The SFPA: What the Association is, and is Not

[mtentchoff]

I try not to respond to reviews.  Heck, I try not to respond to posts, even when... no, especially when, something said in them infuriates me.  The internet is a breeding place for Hell Storms and flame wars, and I really can't handle such things

Comments

[jjschwabach]

Well said. Sometimes we lose sight of which forest we're in, let alone being able to see the forest for the trees. It's easy to attack someone for something they have no control over.

And very hard to be a *volunteer* (that's right -- I said "volunteer") working to ensure an organization runs smoothly. Personal attacks make it enough harder that I doubt I would stay around, either.

[mtentchoff]

I don't envy anyone who steps forward to try to run any organization. The stress level is intense even at the best of times.

[mtentchoff]

Thank you for reading an commenting! I was very much afraid that all of my comments would be far less pleasant ;)

[ravenelectrick]

Brava, Marcie! I hope this post accomplishes something. As you may remember, I attempted something similar (with even a similar title) in the summer, and the comments that ensued led to the current situation you've described. Thus, I'm going to append a "good luck" as well. :-)

[mtentchoff]

You know, I'd forgotten that you'd used that title, I only knew that it seemed right... if slightly familiar ;) And thanks for your well-wishing as well. It may not stop the shrapnel from flying, but I had a piece of good news last night (a dear friend having gotten through surgery and chemo and now being determined to be cancer free) that more than makes up for all else. I'll take that as my good luck :)

[mrockwell]

"And sometimes we can try to nudge publications and organizations towards being more what we want, through great, thoughtful poetry, and through other, equally thoughtful means of communication

[mtentchoff]

It's tough to remain calm, constructive and open-minded on the subjects you care about most strongly. It's also really hard to communicate on the internet, for all its ability to link people together. Things don't always come across as one means them to. I understand that. I just would like to wish that issues were seen less as wars, and more as... I don't know... new possibilities?

[rachel_swirsky]

"With any market, writers have the express right to decide if they want to submit, and if they want their work read in such a venue. I respect that."

Then surely you must see that subscribers also have the right to complain about material they don't want to see? Whether it's because it's racist or for any other reason?

I mean, it's one thing to say "we don't select our poetry based on its content, but only based on its poetic qualities" (although I think you would be hard pressed to demonstrate such a thing is possible, but that's not really here nor there) -- but surely one must acknowledge that one of the consequences of that editorial choice is that people will complain about the content and even use words like 'racist' if they feel it applies.

[mtentchoff]

Honestly? I think that's both a good and tough question. Of course magazines select based on content, but I think, _especially with poetry_ each slusher/reader sees a poem's content in a different way. What I think I object to is the idea of censorship based on the possibility that content might be seen offensive or controversial, especially when so much spec content really either is meant to be so, or can be taken as such whether it's meant to be or no. It's very, very easy to find something offensive in just about any poem, simply because poetry is so very open to interpretation. I'm reminded of the old brouhaha about Peter Paul and Mary's song, "Puff the Magic Dragon." There was a large group that wanted it banned because could be taken as promoting drug use in kids. The imagery in the song can very easily be seen that way. But the song writers claimed that was not the intent, and I at least think banning the song would have been a real loss. But then, I'll admit it's a favorite of mine, even now

[mtentchoff]

To sum up, I think that for me part of it comes down simply to this:

It's perfectly fine, I think, to say, "I didn't like this, I read it as offensive, and I wish to hell I hadn't read it." It's not so ok to say, "I found it offensive, therefore it has no right to exist, or to be published."

[jjschwabach]

Censorship is a very slippery slope. I despise the fact that pornography exists. Once, when I was 18, I said as much to a family friend (someone my mother's age) and she said that while she agreed with me that things like Hustler are despicable and the tip of an even worse iceberg, once you start, there's no stopping. Remember, it was not to very long ago that there were book burning parties to destroy Harry Potter and "his ilk." Mostly, of course, participated in by people who had not *read* any of the offending works