Pounded in the butt by the Texas Library Association
January 9, 2024 8:16 PM Subscribe
THE TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION TELLS CHUCK TINGLE TO STAY HOME BUT WE PROVE LOVE ANYWAY “just when you buckaroos thought 2024 would be a break from book drama, here comes chuck tingle in the mix. recently i was asked to be a featured speaker at the TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION annual conference. a few days ago they rescinded my invitation. here is what happened….”
“let me be very clear for the 100th time: i am a real person. this is not a joke. i am not playing a character. i am really autistic and bisexual. tinglers are sincere and they are not ‘so bad theyre good’. they are just good. camp damascus is not ‘my first serious book’ because my queer erotica is serious. my art is important and real.” (Chuck Tingle previously) (TLA previously)
“let me be very clear for the 100th time: i am a real person. this is not a joke. i am not playing a character. i am really autistic and bisexual. tinglers are sincere and they are not ‘so bad theyre good’. they are just good. camp damascus is not ‘my first serious book’ because my queer erotica is serious. my art is important and real.” (Chuck Tingle previously) (TLA previously)
jenfullmoon: even if you don't like the tinglers, Chuck Tingle's 'mainstream' horror novel CAMP DAMASCUS is really worth a go.
posted by prismatic7 at 10:38 PM on January 9 [8 favorites]
posted by prismatic7 at 10:38 PM on January 9 [8 favorites]
I guess someone some at the TLA thought maybe Tingle was a clout-chasing internet weirdo doing a bit and that he would drop the bit (or at least some of it) to appear at their conference? I am kind of sympathetic if so because it's really hard to tell what's going on there.
posted by 3j0hn at 11:01 PM on January 9 [4 favorites]
posted by 3j0hn at 11:01 PM on January 9 [4 favorites]
If you ever have a doubt about the good doctor’s sincerity just do a peruse of his tumblr. 100% mensch, if I had a blunt rotation I would want him to be there every time.
I’m not surprised about anything that happens in the state where I was born anymore. There are so many cool people there doing amazing things but they are utterly drowned out by the uncreative and fearful conservatives who clench onto whatever power they can with an iron grip. I’m sure chuck tingle’s whole existence boggles their minds.
posted by Mizu at 11:22 PM on January 9 [19 favorites]
I’m not surprised about anything that happens in the state where I was born anymore. There are so many cool people there doing amazing things but they are utterly drowned out by the uncreative and fearful conservatives who clench onto whatever power they can with an iron grip. I’m sure chuck tingle’s whole existence boggles their minds.
posted by Mizu at 11:22 PM on January 9 [19 favorites]
I guess I need a Patreon account to see this link, all I get is a blurry version which is to be honest delightfully tingly.
posted by chavenet at 1:29 AM on January 10 [2 favorites]
posted by chavenet at 1:29 AM on January 10 [2 favorites]
I had that problem too, but it's fine - it can take a few seconds for the age gate to load on a slow browser/connection, but once it does you can just click "Yes, I am 18 or older" and it unblurs, no account or patreonage needed.
posted by polytope subirb enby-of-piano-dice at 1:44 AM on January 10 [3 favorites]
posted by polytope subirb enby-of-piano-dice at 1:44 AM on January 10 [3 favorites]
The main link also appears to be the same as this tumblr post.
posted by juv3nal at 1:47 AM on January 10 [3 favorites]
posted by juv3nal at 1:47 AM on January 10 [3 favorites]
Thanks for that, the age gate never arrives for me on Patreon but it's probably a corporate thing. Tumblr works fine though so YES BUD LETS TROT
[this is, like everything Tingle, just sooo good]
posted by chavenet at 2:07 AM on January 10 [3 favorites]
[this is, like everything Tingle, just sooo good]
posted by chavenet at 2:07 AM on January 10 [3 favorites]
I think Chuck Tingle is 100% correct; the TLA would have allowed him to mask if they thought he needed it for neurodivergence and safety, but because his mask is fun and zany, they worry that they will be perceived as unserious and getting trolled, and their ego is more important than his comfort to them.
posted by corb at 2:45 AM on January 10 [18 favorites]
posted by corb at 2:45 AM on January 10 [18 favorites]
What a reasonable and well measured response to this issue. Love Chuck Tingle. I took am not super into erotica, but Camp Damascus was a good read, so I am going to assume that his other stuff is also good.
