Social Justice Benches.

By which, I do not mean park benches. Exhibit A, the puppy fearing Vonda N. McIntyre

I'm distressed to see that some folks who were planning to come to Sasquan are thinking of skipping Worldcon this year.

Because they're frightened.

I understand why people are frightened, given the racist, misogynistic, and dishonest screeds they've been subjected to. It isn't — alas — unusual for verbal abuse to escalate into physical abuse; and anyway verbal abuse is no fun to begin with.

Yes friends, the Huns are coming to WorldCon.  They will be armed, dangerous and hunting for Truefans to kill and then eat.

So you're asking yourself, how much use is Vonda going to be, given RACIST/BIGOT/MISOGYNISTIC CANNIBAL KILLERS FROM HELL are going to be roaming the halls at will?

But I'm thinking that maybe it would make folks who feel threatened feel a little safer to have someone at their side, maybe even someone with a bunch o' fancy ribbons fluttering from her name badge, even if that person is shorter, smaller, and older than they are, white-haired and not physically prepossessing. It's another person's presence.

It might cause some abuse not to happen.

Yeah, because ABUSE is what going to happen if we don't all band together and face down those RACIST/BIGOT/MISOGYNISTIC CANNIBAL KILLERS FROM HELL in solidarity.

Or, you know, not. Somebody might look at them funny, I guess.

Yep, that convention is going to be SO much fun, uh huh. Fearful old ladies traveling in packs to make sure the Sad Puppies don't get 'em.  Big, big fun.

The Phantom