Pretty Terrible

Pop Culture Criticism by Natalie Luhrs

Documenting a Wannabe Supervillain

hugo-poop I’ve been thinking a lot about giving abhorrent views attention–I mentioned this in my post the other day, and I’ve continued to think on it.

On one hand, you are giving them attention so they can crow about making people upset (and then there are the comments, ugh the comments).

On the other, by not calling attention to it, you’re allowing it to go unchallenged and by not calling it out, you’re tacitly approving. Silence is complicity.

I don’t care if you think they’re jokes. And I know full well what kind of context they’re coming from, when your Twitter feed is full of you taunting people who are grieving and angry over an act of terrorism perpetrated against their community and you have pictures of yourself with guns and your Facebook profile pic is pro-waterboarding. I know exactly what kind of asshole you are and you can’t slither out of responsibility for your words because you think they’re jokes. You are a hateful, vile, and pathetic human being, Michael Z. Williamson.

And Williamson’s Hugo-nominated work, “Wisdom from My Internet” is execrable. It should never have made it to the ballot–and it wouldn’t have, if the Puppies hadn’t gamed the system with coordinated slates.

So I’m putting screencaps of some of the nastiness I found on your Facebook page below the jump–because I believe in shining light into dark corners.

MZW Privilege

(original post)

MZW Rosa Parks

(original post)

MZW Immigration Jokes

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MZW Evolution

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MZW Charleston
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. You know, I thought that episode of South Park where the characters started defecating through the mouths was pure fantasy, then I read those tweets and….

  3. If you’re a bad person, well that’s just sort of meh. But if you can be the worst person, then you’re getting somewhere!

    Way to raise the bar for shitheads everywhere!

  5. I remember the outrage over Gallo calling the puppies racist, and I look at these tweets.

    But I’m sure Williamson is just joking.

    So, you know, that makes it all right.

  6. I believe in pushing back and not being silenced. Because what these people usually want is to silence all dissent. That’s the way of all abusers, oppressors and wannabe dictators.
    I have never heard of this individual before the Puppy thing. I find his existence regrettable.

  7. Naming and shaming people like this is important, and speaking out about crap like this is important. I’m glad you’re doing it.

  9. I have to admit a momentary amusement about the Rosa Parks one. It could depend a lot on the precise wording and context.

    In this context the amusement was very momentary.

  10. @DMS: To be fair, some people use Faves as bookmarks, so they can come back to find a tweet later. I do that a lot myself, although I wouldn’t have done it in this case, just to avoid the impression of support.

    • I don’t know if there’s a way in FB to see everything you’ve liked, though. I know if posts contain links you can save them for later, but I don’t know about likes. In this case, the fact that most comments are approving really makes me stop and pause.

  11. “Immigration jokes cross the line”? I know I should hate the rest of the tweets more, and I do hate the rest of the tweets more but that joke is just so fucking stupid. And it’s got that wink wink ain’t I the greatest tone to it.

  12. Here is part of the blurb about Wisdom from My Internet: “Join SF writer and satirist Michael Z. Williamson for a collection of snark, comments, random typings and alcohol-fueled puns that is worth at least half the cover price.” Considering it’s free on Kindle Unlimited, one can only presume that Amazon has recognized how shitty it is and is snarkily letting the reader know.

  13. I find it unsurprising that rather than apologizing, this person chooses to antagonize and ridicule people he’s offended by making a racist joke about 9 murder victims. I think it would be unusual if someone who thinks up up and deliberately Tweets such a “joke” in these circumstances would apologize for his behavior, and not unusual that he reacts by attempting to inflict still more offense. If nothing else, he at least seems to be consistent.

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