My author's loop--an update...

[Mythsaje]

Yesterday I posted that someone had forwarded one of those jingoistic, hoax e-mails about a confrontation in a steak house to one of my author's lists, forcing me to respond. Of course, I was gentle as I could be, but I stated clearly that I didn't think it was a proper venue for such discussions.

The reaction since then has been mixed, with two authors chiming in in support of the original e-mails (obviously kool-aide drinkers). One had the audacity to say that he was glad I didn't share my political views on the list (obviously it's okay with him as long as he agrees with what he reads). Another jumped in with a "rah-rah-rah" for Bush. Kool-aide addict, for sure.

The damned original story has been debunked, I believe. So what I'm hearing is that as long as it supports their view of the war, they're cool with it...whether it's true or not.

Another couple have chimed in and said they agreed that an author's loop is not the proper venue for discussions about religion or politics, which was pretty much my original point.

Today an author who is also a grandmother chimed in and said that she believed she could support the troops (apparently she has grandchildren who have served over there) without supporting Bush and his policies, and she also agrees that the author's loop isn't a proper place for these discussions.

I've been good ever since I posted my first one. So far none of the publisher's people have chimed in, including the original poster, who's the art director and someone I really can't afford to antagonize.

I really wanted to post that I think it's pretty silly to cheer a fabricated event and that, though I WRITE speculative fiction, I prefer to live in a reality-based community. The kool-aide drinkers would never get it though.

I imagine I'll end up paying for this in some fashion before it's all over. :shrug: So be it. I am absolutely not going to stand still for something like this. They can shovel their bullshit all they want to their private e-mail lists, on the television, or on the radio, but they're not going to do it on a non-political list as long as I'm there to speak out.

They REALLY don't want to get me started. They just don't know how MUCH they don't want it.

I'm being good...but it's so HARD. :evilgrin:

[Book Lover]

1. A conservative Art Director?

How the hell did *that* happen?

[Mythsaje]

4. Her son served over there

and she seems to have bought into the whole "support our troops" meme that ties them to this administration. It's ignorance, of course. Too busy to actually learn anything beyond the patriotic dogma that most ordinary people are subject to. We're immune, for the most part, because we're involved in politics and looking behind the curtain.

[Salviati]

2. Heh...

"The damned original story has been debunked, I believe. So what I'm hearing is that as long as it supports their view of the war, they're cool with it...whether it's true or not."



That makes some sort of sense I guess, if it's good enough for their politicians, then it's good enough for them...

[Warpy]

3. Reference snopes.com whenever you can

There is nothing like debunking this stuff with a site to back you up to make the most determined wingnut get tired of it.

FAIR.org and Mediamatters.org are two more good debunking sites. Factcheck.org leans slightly to the right, but they manage to debunk a lot of koolaid visions.

"At least do us the courtesy of checking this garbage for factuality before hitting that send button. Life is too short to spend wading through pages and pages of right wing wet dreams," is just snippy enough to get the point across.

I've taken my own advice and nobody dares to send me right wing drivel more than once.

[Mythsaje]

5. I mentioned Snopes in my response...

I doubt I'll see anything more on the subject from the original poster, at least. Now if I can get the rest of these wingnuts to shut the hell up and let things get back to normal.

The crowning irony is that about six months ago the list was taken over by a real rule-monger, someone who insisted that only things involved with the business be posted there. She's been snippy as hell about it and yet this hasn't sparked a single comment from her.

I almost never post on the loop anymore for this reason. I just wasn't willing to let this pass.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. We don't allow religious or political discussions on the writers loops I

am a part of. Any time one or the other comes up there's a fight and people leave. *sigh*

[Mythsaje]

7. As I stated in my original response...

It's just too divisive. It's also very disrespectful, but I didn't say that.