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Written by Michael Z Williamson

Created: 09 April 2015

So is Worldcon.

My daughter's first event was at 10 days old.  She's 17, has been to 17 Pennsics, 15 Windycons, 17 Marcons, dozens of Capricons, Libertycons, numerous other cons as one-offs. She runs my booth when I'm on panels.  She runs my booth at Comic and Anime cons, because she speaks that language.  She reads Molly Harper, Tamora Pierce, TA Barron, Piers Anthony, occasional Niven, Heinlein, Burroughs, lots of manga, some comics, she games a bit, cosplays. 

She has probably been to more events and conventions than you.

Today, she asked me, "So how do you get a Hugo?"

I explained that last year's Worldcon members, and this year's, can nominate, and this year's can vote and then nominate for next year, either supporting or attending.

She replied, "That's it?  From a small convention like that?" (She just finished running my booth at Indy Comic Con, with 30,000 attendees.)

Raised in fandom, child of an author who's been published since she was five, a dealer and attendee since before she was born, she:

A) Didn't really know what the Hugos are, and

2: Finds Worldcon to be small, unimpressive and not of note.

I guess she's the wrong kind of fan, too.

Don't worry. In twenty years, all 50 Worldcon attendees can vote each other a Hugo and be impressed with each other.

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Written by Michael Z Williamson

Created: 09 April 2015

EDIT:  Didn't get much response because most writers don't actually care what an author looks like. And, I've been busy with writing contracts.  This post is probably no longer of use, but I'll leave it for reference. Possibly after the awards I'll see about adding some stuff.

According to certain...well, all critics, the "Sad Puppies" slate of works are by authors who are all white, conservative males, and probably racist.  It's AN END TO DIVERSITY in the Hugos!

So, I thought, for reference, we should look at what diversity looked like in 2012:

And 2013:

 

Now, there are some decent people there, and some are my friends.

But apart from not discriminating against those with terrible fashion sense, I'm not seeing much ethnic diversity, and if you research the people in question, you'll find little political diversity.

Now, I "look" white, and am, except I'm an immigrant, thus an outsider to America, and have been discriminated against (and if you don't believe immigrants get discriminated against...I don't think any rational discourse between us is possible), and of course, there are various "white" ancestries. Mine includes recent Irish, which wasn't well regarded even a generation back, and Welsh, and "Scotch" as it was called, when my English mother dare marry beneath herself.

As far as politics, which are none of your business, but here goes:  I endorsed allowing gays to serve in the military when I was active duty back in the 1980s, before DADT was even a thing.  I'm areligious.  I think marriage should be a private matter without government definition of participants.  I don't "carefully manage" my blog posts because I support free speech.  I'm not sure where one commenter got "ultraconservative" from that.

I encourage the other nominees this year, whether SP endorsed or not, to post their images and backgrounds in comments, and I'll transfer them into this thread for comparison to the "diverse" Hugos of 2012 and 2013.

Cedar Sanderson, finalist for Best Fan Writer:

Cedar considers herself apolitical. She was a military brat, homeschooled, and is currently a non-traditional student who supports herself largely with her writing while taking a full course load.

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Written by Michael Z Williamson

Created: 09 April 2015

 

The clown at the top, that is.

Chu's post assumes that the only reason Brad would marry a black woman is to use her for political gain and cover.  If he can conceive of marrying and reproducing with someone for such reasons, it means he's considered them. Racist.

There's no evidence that Brad has ever done so, but Chu assumes this must be the case.  Why? Because he's a racist.

He assumes that the black woman is either too stupid or too gullible to recognize such a fact, and can't divest from it.  Racist.

He seems unaware that she is both liberal, and possessed of a PhD in liberal arts.  Or did he assume that wasn't possible because she's a black woman?  If so, racist.

As a minority himself, he has no doubt experienced prejudice and bigotry, but is quite willing to use it as a weapon.

He's quite willing to use the black woman, AND THE MIXED RACE CHILD, to make his racist point.

That makes him a racist without any honor or decency.

And in fact, in a healthy marriage, the partners ARE each other's shield, sidearm, support and reinforcement.

But then, if you take your cultural advice from a former game show contestant, don't expect deep thought.

I'm not the oly one to see it, btw:    https://twitter.com/shoe0nhead/status/585707429473755136/photo/1

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Written by Michael Z Williamson

Created: 08 April 2015

Apparently, certain "Tolerant" "liberal" elements with a record of winning the Hugo are claiming some conspiracy exists to stuff nominations, compare notes, secretly manipulate a ballot and feed the information to the Illuminati or Aliens or something.

Sounds like they think "we" did what they did.

From my POV, Brad asked if he could promote me, I said, "Sure," remembered I had another story, mentioned it here, forgot all about it because I had no expectation of making it. Then I got an email.

As far as Vox Day endorsing me, I know he copies some of my gun related essays. I find him to be a troll and scientifically illiterate, blogged about that a few years back, and ignore him. No point in arguing when we aren't ever going to agree.

I'm glad he liked Wisdom, and appreciate the boost, but the first I was aware of it was after I got notified and someone else mentioned he'd endorsed me.

But hell, you can find my stuff on sites across the spectrum, some loathing, some loving. 

I'm not narcissistic enough to cruise the web looking for mentions of my name. Nor would it matter if I did--what can I do to stop it? And why should I?

I swear, these people with 20, 30, 50 nominations seem to be getting awfully butthurt over some of us getting one.  I wonder what that says?

And I have no idea how 60 some people would keep something like this secret.  Could be why I wasn't invited.

Or, maybe it doesn't exist.