Good news from Uncle Hugo’s
I’ve posted periodically about Uncle Hugo’s in Minneapolis, and now I’m glad to pass on the news that owner Don Blyly has closed on a new location and hopes to open in June.
fandom
SFWA makes the right decision 1
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.
Sergey Lukianenko and the Chengdu Worldcon
One of the guests at the 2023 Chengdu World Science Fiction Convention, Sergey Lukianenko, has attracted negative attention for his public support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He is echoing the Putin line, smearing Ukrainians as “Nazis.” There have been calls to rescind his invitation.
From what I can tell, Lukianenko is a despicable person. His activity goes far beyond Cixin Liu’s excuses for China’s treatment of the Uyghurs. Cixin was just answering a question; Lukianenko is actively praising Putin’s brutal actions.
However, I don’t like the idea of withdrawing speakers’ invitations when their views are unpopular. I’d rather view his presence on the guest list as a symptom, a concrete example of what holding a Worldcon in China means. At a convention in any semi-free country, it would be great fun to have him speak before an audience and face merciless question after question about the invasion of Ukraine. I absolutely wouldn’t want him shouted down; that’s a confession of fear that people will hear what the speaker has to say. But having him face a fannish inquisition in the Q&A — I relish the thought.
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