Also, how do you initially invite him and not know what you are getting? It isn't like any of this should have been a surprise.
posted by Literaryhero at 3:39 AM on January 10 [10 favorites]
Also, how do you initially invite him and not know what you are getting? It isn't like any of this should have been a surprise.
posted by Literaryhero at 3:39 AM on January 10 [10 favorites]
You can see on page 29 of their program the spot where Chuck was erased
On Tumbler (can't get to the link), TJ Klune (also in the program) announced that he would not attend the TLA in solidarity with Chuck.
posted by hydropsyche at 4:00 AM on January 10 [14 favorites]
On Tumbler (can't get to the link), TJ Klune (also in the program) announced that he would not attend the TLA in solidarity with Chuck.
posted by hydropsyche at 4:00 AM on January 10 [14 favorites]
The only way this ends well for the TLA is if they give Chuck Tingle a parade float.
And I only say this because I really want Chuck Tingle to get a parade float.
posted by MrVisible at 5:09 AM on January 10 [15 favorites]
And I only say this because I really want Chuck Tingle to get a parade float.
posted by MrVisible at 5:09 AM on January 10 [15 favorites]
corb: I think Chuck Tingle is 100% correct; the TLA would have allowed him to mask if they thought he needed it for neurodivergence and safety, but because his mask is fun and zany, they worry that they will be perceived as unserious and getting trolled
To be fair, if this was 10-20 years ago, Chuck Tingle would have been dismissed out hand as a Something Awful/4Chan prank that got out of control, buffeted by enough references to neurodivergence and queerness to deflect naysayers from calling it out as questionable performance art at best and Kaufman-esque piss-taking at worst.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if Chuck Tingle is a as fake as Thomas Pynchon, not only does he sell books under a major publisher, but has important things to say, albeit with more butt pounding than the literary world is accustomed to. I hope they reverse their stance on this.
posted by dr_dank at 5:14 AM on January 10 [8 favorites]
To be fair, if this was 10-20 years ago, Chuck Tingle would have been dismissed out hand as a Something Awful/4Chan prank that got out of control, buffeted by enough references to neurodivergence and queerness to deflect naysayers from calling it out as questionable performance art at best and Kaufman-esque piss-taking at worst.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if Chuck Tingle is a as fake as Thomas Pynchon, not only does he sell books under a major publisher, but has important things to say, albeit with more butt pounding than the literary world is accustomed to. I hope they reverse their stance on this.
posted by dr_dank at 5:14 AM on January 10 [8 favorites]
Metafilter: albeit with more butt pounding than the literary world is accustomed to
posted by Kitteh at 5:18 AM on January 10 [18 favorites]
posted by Kitteh at 5:18 AM on January 10 [18 favorites]
As a librarian, I am embarrassed and ashamed of how TxLA (TLA is usually Tennessee) treated Chuck Tingle.
I guess I have another case study for my intro-to-the-information-professions course now. Dammit.
My suspicion is that some organizers snuck Chuck in under the radar, and what actually happened is homophobic and/or sex-negative pearl-clutching among other organizers once they actually bothered to figure out who Chuck was. I think the mask thing is the only excuse they could find that sounded at all reasonable (and it doesn't sound reasonable because it ISN'T).
I like my profession except when I frickin' hate it. I'm presently working my professional network to see if we can explain to TxLA just how badly they've fucked up. Also to get Chuck more library-conference invites, though I wouldn't blame him if he were leery of them, after this.
posted by humbug at 5:24 AM on January 10 [18 favorites]
I guess I have another case study for my intro-to-the-information-professions course now. Dammit.
