The Guardian Covers the Recent Excitement

Posted on February 5, 2013    Posted by      61 Comments

The newspaper has a story about it here. Nice to see we’re getting coverage for doing some good.

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61 Comments on “The Guardian Covers the Recent Excitement”

  3. Hadn’t thought about it until now, but you’re right that a bonus is beating back the misaprehension that RSHD is in any way representative of mainstream SF/Fdom.

    As a fan of many libertarian and even a couple of conservative SF authors, I think it’s worth noting that RSHD isn’t representative of the what is sometimes called traditional SF either.

  5. Gulliver and John: RSHD’s monologuing and demagoguery is a particularly vulgar expectoration of that sort. And that seems to be fairly representative of him. But, the bigotry isn’t too far away from any part of SF/Fdom or the fan community. It is an issue. Which is why I think it’s an important thing for folks with standing, or without, in the community to push back on any type of this behavior. To help the Nod And Smile Blankly’s move on to something slightly less accommodating.

    Which is sort of a nit to pick in what you had to say, Gulliver. So, my bad about that.

  6. Hi, was just over at the RSHD’s blog, and he has the Gamma Rabbit posted as a link to Whatever on his “bad” blogroll. Does that count as a mention? If so, just once? Or for every day that it’s up? It’s right below his cute little nickname for Mr. Scalzi, just to make sure his followers don’t miss the point. BTW, if you don’t have enough counters, or someone has to drop out, let me know and I can count. RSHD is bad, but I had an uncle who was about that bad, sadly, and therefore a high tolerance for that sort of nonsense.

  8. RSHD mentioned you today…and the fundraiser with link…and he wants you to get a Gamma Rabbit tattoo that he is willing to pay for.

    Yeaaaa.

  9. I’m not surprised he linked; the evidence is in the form of the stupid, racist comments I’ve had to mallet so far today.

    And of course, let him say what he wants: more money for women, GLBT, people of color and folks who have been sexually assaulted.

  10. I like the way the Guardian article refrains from identifying the RSHD either by name or by nom de plume. It keeps the focus of the article where it ought to be, although I’m sure some readers will seek out RSHD as I once did after he was mentioned here. I feel for them, I really do.

  11. One of the fascinating differences between the US and the UK is that the Guardian in their headline did not use RSHD but rather spelled it out. Imagine any major US paper doing that.

    Oh, and of course congrats on being noticed “over there”.

  12. Congratulations.

    I’m amazed at how quickly your blog raised $50,000 USD. This tells you have many people who support you and you have tapped into a collective nerve. Thanks for what you are doing. Too many groups of marginalised human beings need postitive and tangible supporters.

    On a personal level, your actions have inspired me to think differently. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll open up my Twitter account as I prefer an open world. Your actions have helped me become more courageous online. Thanks.

  13. It’s perhaps worth noting that the UK press is getting increasingly conscious of trolling. I write for the Guardian (I’ve nothing to do with the current article) and they are concerned about the sheer level of trolling in the comments sections, as they are worried that it will put women off writing for them. I have confronted people ‘below the line’ and it’s paid off: I don’t think they really identify you as human (maybe they think newspapers are computer generated?)

    The moderator of one particular site, which made Dipshit’s blog look like “Mary Sue And Her Little Blue Kitties”, was outed last week as an estate agent in Sidcup, by the Sunday Times, and is likely to lose his job. The site is down, but it was just basically screeds about how uppity women should be kicked in the crotch and buried in shallow graves. But the press are going after these tossers now.

  15. John, you need to check out H.R.C.s record with the transgendered community.
    How often we are left under the bus (well, except when they want our money or public support on issues).

  17. Very pleased to see the Guardian piece!

    And that’s a good idea about the methodology write-up for volunteer monitors. When I looked yesterday at the blog in question, just to see how long it would take for the first tally to kick in (barely a day), I realized I didn’t know whether it counted as one mention or multiple mentions.

  18. FFf comments. Most of them are innocuous, but there’s a few going BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ____ and LIBERAL WITCH HUNT and QUIT COMPLAINING ABOUT LACK OF COVERAGE FOR FEMALE BLOGGERS.

  19. Agreed that it’s delightful and perfect that the Guardian can’t be bothered to identify him, beyond RSHD (which may soon become his best known alias. Also perfect.)

