I’m trying not to write a lot about politics in this blog, because it’s a blog about writing. But if you read my works, you will get the idea of my political stances. In my writing, they look like this:
- Diversity is necessary for a healthy society.
- Compassion, especially for those not like you, is a virtue
- People should be free to express their opinions, but we should guard against hate speech.
- Violence starts with words.
- Self-defense is the only reason to inflict bodily harm, and even that is a last resort.
- A society takes care of its vulnerable members.
That many of my stories occur on a pacifist collective (that still struggles with these concepts) might help explain as well.
Some might argue that this list is not about politics at all, but about values. But that’s where our politics come from. The political climate in my country (US) tends to act as if one side has values and the other does not, but this is not the case. In some cases I am a political minority (with my pacifism stance, as I am a Quaker) but in others I’m a pretty average Social Democrat (if we had that party in my country.)
I know it’s controversial for a writer to talk about politics, but how can we not? Even in a genre like fantasy, where supposedly we’re divorced from real world matters, politics can seep into the writing. If you read me, it will be obvious where I sit.
Words Like Me 