I am ashamed, deeply ashamed, that the organization of which I am a Life Member, and to which I still belong despite the deeply misleading statements by the past board with regards to that membership, should exhibit such shameless racism and anti-Hispanic bigotry by rejecting the application by the Leading Hispanic Voice in Science Fiction to join our elite and august organization.
It’s truly reprehensible. One has to wonder what are the behavioral expectations of an organization that permits a) an ex-Wax Trax! recording artist, b) a convicted pedophile, and c) a self-declared NAAMBLA supporter to remain members in good standing.
In all the old SFWA directories, Edward E. Kramer comes right after Mary Robinette Kowal. And, to the best of my knowledge, he has never been expelled from SFWA. In fact, unlike me, I’ve never even heard that the SFWA Board voted to expel him, like me, the full membership never voted on either of our proposed expulsions despite the requirement of the then-bylaws.
As for (c), well, they awarded him SFWA Grand Master status…
I will, of course, support any attempt by Mr. Del Arroz to pursue his legal rights under California law, which I understand have been very amenable to supporting his legal rights in the past. I may be the only SFWA member who believes Hispanic science fiction writers should be permitted to join the Science Fiction Writers of America, but sometimes it’s necessary to stand up for what is right, even if one stands alone.