“The truth cannot be asserted without denouncing the falsehood.”
- Leslie Stephen
In an addendum to a Making Light posting, Teresa Nielsen Hayden stated as follows:
“They’ve [The Write Agenda] also posted a string of new blog entries denouncing me, Jim Macdonald, Yog’s Law, Ann Crispin, and other usual suspects, and an open letter to SFWA in which they misspell multiple names, grossly misquote Jim Macdonald and Robin Bailey, and demand that SFWA discipline, expel, and repudiate Ann Crispin, Victoria Strauss, and Jim Macdonald in order to preserve SFWA’s good name.”
Let’s set the record straight and work through this narcoleptic babble. It is true that we denounced the individuals named above. We also have addressed the fallacies of Yog’s Law. In response, we introduced Goy’s Law. All we have ever asked for was the truth. For example:
Do you notice how these “flying monkeys” evade the truth? The mission is to get the reader off topic, attack the opponent and fail to comment on the real issues. If the worse thing that we are accused of is misspelling names, at least it has little to do with intelligence.
James D. Macdonald and Robin Bailey were not “grossly” misquoted in any of our postings. This is a great example of how Teresa Nielsen Hayden is editing and manipulating the truth. All of our postings have been properly vetted and attributed in the reference sections. Both of these gentlemen are in fact the authors of the following quotes. We defy Teresa Nielsen Hayden to provide evidence that these are misquotes:
“But only if she strips down to bra-and-panties first.”
“I do it for power and popularity. It’s all about the power. And the popularity. Really. It used to be about fame, fortune and free sex.”
- Robin Wayne Bailey[1]
We did not request that the SFWA discipline, expel and repudiate Ann Crispin, Victoria Strauss and James D. Macdonald “in order to preserve SFWA’s good name.” We did say that these individuals have brought “disgrace” and “dishonor” to their organization. To wit:
“Based on the circumstances listed above, we believe that there is “good and sufficient cause” for the expulsion of each of the members listed above. At the minimum, some form of disciplinary action should ensue for the disgrace and disingenuous activities that they have engaged in; not to mention the dishonor they have brought upon the organization.”
Whether the SFWA has a “good name,” or not, remains to be seen. As long as they continue to be an accomplice to the apparent lies of Victoria Strauss, that name will continue to be questioned. Therefore, Teresa Nielsen Hayden’s narcoleptic babble has been deemed pure C.R.A.P. Readers, this is demonstrative evidence of why you need to be skeptical of these “flying monkeys” postings and utilize the C.R.A.P test. C.R.A.P. is an acronym for Currency, Reliability, Authority and Purpose and Point of View. Purported “truths” will never prevail where the falsehoods are denounced.
“With a pen in my hand I have successfully stormed bulwarks from which others armed with sword and excommunication have been repulsed.”
- Georg C. Lichtenberg
References
“I Need a Prompt – Page 2 – Absolute Write Water Cooler.” Absolute Write. Web. 18 Mar. 2011. <http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207975&page=2>.
[1] See “Reason 13”in the Volunteer Section athttp://www.sfwa.org/about/volunteers/