    “The moderator of one particular site, which made Dipshit’s blog look like “Mary Sue And Her Little Blue Kitties”, was outed last week as an estate agent in Sidcup […]”

    This is the second time in my life I’ve heard of Sidcup. The first was that Roderick Spode became the Earl of Sidcup. The two go together strangely well …

  21. You know, I disagree slightly that you’re just a target of opportunity for RSHD. I think he got his hands on OMW, took a look at that author photo (seriously, if my daughter hadn’t recommended the book, I’d have pushed it to the bottom of the pile and left it there; it’s so not you) and saw that you live in Ohio. He thought you were a member of his tribe. I bet he said nice things about the book once upon a time (no doubt now carefully scrubbed from his archives). He drew validation from your success. Then you revealed yourself to be a slightly left of center moderate filthy liberal. You took his mancrush healthy admiration for a fellow alpha and made it sordid and disgusting. You betrayed his tiny trust, John.

  22. See, I think two things:

    1. You should take up that commenter in the original thread who put together a way to do a search of the site without having to look at it.
    2. And then put it together as an automated fundraiser widget on your main page.

    But I’m a total nerd, so.

  23. I love my community so much these days. Also, am thrilled to see some kitten action in the thread today! (Their bellies are SO irresistabuhls!) This just keeps getting better and better.

  26. There is not enough popcorn in the world to properly appreciate the whacking of the RHSD.

    So I’ll just have to settle for applauding (again).

  27. “To help the Nod And Smile Blankly’s move on to something slightly less accommodating.”

    I stopped being a Nod And Smile Blankly about a year ago now. I was tired of the I’m Not Racist Buts and the Yeah, I’d Do Hers being the face of the SFF and anime/manga communities.

    I still feel awkward popping their delusionary bubble, but it’s better than feeling dirty for -not- doing so!

  28. @Greg, 1:32PM

    I know, I particularly like how it’s host claims he never encouraged trolling here, blithely ignoring his inclusion of John’s blog under the heading of “Target Rich Environment”

  29. @John Samuel: There is not enough popcorn in the world to properly appreciate the whacking of the RHSD.

    That’s why some of us are holding out for the deep-fried cookie-stuffed bacon-wrapped waffle churros.

  31. The cookie stuffing was someone else’s suggestion, but need you even ask about the bacon? I mean, bacon!

  32. It was the deep-frying the whole affair that was a bit OTT.

    A churro waffle served with honey-cured back bacon would probably be awesome.

  34. Do you like devils on horseback? Take a bit of cream cheese and mix with mango chutney. Put a teaspoonful of that in a dried apricot. When all the apricots are stuffed, wrap them in bacon, secure with a toothpick, and grill until the bacony goodness is nice and done. Great party food. I’ve tried this with beef bacon as well (should you have friends who do not eat pork) and it’s just as awesome.

  35. That sounds good, and I will add it to my longish list of bacon recipes. (Things wrapped in bacon and grilled/smoked lead my foodie hit parade.)

  41. I know who RSHD reminds me of now: The Monarch, insisting to Dr. Venture that he is his Nemesis. (Except the Monarch is kind of adorably dopy in his desperation and the RSHD is not.)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBSlxIYMmW0 – “He’s my arch-enemy!” “I’ve never even heard him mention you!”

    See also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy8IspjFLnk “It must be dreamy to have a costumed nemesis! Chasing you, wringing his gloved hands in concern over you every move…”

  42. What does being an alpha male have to do with being racist, sexist, or homophobic? I do Bikram Yoga(its the one where they raise the temp to 105 degrees with 40% humidity). The most hardcore instructor there is gay. He told us if we had a problem with him making us do postures over or hold them longer we could complain on Yelp. Some guy called him Himmler and the owner (who is a woman) Hitler.

  43. So I missed the first rush of donations, but would like to throw my tiny bit on top if possible (actually, probably more towards the bottom, it’s not much) Is there a webpage or can I just toss my $50 at someone to distribute as I have no doubt that RHSD will make the max.

  44. It has come to my attention that RSHD may be running for the SFWA presidency. Yeah, that’s all that organization needs: a unrepentant misogynist at the helm. Hopefully Steven Gould walks it in.

  45. Regina: just toss your donation at whichever charity you think appropriate. John isn’t aggregating the donations, partly, no doubt, because of the hassle, but also because this way people get their own tax deductions (assuming they donate to a tax deductible charity.)

  46. Thank Cally! Will do. This is good because if the VA ever gets with it, I might actually be able to do more by the end of the year. Coolies.

