Terry Austin: like the polio vaccine, only with more asshole."
-- David Bilek

Jesus forgives sinners, not criminals.

[Ninapenda Jibini]

"Keith F. Lynch" <k...@KeithLynch.net> wrote in
news:t6hh0g$f3f$1...@reader1.panix.com:

Anybody who felt that way left long ago.

[Gary McGath]

On 5/23/22 10:47 PM, Keith F. Lynch wrote:

> I think it's completely outrageous that they denounced and "canceled"
> an elderly woman for accidentally saying "colored person" rather than
> "person of color" in the process of praising such a person -- who
> wasn't in the least bit offended. Especially since she had done far
> more to help such people, and at far greater personal risk, than
> probably all of her cancelers put together. It's the elevation of
> performative slacktivism over actual activism.
>
> I suggest that the cancelers be canceled. I suggest that all SFWA
> members who support tolerance, forgiveness, and free speech promptly
> resign from SFWA and form a new organization.

Here's my blog article on the topic:

https://garymcgath.com/wp/sfwa-taboo-words/

[Keith F. Lynch]

Does anyone know *which* SFWA members made the decision to kick her
out? I'd like to know so I can remove them from my reading list.
Thanks.