Worldcon: Arroz is in good company

Jon Del Arroz discovers there is a historical precedent set by Worldcon to ban people they didn't want speaking.

The Futurians were kicked out of the first Worldcon because organizers feared that they would distribute communist propaganda. The group included a number of luminaries including Asimov and Pohl.

Because  of their fear of not Asimov hurting anyone...but spreading political ideas that they found too dangerous for the times...WorldCon banned Isaac Asimov.

The implication is clear. The elites in science fiction believe I have the potential to be the next Asimov. They want to ensure I’m deplatformed as much as possible because they fear the influence I’ll have politically to change their stodgy, outdated culture, which would change science fiction into something that’s thriving and fun. In the process, they’d lose their control over the kinds of stories that are published.

...that's the kicker, isn't it?  Somehow, it always comes back to the gatekeepers.

-=ad=-

Worldcon Ejects Arroz

That's right, the World Science Fiction Convention committee has decided to "downgrade" the membership of writer Jon Del Arroz from the "attending" level to the "supporting" level.  This comes across as censorship, since Jon has been critical of the industry, and the fact that he's a Hispanic writer speaks volumes also.

In slightly related news, there will be a new set of awards to be handed out around the same time as this year's Worldcon.

UPDATE:  PJ Media has picked up the story.

"With Worldcon's statements about 'intent' to violate their rules, and failure to specify rules, this is a clear targeting over my politics because I'm a vocal Christian and Hispanic Trump supporter," says Del Arroz. "The left claims I should be banned for controversial political opinions, but the only opinion I espouse on a regular basis is that artists should not be blackballed for their politics. That shouldn't be a controversial topic. It is imperative that artists be free from fear of retaliation of their industry in order that they might create great works of art. This is the ultimate free speech issue."