Morojo vs Moskowitz
| Meta | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Morojo vs. Moskowitz |
| Creator: | Morojo |
| Date(s): | Winter 1939 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Science Fiction |
| Topic: | The Great Exclusion Act, feuds in fandom, Sam Moskowitz |
| External Links: | Hosted online in the University of Iowa's Hevelin Collection |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Morojo vs Moskowitz was an article published by Morojo in Science Fiction Collector issue 4 (November-December 1939). Morojo responded to an earlier article by Sam Moskowitz regarding a feud between members of the LASFL and New Fandom. The LASFL had publicly sided with the Futurians after Moskowitz and two other members of New Fandom had refused to let them enter the convention hall at Worldcon 1939. (See The Great Exclusion Act and Our Reaction to the "Exclusion Act".)
The issue of Science Fiction Collector, which also contained an article by Donald A. Wollheim, one of the main excluded Futurians, began with a disclaimer:
We might remark here that it is the policy of the COLLECTOR to print the opinions of any fan on any subject, save religion and politics. The COLLECTOR bars no one from its pages. We might also state in printing any article, or column, we do not necessarily take the viewpoints of the article. The viewpoints of the authors are their own, and not of the COLLECTOR.Science Fiction Collector, volume 5 issue 4, page 3 (November-December 1939)
Excerpts
I am incapable of "telling the truth as God allows me to see it" for I am an atheist. On the other hand, how odd of God to make my presence a blindspot to SaM at an important point in a pertinent conversation of the Exclusion Act.Science Fiction Collector volume 5 issue 4, pp 7-10
Morojo first said that Moskowitz had accused her of being an anti-pacifist, which she firmly denied, explaining she was both a lifelong believer in pacifism and a committed believer in Esperanto's promise of pacifism to boot. She had published an article called I Favor Fan Feuds! which, in her opinion, Moskowitz had equated to support for war in general.
Regarding my little article on fan feuding (by whose tenets I still hold): Since when has a feud carried on by correspondence and amateir journalism been comparable with War? Anyone who retires from the fanfield because of a fan feud in my opinion must have a vicious personality that can't endure the exposure, or a deflated ego he wants to hid. Or, it may be that he no longer finds the subject interesting.As to my statement that fan feuds create enduring friendships, which friend Moskowitz derides, I believe I may cite the case of Wollheim and myself as an example. Our mutual estimation was tottering on the brink of enmity until this feud came along. NowI may say for my part that we are firm friends.
Of Moskowitz' "True" Account of the Convention Catastrophe I say nothing. Except: Silence does not indicate consent. Practically all of you have read the Declaration of the LASFL (Nov 23, 1939) on the matter.... I have more important things to do than refuting Moskowitz regularly. I believe our current misunderstanding might have ended very much sooner had Sammy been more judicious in his use of words and given the impression to his readers that he was defending, not denying, the actions taken at the NYCon. But he can accuse me of being a nazispy or homocidal maniac for all the answers I'll waste on him henceforth.Ibid.