Unpersoning Campbell
A trenchant point being made by fellow science fiction fan, Donald R. McClarey concerning the latest falsehood and outrage perpetrated by the Left against the science fiction community :
https://www.the-american-catholic.com/2019/09/13/john-w-campbell-was-not-a-fascist/
As faithful readers of this blog know, I like to read science fiction. I have been distressed over the past few decades that left wing hacks have largely succeeded in taking over many of the organizations of science fiction fandom. They are fulfilling this observation of Iowahawk as to the standard mode of operation of Leftists:
1. Identify a respected institution.
2. kill it.
3. gut it.
4. wear its carcass as a skin suit, while demanding respect.The latest manifestation of this in the world of science fiction is when the graceless Jeannette Ng won the John W. Campbell award for best new science fiction writer, and, while accepting the award, made these remarks (This is a cleaned up, profanity removed, and shortened version.):
John W. Campbell, for whom this award was named, was a fascist.
I will pause for a moment, to allow any readers who in anger spit their morning coffee across their computer monitor to clean it.
After quoting Miss Ng at length, Mr. McClarey reports:
The World Science Fiction Society in response to this rant promptly renamed the award The Astounding Award For Best New Writer.
My comment: the World Science Fiction Society, were it worthy of the name, would have pulled the award from the young lady, and perhaps escorted her off the premises.
I note that Mr. McClarey cleaned profanity out of the young lady’s acceptance speech. How is it that a writer and wordsmith well received enough to win a once-prestigious award for her literary accomplishments, must resort to the gutter language of the grunting swine when expressing herself?
However, if the young lady’s purpose for the evening was to parade about on stage while wearing that carcass of Campbell, in order to win the respect in the field his contributions earned, but not hers, then the low gibberish of thief cant is not only expected, but strangely apt.
About John C Wright
John C. Wright is a practicing philosopher, a retired attorney, newspaperman, and newspaper editor, and a published author of science fiction. Once a Houyhnhnm, he was expelled from the august ranks of purely rational beings when he fell in love; but retains an honorary title.