My suspicion is that some organizers snuck Chuck in under the radar, and what actually happened is homophobic and/or sex-negative pearl-clutching among other organizers once they actually bothered to figure out who Chuck was. I think the mask thing is the only excuse they could find that sounded at all reasonable (and it doesn't sound reasonable because it ISN'T).
I like my profession except when I frickin' hate it. I'm presently working my professional network to see if we can explain to TxLA just how badly they've fucked up. Also to get Chuck more library-conference invites, though I wouldn't blame him if he were leery of them, after this.
posted by humbug at 5:24 AM on January 10 [18 favorites]
One of the librarians in Kingsland, Texas said something anti gay in the main room that also happened to be about my hometown and thus my friends. Bigots think they are completely in the right and thus free to hurt people.
posted by Jacen at 5:26 AM on January 10 [1 favorite]
posted by Jacen at 5:26 AM on January 10 [1 favorite]
Mods: There's a typo in the last link of the post. The words "TLA previously" should go here.
posted by now i'm piste at 5:48 AM on January 10 [1 favorite]
posted by now i'm piste at 5:48 AM on January 10 [1 favorite]
Texas is not great about masks, but I also suspect the real problem is Chuck Tingle's body of work. (Parade float sounds like a great idea though.)
posted by mersen at 5:53 AM on January 10 [2 favorites]
posted by mersen at 5:53 AM on January 10 [2 favorites]
I seriously did not know Chuck went to anything is person before this. I just remember he was sending Zoe Quinn to the Hugos for him.
He has some great suits in those photos.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:02 AM on January 10 [10 favorites]
He has some great suits in those photos.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:02 AM on January 10 [10 favorites]
Yeah, I don't think this is about the mask. I think somebody got their hair pulled by a higher-up afraid of the climate and is trying to back out of this without starting a culture war.
Poor Chuck! Poor Texas!
posted by Countess Elena at 7:09 AM on January 10 [4 favorites]
Poor Chuck! Poor Texas!
posted by Countess Elena at 7:09 AM on January 10 [4 favorites]
It's possible that the TLA got heat because Dr. Tingle bought up Greg Abbott's lapsed website and made a *point* of it a few years back, too. It would be petty on the part of the Texas government and craven on the part of the Association, but either and both would be in line.
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:18 AM on January 10 [8 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:18 AM on January 10 [8 favorites]
> but because his mask is fun and zany, they worry that they will be perceived as unserious and getting trolled
that's the thing about dr. tingle on the whole, right? he's saying something dead serious and super interesting, but wrapped in a package that refuses to invite you to take it seriously, that repels seriousness, that forces seriousness to bead up and roll off like water on teflon.
but it is serious and it is not trolling and the more outré the packaging is the more seriously you have to take it and the more important it is. it is basically the polar opposite of trolling. the underlying message is something like "love yr weirdos and love yr own weirdness and the more weird you and the rest of the weirdos are the more you should love them and yourself and it's gotta be because of the weird and never despite it" and he proves this (and thereby love) by throwing down a gauntlet: he shows you what a big ol' weirdo he is, makes himself totally vulnerable and then dares you not to love him, and you can't, it's basically impossible not to love him.
chuck is gen-x aged, i think, and he's got that gen-x "i can't even tell how many layers of irony this is on" thing going on, except it's totally different than what that sort of thing usually is due to how you can always trust that always at the bottom of all the layers of irony it turns out he's completely 100% earnest and really out there proving love for all the buckaroos in every way he can.
tangentially but also not: i went to one of his readings and was knocked on my metaphorical ass (or maybe even pounded in my metaphorical ass) by his response to an audience question about who his influences are. he named talking heads and a couple of other bands, and then said "i'm not that influenced by other writers because i don't read all that much. i've heard writers aren't supposed to say that but it's true so i'm saying it."
