Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) has declined to cut off ties with the Russian speculative fiction community. This has prompted an outraged post by Borys Sydiuk, a Ukrainian fan. SFWA’s position, as quoted in the post, is:

The SFWA Board of Directors met this last week to discuss and carefully review your missive. SFWA’s mission is to support, advocate for, and educate creators in the science fiction and fantasy genres across the world. We do this regardless of the actions of their governments. Because our mission is tied to our incorporation and status as a charitable organization, we cannot participate or support any kind of boycott.

I don’t have a clue about the legal issues, but morally SFWA made the right choice. Sydiuk seems to think breaking off contact would somehow reduce the Russian troops’ ability to crush Ukraine. He doesn’t explain how.

Some Russian writers, such as 2023 Worldcon guest Sergey Lukianenko, find it expedient to parrot Putin and call Ukrainians “Nazis.” But let’s also look at Russian authors such as Dmitry Glukhovsky, who wrote:

This war was not wanted by the ordinary people who are going to pay for it. Nor by the businesses that will collapse as a result, nor the so-called elites who will be cut off from the world and deprived of their usual feeding troughs. Since the war began, normal life ended for everyone in Russia, and life under martial law began.

Cutting off Lukianenko from the world SF community won’t significantly impede his ability to spread Putin’s lies. Cutting off courageous people like Glukhovsky would weaken their already precarious position, where they can be locked away for telling the truth.

In a similar vein, the publisher Springer Nature will continue to accept articles from Russian authors. The publisher notes:

While there has been an appalling statement in support of the war from the leaders of a number of Russian institutions, over 7000 Russian scientists have petitioned for peace in Russia and we want to continue to build bridges of understanding despite the act of war which risks driving people apart.

In my discussions of Russia and China, I’ve tried to maintain a clear line between evaluating a government and evaluating the people who come from a country. Holding a Worldcon in Russia while Putin’s government is in power would be a terrible idea, even worse than holding one in China. But that doesn’t mean everyone in those countries is an enemy. So often, though, people get it the wrong way around. Objecting to a Worldcon where the government would make free discussion impossible is “red scare racist,” yet breaking off contact with ordinary Russians is allegedly a moral obligation.

Change in a country requires overcoming barriers to communication. Helping rulers to build iron curtains around their countries only strengthens their grip.

Update: SFWA has issued a statement saying “The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America stand with the people of Ukraine” and offering concrete assistance to those affected.