Puppygate is the gift that keeps on giving… or taking away, in this case. Just when you think you’re out, they drag you back in.
Anyway, the battles continue to rage, all over the internet.
Connie Willis has issued a statement. If there is anyone worth listening to about the Hugo Awards, it is Connie. She has won more of them than anyone else. She has presented lots of them too. Her presentations are always hilarious, if excruciating for the poor sods who have been nominated. She is the funniest woman in science fiction. You would think that Connie might be someone that both sides in this fight would listen to with respect, since (1) her politics are liberal, (2) she is religious, a practicing Christian who attends church regularly and sings in the choir. So here is what she has to say:
http://azsf.net/cwblog/?p=116
David Gerrold has also weighed in on the debate. David, of course, is an award-winning novelist and screenwriter, who first broke into the field on Gene Roddenberry’s original STAR TREK, for which he penned “The Trouble With Tribbles.” He also played a crucial role in the creation of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, and won all sorts of awards for his short story, “The Martian Child.” And of course, David Gerrold is also the Professional Guest of Honor at Sasquan, this year’s Worldcon. Here are some of his thoughts:
https://www.facebook.com/david.gerrold/posts/10205360779551319?pnref=story
Some of you will want to comment on what David and Connie had to say. Some of you, needless to say, will want to disagree. That’s fine, but once again, I expect a respectful tone, no personal attacks, no insults. Don’t go there, or your posts will be deleted. Also don’t send me long screeds about how you mislike my calls for civility. If you want to spit and fume and denounce, hey, there are plenty of other blogs on the internet where you can do that.
Connie and David are both friends of mine. I have known David since the early 70s, Connie since the late 70s. Connie, actually, is a very good friend of mine. (Don’t be fooled if you have seen us ripping on one another at cons. That’s the George and Connie show. It’s a bit, like Jack Benny being cheap. We have fun with it. I love Connie, and I think she likes me okay too. She does have more Hugos than I do, which is very annoying and has given her a big head, but I love her anyway, and besides, the one time we went head-to-head for a rocket, I won).
That being said, do please note: I am not Connie Willis. I am not David Gerrold. Their thoughts are their thoughts, and my thoughts… well, I have posted my thoughts at great length here, you guys should know them by now. I agree with much of what Connie and David are saying, but not every word by any means.
I am going to have some further thoughts of my own in the post that follows.
