basically, that I got the impression that as a member of two groups that
frequently get pigeonholed into very tightly targeted genres with very
segmented markets: (women and African Americans), I felt like she she
was trying not to be labeled.
Tracey
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dr. Lester K Spence <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: SciFiNoir_Lit@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Fri, 2 Jun 2006 19:59:12 -
> Subject: Re: [SciFiNoir Lit] Hopkinson sells out?
>
>
> Nora made the most cogent point, given Hopkinson's comments...but no
> one has responded to it:
> On Jun 1, 2006, at 2:08 PM, Nora wrote:
>
> <<I think I responded to it. She thinks it is a disservice. I do not.
>
> Let us be Frank. Nalo Hopkinson is not suffering as a result of my actions. She will lose no sleep. She will suffer no anguish. No one will stand up at her next readings and demand she be down with Afrofuturism or else. If this discussion comes to her attention, if she pays it any attention, it will probably be to laugh.
>
> Nora is attributing to her feelings and reactions she might not have. But she is passionate and committed and fun.
>
> It is possible even that Nalo Hopkinson, after some thought, might agree with me and withdraw her comments. Where will all of you be then?
>
>
>> I think it's a disservice, both to authors and to this nascent
>> movement, to
>> hijack people into it. A movement doesn't *need* to go hunting for
>> members,
>> if it has the ideological strength to grow and develop on its own; its
>> members will find it, because it serves a need. But when people
>> declare
>> that so-and-so's work *must* be Afrofuturism, whether that person
>> intended
>> it that way or not, they're trying to bogart her into it. The
>> thing is, by
>> doing this they make the movement, if indeed it is a movement, look
>> too weak
>> to stand on its own. It has to coerce its most prominent members
>> to join?
>> That's not a movement, that's Scientology.
>>
>
> <<Furthermore this is from a person who has told me--not once, but several times--to "Love it or Leave it" when it comes to Sci Fi.
>
> I am going to make her Queen of Black Speculative Fiction if it kills me>>
>
>
> What I got from her comments is that she was real uncomfortable being
> labeled as the leader of something just because she was one of the
> most successful folks (art wise) on the afrofuturist list. The only
> two people who could compare to her are probably Kodwo Eshun and DJ
> Spooky (who have both since left the list). The "movement" to the
> degree it exists could be about all types of stuff that she doesn't
> know about....but because she's black, an author, and used to be on
> the list, she is not only associated with the concept, SHE IS ASKED
> TO SPEAK AUTHORITATIVELY ABOUT IT.
>
> <<What's wrong with that? Isn't that what happens to you when you get out in public?
>
> If I am not mistaken that is how you make your living.
>
> It's honest.>>
>
> In that context? If someone asks me to speak about something from
> the authoritative standpoint, and I don't actually have expertise?
>
> I back the hell up.
>
> <<Excuse me if there was a gap in the typing. I fainted dead away at the intelligence that LK Spence has a "reverse" gear on it.
>
> I seem to remember a discussion we had about amendments to the Constitution a while back...>>
>
> This is what she did, from my perspective.
>
>
>> Even worse, by insinuating that she's a sellout if she doesn't, any
>> Afrofuturists trying to claim Nalo may effectively achieve the
>> complete
>> opposite effect, and send her running for the hills.
>>
>
> Chris is just trying to get people interested enough to respond, but
> I feel you.
>
> <<If she runs for the hills it will be to get her shootin' irons, I bet. You don't get to be Nalo Hopkinson without being able to get down.
>
> Nora is being protective. She is doing it out of love.
>
> That's why we adore her>>
>
>
>>> > Bullshit. It's one thing to discuss the probable intentions of an
>>>
>> author
>> who's dead, or impossible (for us) to contact, a la Octavia
>> Butler. But to
>> do this to a woman who's alive, when **you've got her blog right
>> there** and
>> you can talk to her directly, and to do it with this deliberately
>> insulting
>> polemic, smacks of whispering behind your hand to me. It's
>> disrespectful
>> and cowardly, not to mention catty as hell.
>>
>
> <<Catty? Isn't that a sexist term? If I was a woman, I might be insulted.
>
> Maybe I came to you guys first instead of insulting her. So if I was wrong I could be set straight. Very well.
>
> Nobody calls out The Notorious BIG of SF. See my email to her.>>
>
> One of the first threads I participated in when I got here was on a
> thread where someone asked what Steven Barnes needed to do to "get to
> the next level."
>
> I said my piece...and then we had a long discussion about it.
>
> After a while I realized that it was foolish for me to talk about
> Barnes HERE...and not do so to HIM (http://darkush.blogspot.com for
> those interested). For two reasons. The first is that many people
> who participated didn't read the work under question, and probably
> HAVEN'T read his stuff. But the other reason is stated above by
> Nora. Barnes is not only NOT dead, but he's incredibly accessible.
>
> Chris I know you were provocative to create the context for
> discussion, but the "it takes too much" argument is a very weak one.
> If I could do it with Barnes, then you should be able to do it with
> Nalo.
>
>
> peace
> lks
>
> <<You guys souped me up until I took the bait. If the heavens fall you have only yourselves to blame. It took too much. But I found an email address for her that didn't.
>
> Now the fur will fly.>>
>
> Chris
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