and i'm just like fuck. me. i'm over here neck deep in writers block and consumed with anxiety about fact checking every. single. thing. i write down no matter what it is and carefully comparing and contrasting the writing styles of people trying to say similar things / produce similar affects and fiddling with stunty weird technically-grammatical but totally unnatural sentence structures and making sure that i'm correctly reading everyone i'm obliquely referring to and this guy over here slaps on a thrifted what-if-upholstery-but-it's-a-suit suit, slides an earnest-but-ironic-but-earnest bag-mask that frankly seems super comfortable to be behind over his head, slams out some damned good experimental fiction that's super voice-ey in a way that's analogous to how i try to make my own writing (that i can never finish) super voice-ey, along the way makes a lot of really solid political points that i wish i could have made half as well, and then this guy deadass says in public in front of god and everybody that he doesn't read that much.
that guy. that guy.
so that i don't seem like an undiscriminating tingle stan who thinks chuck can do no wrong: i do think camp damascus was pretty uneven. you can tell that the long short story / short novella format is his sweet spot, and that he doesn't have as much practice with holding together longer-form writing. but also this was his first swing at writing something that because length needs more structure? but also maybe he's like borges: maybe the stuff he needs to say must be said in intense little bursts.
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 7:28 AM on January 10 [38 favorites]
that's the thing about dr. tingle on the whole, right? he's saying something dead serious and super interesting, but wrapped in a package that refuses to invite you to take it seriously, that repels seriousness, that forces seriousness to bead up and roll off like water on teflon.
but it is serious and it is not trolling and the more outré the packaging is the more seriously you have to take it and the more important it is. it is basically the polar opposite of trolling. the underlying message is something like "love yr weirdos and love yr own weirdness and the more weird you and the rest of the weirdos are the more you should love them and yourself and it's gotta be because of the weird and never despite it" and he proves this (and thereby love) by throwing down a gauntlet: he shows you what a big ol' weirdo he is, makes himself totally vulnerable and then dares you not to love him, and you can't, it's basically impossible not to love him.
chuck is gen-x aged, i think, and he's got that gen-x "i can't even tell how many layers of irony this is on" thing going on, except it's totally different than what that sort of thing usually is due to how you can always trust that always at the bottom of all the layers of irony it turns out he's completely 100% earnest and really out there proving love for all the buckaroos in every way he can.
tangentially but also not: i went to one of his readings and was knocked on my metaphorical ass (or maybe even pounded in my metaphorical ass) by his response to an audience question about who his influences are. he named talking heads and a couple of other bands, and then said "i'm not that influenced by other writers because i don't read all that much. i've heard writers aren't supposed to say that but it's true so i'm saying it."
and i'm just like fuck. me. i'm over here neck deep in writers block and consumed with anxiety about fact checking every. single. thing. i write down no matter what it is and carefully comparing and contrasting the writing styles of people trying to say similar things / produce similar affects and fiddling with stunty weird technically-grammatical but totally unnatural sentence structures and making sure that i'm correctly reading everyone i'm obliquely referring to and this guy over here slaps on a thrifted what-if-upholstery-but-it's-a-suit suit, slides an earnest-but-ironic-but-earnest bag-mask that frankly seems super comfortable to be behind over his head, slams out some damned good experimental fiction that's super voice-ey in a way that's analogous to how i try to make my own writing (that i can never finish) super voice-ey, along the way makes a lot of really solid political points that i wish i could have made half as well, and then this guy deadass says in public in front of god and everybody that he doesn't read that much.
that guy. that guy.
so that i don't seem like an undiscriminating tingle stan who thinks chuck can do no wrong: i do think camp damascus was pretty uneven. you can tell that the long short story / short novella format is his sweet spot, and that he doesn't have as much practice with holding together longer-form writing. but also this was his first swing at writing something that because length needs more structure? but also maybe he's like borges: maybe the stuff he needs to say must be said in intense little bursts.
