Worldcon Politics

[billroper]

shsilver tells me that my name has come up on the SMOFS list recently, apparently in connection with the horrors that might occur should Chicago win the 2008 Worldcon bid. I'm told that "we never apologized for the problems with the Chicon 2000 Art Show" and that "this is what happens when Roper manages his friends".

Well, no, actually we did apologize for the problems with the Chicon 2000 Art Show. Repeatedly. And there were problems and -- if you want to discuss them with me to my face -- I'll be happy to do so. Many of them may not be what you actually choose to believe that they were. But I suppose it is much more fun to engage in sniping than it would be to actually collect data on the subject. And, no, I do not choose to discuss them in writing, because I don't feel like having quotes selectively trimmed.

As far as "managing my friends", the Art Show was not the worst problem that I had with running the Exhibits Division for Chicon 2000, an experience which I credit, at least in part, for my developing Type II diabetes. (Being fat, of course, doesn't help either, before some wit chooses to notice that.)

I am not involved with the Chicago in 2008 Worldcon bid. I have no intention of being involved with running any prospective Chicago Worldcon, an intention that is reinforced by Steven's report on the SMOFS list exchange referenced above. So, please, if it suits your political purposes to run down the folks in Chicago, do so.

Just don't use me to do it, because it isn't my party, nor will it ever be, because I do not need the political crap.

Thank you for observing all safety precautions. No human beings (save for my blood pressure) were harmed in the writing of this post.

Comments

[joshuwain.livejournal.com]

You were the man who sold me my first filk tape; we met at a handful of cons after that point.

Having run a couple cons myself and been helping run departments at Minicon, CONvergence, U-Con (ancient U of MN convention), Con of the North, and Genericon (also at the U of MN), I think I've seen where this kind of behavior is what happens when you get people who think they know how to behave in an organized and mature manner but, really, are just fooling themselves as they use their networks of friends/contacts to justify themselves at someone else's expense. It's like those bad business leaders you read about in the papers or maybe have worked with: they delude themselves into thinking that because they have a Business Degree, they can do no wrong and proceed to let their petty, personal goals tromp all over what's good for the company and -probably- themselves.

In fandom, I think it's similar but wider-spread as fewer volunteers running a con have actually really had any experience with diplomacy and damping down their own egos in order to make something wonderful happen. It's easier to spread nasty gossip and try to tear someone else down rather than hold themselves to a higher standard of behavior.

From what I've seen of you, you're a good man and -frankly- if you'd not shown me that cassette tape of "Carmen Miranda's Ghost..." I wouldn't have the great collection of songs (and friends) that I have now...

Take care, Bill!

Yours,
Sylvan (Dave Rust)