Mercedes Lackey Ejected From Nebula Conference For Using Racial Slur

[AnotherGuy]

I would assume the average person would be more likely to think, "Wow, what an unfortunate miscommunication. This reminds me to be extra careful when talking about race."

Than, "Wow, I should be more racist!"

This happens in the trans communities too. Coincidentally yesterday I watched a round-table discussion with several members of that community and one of the topics that came up was how this over-reactionary response and militant activism is alienating and hurting the community, from their perspective. All of them were in agreement on this. The Dave Chapelle backlash was also addressed and they defended him tooth and nail against those who wanted to cancel him.

The over-reaction and aggressive activism cements an us-vs-them mentality and discourse sadly is completely lost. It is why you have organisations like the LGB Alliance. A movement funny enough they support.

 

[Janx]

I do think these missteps feed the notion of a great big-bad 'woke mob' coming to make everyone's lives miserable at the slightest provocation (especially people who mistake anecdotes for actual statistics).

and that's how it works. Youtube can make you a flat-earther in 3 weeks. Tucker Carlson can make you racist in 2.

Even racists have valid points about problems (well, not their points about race). But things like fear of "the mob". They're off base, but guess what, that concern is in regular folks as well. And they build off of that until they got you hooked in on their bad stuff.

So anytime the circular firing squad comes out, we are playing into their hands. Make dang sure your target is worthy of taking down.

 

[MGibster]

On the contrary, you seem to be willing to claim being offended is completely harmless and ignore it altogether. The studies of stress effects on human mental and physical health would tend to belie its total harmlessness.

Because it's not always visible, it's very easy to overlook someone's experiences in the past that might have led to their reaction. In a vaccuum, maybe Lackey's word choice isn't a big deal, but placed within the context of an individual's experience over the course of their life, it's perfectly reasonable for them to have chafed. Surly all of us has been in a situation where something we initially blew off just kept rubbing us the wrong way until it became a sore spot. And you're spot on about the impact stress can have on people. It's not harmless.

 

[Gradine]

People-first language - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Janx]

Because it's not always visible, it's very easy to overlook someone's experiences in the past that might have led to their reaction. In a vaccuum, maybe Lackey's word choice isn't a big deal, but placed within the context of an individual's experience over the course of their life, it's perfectly reasonable for them to have chafed. Surly all of us has been in a situation where something we initially blew off just kept rubbing us the wrong way until it became a sore spot. And you're spot on about the impact stress can have on people. It's not harmless.

that, and as somebody not targeted by such language, it's easy for me to play devil's advocate, or let it slide. It's far from personal.

somebody else, that's their lived experience and yet another harassment vector.

just talking about it with others could be stressful. Let alone to someone who wants to give it a pass.

complex stuff because it IS personal

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

They cannot de-escalate. The conference is over and the panels she was removed from are done and gone. Her husband was also kicked off and those are done and gone. The public statement saying what she said was a slur with zero context has already been done.

While the conference is over THIS YEAR, a public apology with an explanation of how the situation spiraled out of control could reset expectations for future SFWA gatherings, and make it possible for Ms. Lackey to attend those gatherings with less pushback than their saying nothing at all.

“Justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done.”Lord Hewart once wrote in a judicial opinion. Just as Ms. Lackey recognized her gaffe, the SFWA needs to own their overreaction, both for their membership and their own goodwill.

If they don’t? Even if they privately agree that she’s welcome to return to their events, people would question why. They would also petition for removing her from the SWFA’s list of honorees.

 

[Umbran]

But things like fear of "the mob".

Scared of saying the wrong thing and being caught by "the mob"?

Stop for a moment, and consider how often we have been told about the other perpetual fears out there - women in perpetual fear of being targeted for sexual assault and harassment, people of color in perpetual fear of being found guilty of "existing while black".

Welcome to the club, I guess.

 

[Janx]

Scared of saying the wrong thing and being caught by "the mob"?

Stop for a moment, and consider how often we have been told about the other perpetual fears out there - women in perpetual fear of being targeted for sexual assault and harassment, people of color in perpetual fear of being found guilty of "existing while black".

Welcome to the club, I guess.

pretty much.

I'm aware of all that.

I don't think of it as the same club, because the actual risks aren't the same scale. But somebody's working that angle on folks to promote their agenda. Which is usually tied to bigotry.

 

[Myrdin Potter]

While the conference is over THIS YEAR, a public apology with an explanation of how the situation spiraled out of control could reset expectations for future SFWA gatherings, and make it possible for Ms. Lackey to attend those gatherings with less pushback than their saying nothing at all.

“Justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done.”Lord Hewart once wrote in a judicial opinion. Just as Ms. Lackey recognized her gaffe, the SFWA needs to own their overreaction, both for their membership and their own goodwill.

If they don’t? Even if they privately agree that she’s welcome to return to their events, people would question why. They would also petition for removing her from the SWFA’s list of honorees.

To de-escalate just means that they are brushing off the crimes of an old white woman who made a much less powerful younger black woman feel poorly. Just because of a few extra words said which obviously are just because that old woman was caught saying out loud what she believes in her heart. No no no.

 

[BookTenTiger]

To de-escalate just means that they are brushing off the crimes of an old white woman who made a much less powerful younger black woman feel poorly. Just because of a few extra words said which obviously are just because that old woman was caught saying out loud what she believes in her heart. No no no.

You are making a lot of assumptions.