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 7:28 AM on January 10 [38 favorites]
> at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if Chuck Tingle is as fake as Thomas Pynchon
you have no idea how much i love this statement.
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 7:29 AM on January 10 [13 favorites]
you have no idea how much i love this statement.
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 7:29 AM on January 10 [13 favorites]
okay i'll try to focus on stuff that bad people want to give me money to do now but one last thing: i am so mad that folks are out there telling him to take off his mask and don't think those people are to be trusted. telling chuck tingle to speak in public without his mask is like telling murderbot to take off its armor and give you a hug. totally totally rude, beyond disrespectful of the boundaries of others and the humanity of others, boo to it, boo to it forever!
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 7:40 AM on January 10 [17 favorites]
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 7:40 AM on January 10 [17 favorites]
I like my profession except when I frickin' hate it. I'm presently working my professional network to see if we can explain to TxLA just how badly they've fucked up. Also to get Chuck more library-conference invites, though I wouldn't blame him if he were leery of them, after this.
Saaaaaame. Count me among the librarians who was surprised (and delighted) that he was invited and dismayed and disappointed in how TxLA handled this especially the very very strange option given to him to be on another panel/event, just not the fancy one. Not cool. (and yes agree that "just take off the mask" is a non-starter and more people should understand that)
I've been to TxLA many times and it's a great event. TxLA is one of the biggest library conferences in the country and it's usually a good time. TxLA has paid staff which is something that tiny state library associations like mine can only dream of. It's been very hard to be a librarian in Texas the past few years especially and a kind and loving message like Dr. Tingle's would have been really welcome.
It's also coming at a time when the library world is being attacked from many sides for many bad reasons and it's made this all very complicated. TxLA made a mistake and one they won't be able to nicely patch over, I don't think. At the same time, making public statements against library associations in this day and age in the US puts you in bed with some truly awful people so I am going to try to also work within my professional networks to increase understanding, stand in support of Chuck Tingle (which I've been doing on socials) and fervently dream for a better time ahead for America's libraries and library associations.
posted by jessamyn at 7:42 AM on January 10 [31 favorites]
Saaaaaame. Count me among the librarians who was surprised (and delighted) that he was invited and dismayed and disappointed in how TxLA handled this especially the very very strange option given to him to be on another panel/event, just not the fancy one. Not cool. (and yes agree that "just take off the mask" is a non-starter and more people should understand that)
I've been to TxLA many times and it's a great event. TxLA is one of the biggest library conferences in the country and it's usually a good time. TxLA has paid staff which is something that tiny state library associations like mine can only dream of. It's been very hard to be a librarian in Texas the past few years especially and a kind and loving message like Dr. Tingle's would have been really welcome.
It's also coming at a time when the library world is being attacked from many sides for many bad reasons and it's made this all very complicated. TxLA made a mistake and one they won't be able to nicely patch over, I don't think. At the same time, making public statements against library associations in this day and age in the US puts you in bed with some truly awful people so I am going to try to also work within my professional networks to increase understanding, stand in support of Chuck Tingle (which I've been doing on socials) and fervently dream for a better time ahead for America's libraries and library associations.
posted by jessamyn at 7:42 AM on January 10 [31 favorites]
I absolutely do not believe that Chuck's mask is the reason they rescinded the invitation. I think they knew they'd get protests, etc., and decided to be cowardly, take back the invitation, and lie about the reason.
posted by maryellenreads at 8:09 AM on January 10 [6 favorites]
posted by maryellenreads at 8:09 AM on January 10 [6 favorites]
the thing that's so bothersome though is that the lie is hateful, microtargeted hateful, way more hateful than just saying "lol get out of here queer autistic person who writes about butt poundings" would be
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 8:12 AM on January 10 [5 favorites]
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 8:12 AM on January 10 [5 favorites]
I don’t believe it’s the mask. TXLA was one of the state agencies that cut ties with the ALA in 2023. Things are changing and safe spaces are dwindling.
