I would like to see the community come together to defend themselves. But I am a very small minority, and that won't happen. I will, of course, go along with the majority consensus, because I like my community and I'm not an asshole. I will go to WorldCon and enjoy myself. This year can be grand in the style of David Gerrold again.
But that doesn't change that I wish the community WOULD unite to defend itself, and that's why I'm putting forth the proposition that we should do so. I think the biggest thing we have to fear right now is Fear Itself. Literally.
Friends ask how I'm different from the strong-man supporters, who currently are rallying behind Trump. There's a reason people like Trump gain supporters. It's the same reason Rome gave emergency powers of absolute power to one man during times of crisis, until the crisis was dealt with. Authoritarianism is actually good at dealing with a certain subset of problems.
Thing is, for limited engagements, and if you can empower a trustworthy dictator, Dictatorial Powers are often a great idea. It's why we have various "Czar of X" positions in the govt as well. The fear of the temporary emergency powers becoming permanent (or being used in a terrible way) are completely legit, and as a country we've done a passable job of avoiding them for a few centuries. But I think the fear has led to sometimes us going too far in the opposite direction, and led us to avoid simple, effective solutions to small, short-term problems. Like neutering the Rabid Pups for one year. Our fear is a greater threat to our well-being than the proposed tyrannical act
Of course, the rank and file are NOT united in thinking this is a good idea. From what I can tell, it's just me. So obviously we are not in a positions where this is something we can accomplish.
And when a society is so paralyzed of fear of effective action, that they can't even defend themselves against a few hundred coordinated people, it makes me worry that they won't last very long. In this sort of voluntary community, if a few people can ruin the place for everyone, people will drift away. It's like those people so afraid of censorship that no one can ever say anything, because those crazies who hate them, and scream at the top of their lungs to drown out all effective communication, are never removed.
Yes, yes, I see your Hitler, and I raise you a Cincinnatus.
Anyway, it's not the awards themselves that upsets me, it's the community's willingness to lie down and take it. I wish we could just see, unofficially, what the finalist list would have been without Rabid interference. :/