The Way to Bet

[bcholmes]

So, this is the crux of it for me. The section that I quoted, before:

After extensive conversation in recent days, and having spoken directly with Ms. Moon on the subject, we continue to believe that her presence will contribute to the Con.

Well, I can imagine a few ways that the "spoken directly with" part might have gone.

She could have said: "I stand behind what I wrote, and I have nothing further to say on this topic."

She could have said: "I'm terrified of the responses, and what that might mean for my career as a science fiction writer. I'm just trying to put my head down and hope that it all calms down."

She might even have said: "I get that people are really angry. I just need to get a bit of distance from the issue before I feel comfortable saying more on this topic."

Or: "I'm content to have some conversation about all this at WisCon, but I just don't want to hash it all out on the Internet."

Heck, she may have even said that she hopes to use her GoH speech as a forum to apologize to the entire WisCon community for being so clueless. I don't think that's likely, but it's possible.

All of those responses are possible, but based on what I've seen to date, I feel that one of those responses is more likely than the others: I think she intends to say nothing more on the topic. And if that's the case, if I were ConCom, I'd dump her.

I'm not ConCom, and ConCom didn't dump her. So I feel anxious that I don't understand this decision. Further, I feel like there's data ("how did Moon respond") that, if it were visible to me, would probably assuage my anxiousness. Having said that, I get that there are any number of reasons why this announcement didn't come with a transcript of the conversation.

I can't, for the life of me, figure out why I'm having difficulty trusting that ConCom is making the right choice. WisCon has never let me down. But I still have anxiousness.

Comments

[hypatia]

i'm curious (and worried) that they are not sharing Moon's response. this seems like critical data to evaluate the correctness of the response.

[wild_irises]

It's a situation that is going to create anxiety whatever choices are made, which (I imagine) is why you're feeling anxious. Further than that, I can't say: I do, however, think the con chairs made both a reasoned and a hopeful choice, which I support.

[heyfoureyes]

I actually think her presence could contribute a lot to the discussion/atmosphere at Wiscon. Some of what she says is over-the-top, but I think a lot of it is believed if even secretly by otherwise well-meaning progressives.

I think a LOT of questionable things are believed by many people who go to the Con, and the discussion there makes us all better for it (even if some are left traumatized).

Introducing awesome people to one other

[the_axel]

These posts about WisCon make me think that onceupon is someone that I should introduce you to.

You are both regular WisCon attendees and are approaching this issue from a similar perspective.

I'm posting this message to both your DW's (LJ names are the same) so go & say 'Hi!'

Re: Introducing awesome people to one other

[bcholmes]

Awesome! I think I recall her from a panel last year.