I do have something to say after all.

[truepenny]

I put my foot in my mouth way back at the beginning of this discussion, and after I apologized for that, I have not felt--and continue not to feel--that I can make any useful contribution.

But I do have something to say. Viz, and to wit:

I personally do not want science fiction/fantasy/horror to be a white-only domain.

I personally do not want people of color to feel unwelcome, excluded, alienated, or silenced, and I am sorry as all hell that they are being made to feel that way. I know that my comments have been construed as attempts to silence people of color; all I can say is, no. That is never what I want.

Comments

[mikes-grrl.livejournal.com]

Whatever else might be said in all this, I must make it known: I truly ADORE your tag here. WWMLKD? indeed. People need to stop and ask themselves that more often, on all sides of the debate.

[sparkymonster.livejournal.com]

Indeed.
http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html
I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.

...
I had hoped that the white moderate would see this need. Perhaps I was too optimistic; perhaps I expected too much. I suppose I should have realized that few members of the oppressor race can understand the deep groans and passionate yearnings of the oppressed race, and still fewer have the vision to see that injustice must be rooted out by strong, persistent and determined action.

...
Yes, these questions are still in my mind. In deep disappointment I have wept over the laxity of the church. But be assured that my tears have been tears of love. There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.

I just want to follow you around the internet and watch you sow sanity and awesome

[tacky-tramp.livejournal.com]

♥

[kate_nepveu]

As I said elsewhere: thank you. Silence contributes to my feeling alienated by SFF fandom, and it does matter to me that you're saying that you don't want me to feel that way.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

But we've also been told that if we say anything we're making it all about us, and we should shut up and listen and learn. That's why I have been trying very hard to say as little as possible!

[kate_nepveu]

And I appreciate that generally, but when people are saying, "where is the outrage from the pros in the community, their silence is driving me away," well, that's an invitation to speak, yeah?

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

I think that's inaccurate, on the whole.

The people who are being told "don't make it all about you," at least in the discussions I've seen, are the people who are making it all about them--the white people lecturing people of color about racism, the US residents lecturing international folks about how race and class works in other countries, etc.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

icecreamempress's comment below reminded me that I was a US-centric ass to you in an earlier go-round. I apologize for that, and I further apologize for not apologizing sooner.

On the topic at hand, I agree with Kate that at this point, I think an invitation to speak has been issued.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I've been trying to do some things without talking about it and making it about me.

[elf]

Potentially?

Join 50books_poc. Read books; make comments.

Join deadbrowalking and commit to reading for at least two months before commenting on anything.

Go through rydra_wong's linkspam of doooooom, pick a handful of posts by people of color, and post excerpts from them, saying which ones you found particularly moving or meaningful, which phrases made you want to say, "Sing it, sistah!" but figured your voice might not've been appreciated. DON'T post excerpts that made you think, "well, I don't think she really understands...." Leave that part for mulling over inside your own head.

[girlpunksamurai.livejournal.com]

Oh man April *groans* must wait until April for Corambis

Don't....think...I can...make it

X_X

[rydra_wong]

I have not felt--and continue not to feel--that I can make any useful contribution.

I think a whole lot of people (me included) currently feel that they're facing a wall of silence from the pro sf/f community, especially regarding things like malicious "outing" and legal intimidation being used as a way to silence critics.

It does make a difference if pro authors are willing to speak out publicly and say that this is not okay, as Justine Larbalestier managed to do here.

[moondancerdrake.livejournal.com]

Agreed 100%

[jamiam.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[moondancerdrake.livejournal.com]

Thank You. Those are very important words to be said and to hear.

[nextian.livejournal.com]

It means a lot that you've said this. Thank you.

[holzman.livejournal.com]

I have not felt--and continue not to feel--that I can make any useful contribution.

I personally do not want science fiction/fantasy/horror to be a white-only domain.

I think the second refutes the first.

It's not unnatural or even unusual to feel like one has nothing useful to say after one's tastes toes -- Gods know I'm speaking from experience there.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this post.

[badgerbag.livejournal.com]

Well said...

[ithiliana.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[cereta.livejournal.com]

Linked here. Thank you. This was succinct, and needed.

[were-duck.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this.

[lavendertook.livejournal.com]

I appreciate this and I'm glad to read it. I think you are making a useful contribution right now.

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

I think you are making a useful contribution right now.

I agree.

[fairestcat]

Thank you for this post.

[hermetic.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Like Kate and others have said, it does help to hear this.

[porcinea.livejournal.com]

Thank you for saying so.

[powderedmilk.livejournal.com]

I wanted to thank you for this post and your earlier apology from a slightly different angle. At at time when other authors are doing and writing things that serve only to stir the pot or mitigate against accepting their words at face value, your comments since the initial exchanges have seemed both appropriate and genuine. Some may criticize you for not saying more at various points, but I, at least, appreciate what you have said on this topic. Not that my opinion matters in any real way, of course, but I did want to mention it.

[arantzain.livejournal.com]

Thank you for saying this.