posted by bq at 8:12 AM on January 10 [1 favorite]
posted by bq at 8:12 AM on January 10 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I'm a Texan and I'm watching the whole thing with libraries (especially school libraries) down here. Lots of politics, pressure to sanitize, get "filthy" books out of the hands of kids, etc. I'm sure his invitation was rescinded because of the butt-pounding. My best guess is someone managed to get him on the list because of Camp Damascus but whoever they were trying to sneak it by figured it out that he writes about poundings.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 8:15 AM on January 10 [3 favorites]
posted by gentlyepigrams at 8:15 AM on January 10 [3 favorites]
TXLA was one of the state agencies that cut ties with the ALA in 2023.
I think that was Texas State Library & Archives Commission (TSLAC)? That's a different group than TxLA (Fox News link not included). I know it's confusing but usually the state library associations are on-side but the state libraries are more politically-oriented.
posted by jessamyn at 9:11 AM on January 10 [4 favorites]
I think that was Texas State Library & Archives Commission (TSLAC)? That's a different group than TxLA (Fox News link not included). I know it's confusing but usually the state library associations are on-side but the state libraries are more politically-oriented.
posted by jessamyn at 9:11 AM on January 10 [4 favorites]
To be fair, if this was 10-20 years ago, Chuck Tingle would have been dismissed out hand as a Something Awful/4Chan prank that got out of control
Wasn't it the reason the Sad Puppies added him to their slate eight years ago? They thought he was one of them, only to find out he's the real deal.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 9:18 AM on January 10 [12 favorites]
Wasn't it the reason the Sad Puppies added him to their slate eight years ago? They thought he was one of them, only to find out he's the real deal.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 9:18 AM on January 10 [12 favorites]
Wasn't it the reason the Sad Puppies added him to their slate eight years ago? They thought he was one of them, only to find out he's the real deal.I think it would be more accurate to say that the Sad Puppies thought that Tingle's work was ridiculous and that it was would be embarrassing to the Hugos to have it on the short list. But, yeah, it would be fair to say that backfired for them, and it ended up being a huge boon to Tingle's career.
posted by 3j0hn at 9:39 AM on January 10 [18 favorites]
and if that doesn't prove love i don't know what does
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 9:59 AM on January 10 [9 favorites]
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 9:59 AM on January 10 [9 favorites]
It just occurred to me that asking him to take off the mask might get him doxxed, stalked, harassed, etc. HMMMM.
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:07 AM on January 10 [13 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:07 AM on January 10 [13 favorites]
His writing ain't my bag, but his message and mission totally is. Never stops being amazing how craven organizations can be.
posted by drewbage1847 at 10:17 AM on January 10 [2 favorites]
posted by drewbage1847 at 10:17 AM on January 10 [2 favorites]
Just seeing Author Chuck trot his trot makes me so happy. It sucks that they did this, but hopefully this will also incite enough backlash that something good can come out of it.
posted by smirkette at 2:11 PM on January 10 [8 favorites]
posted by smirkette at 2:11 PM on January 10 [8 favorites]
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if Chuck Tingle is a as fake as Thomas Pynchon
Right — even if Tingle were “just” a character, it’s normal and accepted that certain public figures only appear in masks, stage makeup, costumes, etc.
posted by smelendez at 5:28 PM on January 10 [3 favorites]
Right — even if Tingle were “just” a character, it’s normal and accepted that certain public figures only appear in masks, stage makeup, costumes, etc.
posted by smelendez at 5:28 PM on January 10 [3 favorites]
Chuck Tingle just posted a very moving piece to Tumblr about his masks.
