Open Letter to Elizabeth Moon

[jimhines]

Ms. Moon,

I’ve been torn about writing this.  In part because “An open letter to _____” just sounds pretentious to me.  And partly because I know there have already been twenty-four gazillion responses to your 9/11 blog post, Citizenship.

I’ve recommended your blog on multiple occasions, for your thoughtfulness and perspective.  I disagree with

Comments

[jimhines]

Thanks. I've never met her in person, but between SF Novelists, sharing an agent, and swapping the occasional comment online, it was harder to read and respond to than if it had been a complete stranger.

[sinboy]

A point I made elsewhere is that America, and Americans like Moon have engaged in hypocrisy when it comes to "assimilation" . We don't assimilate into other cultures. As long term guests in foreign countries, we resist assimilation with a stubbornness that would send Moon into hysterics if Muslims here did the same.

But beyond that, Moon's ideas about how Muslims in America should act are profoundly insulting. Perhaps we're a bit distanced from them by virtue of not being Muslim. We have the luxury that, if we were friends with Ms. Moon, we can remain so, because she didn't mean *us* in her tirade.

[jimhines]

Interesting point, thank you. I'm having a brain fart here -- can you think of areas/times when we've had large numbers of Americans emigrating to other countries?

No disagreement that a lot of what she said, and the phrasing used, was indeed insulting.

[sinboy]

Emigrating to claim citizenship? Not really. But we do move to other countries and live as long term residents. Still, other than learning and obeying the laws of the US, I don't think immigrants to the USA owe anyone a conformity to cultural norms, even if they seek citizenship.

[tazlet]

sinboy's post reminded me of Americans I met on military bases or American compounds overseas who expressed fear of going off base or out of the community and experiencing strange customs and cultures -- Japan, Egypt, England -- No joke, I met individuals who had never been off Lakenheath Air force base in East Anglia!

[kellymccullough]

Thanks for this post, Jim. I'd say more but it's either the simple and much earned thank you, or a wall of text I don't have the time or energy to write with a book that needs finishing. So just, thank you.

[jimhines]

I totally understand. Part of the reason I had to write this was to get the block of text out of my head so I could free up my brain to finish my own book :-)

[lyda222]

Well said. I've wanted to reply to Elizabeth Moon's post as well, but I haven't been able to articulate what you just did so wonderfully.

[jimhines]

Thanks. It's taken me more than a week of mental writing and rewriting to get to this point.

[cathschaffstump]

As a student advocate, I must link.

I'm sure you'll understand.

(Nice, rational work, Jim. Come teach comp for us here at the college.)

Catherine

[jimhines]

Where were you 10 years ago when I was looking for a teaching position???

[cathschaffstump]

Where were you 10 years ago when I was looking for a teaching position???

You just didn't apply at the correct school. :)

Catherine