As is typical, it’s been weeks since Readercon and I’ve yet to post anything on it. I have those posts in the works–it’s just been an hard couple of weeks with Life, the Universe, and Everything. I’ll be honest, I’ve been in my own personal funk. Given that, posting my con wrapup has been the last thing on my mind. But I find myself so appalled and disgusted with the whole Readercon harassment debacle — I’m still a little too disgusted to rehash it, so here, just read it — that I realized that I’d never get my con posts up unless I talked about this first.
Readercon 23 was my third go-round. I’d been looking forward to it every year since my first because I felt I knew exactly what Huey Lewis was talking about in the song “Finally Found a Home.” Now, that home is threatened because a Board of Directors couldn’t follow its own rules regarding an asshole who couldn’t keep his hands to himself, resulting in a community backlash of such everlasting gob-stopping proportions that I bet the Catholic Church looks at the backlash they got over their sex abuse scandals and says, “Got’damn, I think we got off kinda light….”
I support those who are willing, depending on the BoD’s willingness to follow certain remedies, to vow never to attend Readercon again. I also understand that there’s a case — some, via the links above, say multiple cases — to be made for staying away from Readercon whatever the outcome.
I know things need to change. And I want them to change. Because I just found this place, goddammit. I’d finally found a home. I was learning Readercon’s groove, I was keeping an eye open for ways to become more involved. Hell, one of my two favorite writers IN THE WHOLE ‘VERSE, a personal inspiration of mine — one of the few inspirations of mine I had not yet met at a Readercon (I’ve now damn near met all of them there) — planned to attend next year.
Or rather, had planned. I know this because this writer signed the petition pledging not to return unless the BoD followed the remedies specified. Again, good for that writer and everyone else who followed their conscience and signed! I wish I shared that particular conviction as much as I share all the rage and disgust.
And yet the idea of me, personally, taking the position of “You gotta get your shit together, or I walk” feels a little dishonest on my part. So, what would be honest for me? Where does that leave me?
With the uneasy feeling that if I’ve ever had a “Man in the Mirror” moment in my life, this might be it…
The things you think about at 2 am.
(Sorry, comments are off, and would be even if I wasn’t still in a funk. ‘Cos this is all just too… yeah, I knew you’d understand.)