  47. This is the second time in my life I’ve heard of Sidcup. The first was that Roderick Spode became the Earl of Sidcup. The two go together strangely well …

    The trouble with you, Spode, is that just because you have succeeded in inducing a handful of half-wits to disfigure the London scene by going about in black shorts, you think you’re someone. You hear them shouting “Heil, Spode!” and you imagine it is the Voice of the People. That is where you make your bloomer. What the Voice of the People is saying is: “Look at that frightful ass Spode swanking about in footer bags! Did you ever in your puff see such a perfect perisher?”

  48. Love the Spode quotes!

    >It has come to my attention that RSHD may be running for the SFWA presidency.

    Ye, although as I remarked on LJ, judging from the reaction of all the members I know, it must be said that the dredged-up corpse of Oama Bin Laden would stand a better chance of actually getting elected.

  49. ” Some guy called him Himmler and the owner (who is a woman) Hitler.”

    That horrible story is just a reminder that all of us need to stand up against those who choose to use straight white male privilege as a weapon to bully others.

  50. >That horrible story is just a reminder that all of us need to stand up against those who choose to use straight white male privilege as a weapon to bully others.

    John, just a heads-up for Christina, here: someone on the estimable Mr Day’s thread is claiming that she’s a persona his audience have cooked up. As mentioned on your previous thread, if she isn’t, then my profound apologies. Suggest chocks away on the mallet, just in case.

  51. @Regina What’s the problem with the VA? (I’ve some experience with them, I’m offering to help.) Education related?

  52. Is RSHD allowed to run for the presidency of the Science Fiction Writers of America? My understanding was that the little maggot had tucked tail and run off to some Mediterranean country instead of standing and fighting for what he claims to believe in.

    @ Other Bill

    No worries. We’re mostly on the same page. I don’t know many SF fans in meatspace, but I know some authors take the tack that the RSHDs of the world are beneath contempt and that the best course of action is to not deign to acknowledge them. In specific spaces, online and off, I think that, if you want to keep it from becoming hostile to people through not fault of their own, you have to take a more active role in discouraging bigoted behavior, but I’m totally sympathetic to otherwise not giving bigots the time of day, just as I’m sympathetic to working against them in the wider public sphere. Basically, if someone wants to take out the trash, that’s laudable, but unless the trash is stinking up a shared environment, I won’t expect them to take out their neighbor’s trash.

    What transpires in anyone’s own mind is their business provided they outwardly demonstrate respect, though, in my experience, most will eventually show their true colors and I firmly believe in giving bigots enough rope to hang themselves.

    Just as an example of what I’m talking about: until a couple of years ago, we had an 3rd dan deputy instructor at our dojo who, although within the walls of the school he had kept his bigotry to himself for years, finally began disrespecting some of the other students, including other instructors. My late sensei gave him a private dressing down that I, as kenshusei, was privileged to witness, before kicking him out for good. The bigot in question got himself booted by systematically disregarding the rules of conduct.

    @ ynysprydain

    Zombies are very big in the States these days.

  53. Ynysprydian:

    We can solve this problem by gently suggesting to Christina and others that we close up this particular aspect of the comment thread and move on.

    Beyond that, anyone is allowed to comment here as long as they are polite to other commenters and generally abide the comment policy, and specifically to my direct instructions (such as the ones above).

    Gulliver:

    SFWA has a number of non-American active members. Beyond that, as I mentioned numerous times before, I don’t want discussion of the upcoming SFWA elections here, please.

  54. So, just idle wondering… but how much more of this is needed before Google for Racist Homophoic Sexist Dipshit gives you *his* blog as the #1 hit?

  56. >We can solve this problem by gently suggesting to Christina and others that we close up this particular aspect of the comment thread and move on.

    This is of course fine with me.

  57. @ John

    Sorry, I forgot. I usually gloss over the SFWA stuff as it doesn’t concern me. I won’t bring it up again.

  59. Gulliver:

    Yes. We are not far apart. Perhaps instead of saying I was picking a nit, I should have said I was inspired to say [this], which might have offered a fuller thought on a larger theme.

    “but I’m totally sympathetic to otherwise not giving bigots the time of day”

    This makes complete sense to me. I think my response was predicated on avoiding newcomers to the discussion being given the mistaken impression that this rhetoric comes *solely* from trolls that are caged and only occasionally fed by [morons looking for yuks] (NB: This is a self description replacing the original, simpler text of “me”).

  60. @Lurkertype:

    +1. If Scalzi has the Mallet of Loving Correction, I wonder if Charles Stross has the Hibachi of Humiliation because that sucker kept coming back to be fed another slice of his own char-grilled arse.

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