posted by EvaDestruction at 6:38 PM on January 10 [8 favorites]
posted by EvaDestruction at 6:38 PM on January 10 [8 favorites]
let other people be themselves. its not hurting you to simply accept and nod at the buckaroos you think look strange. let us existposted by MrVisible at 7:46 PM on January 10 [12 favorites]
That new tumblr post is fantastic:
this pink bag space SAVED MY LIFE and i am not going to risk blurring these lines. if and when that ever happens it will be MY decision, not someone elses. that is my boundary. the part of me that neurotypically masks could handle a library conference in a purely technical sense, but the part of me that chuck represents absolutely cannot and should not be asked to do that without the pink bag.posted by ceejaytee at 6:43 AM on January 11 [6 favorites]
Chuck has been reinvited and has declined. Good on him. I also am not a tingler or a horror reader (I did read Pounded in the Butt by My Own Butt, his Hugo-nominated work, and I respect the hell out of it) but he's out there doing good work and has a firm grip on his principles and I commend him for it.
posted by restless_nomad at 7:47 AM on January 11 [13 favorites]
posted by restless_nomad at 7:47 AM on January 11 [13 favorites]
So a friend of mine who is a librarian (here in Texas) and a member of TLA was pretty grumpy on a post where my friends, collectively Tingle fans, whether for his books or his other writing or his trolling of Sad/Rabid Puppies, were suggesting that the TLA gave in to outside pressure. She's planning to report back after the TLA meeting in April. Outside the scope of this post, but I thought I'd mention that at least one member I know is looking into the case from inside the TLA and trying to figure out what went wrong.
Another friend of mine read someone suggesting that this is about KKK-era mask laws, which I know are also being used in Georgia against Cop City protestors. But you'd think they'd 1. cite that if it was an issue and 2. they wouldn't be willing to have him in the conference at all if that was an issue. So we felt like the logic was bad there.
Whatever happened and whoever made the call, it was bad. I hope they figure it out so they don't shoot themselves in the foot again. Texas librarians have enough trouble; they don't need their conference leadership making things worse. (and good on Chuck for turning down the renewed invitation!)
posted by gentlyepigrams at 8:33 AM on January 11 [1 favorite]
Another friend of mine read someone suggesting that this is about KKK-era mask laws, which I know are also being used in Georgia against Cop City protestors. But you'd think they'd 1. cite that if it was an issue and 2. they wouldn't be willing to have him in the conference at all if that was an issue. So we felt like the logic was bad there.
Whatever happened and whoever made the call, it was bad. I hope they figure it out so they don't shoot themselves in the foot again. Texas librarians have enough trouble; they don't need their conference leadership making things worse. (and good on Chuck for turning down the renewed invitation!)
posted by gentlyepigrams at 8:33 AM on January 11 [1 favorite]
What a weird apology - it gives the impression there was some miscommunication about which event the invite was for, doesn't mention the masking/accommodation issue at all.
It's an embarrassing incident , because he's Chuck Tingle, he's been with us for years, he's for real. Let the buckaroo do his thing.
But I've also been thinking about back in 2016/2017 - if I remember right, Chuck Tingle didn't have as much public presence outside the Tinglers, and there was a lot of speculation about what his deal was.
So, how do we do better at extending goodwill without requiring people to put in years of being very polite and sincere first? Something I'll be thinking about for a while.
posted by mersen at 9:36 AM on January 11 [2 favorites]
It's an embarrassing incident , because he's Chuck Tingle, he's been with us for years, he's for real. Let the buckaroo do his thing.
But I've also been thinking about back in 2016/2017 - if I remember right, Chuck Tingle didn't have as much public presence outside the Tinglers, and there was a lot of speculation about what his deal was.
So, how do we do better at extending goodwill without requiring people to put in years of being very polite and sincere first? Something I'll be thinking about for a while.
posted by mersen at 9:36 AM on January 11 [2 favorites]
I dunno, man, but it would be desirable. Look at that whole Isabel Fall thing. That was sad and unnecessary.
posted by bq at 9:48 AM on January 11 [4 favorites]
posted by bq at 9:48 AM on January 11 [4 favorites]
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Honestly, I am not into butt pounding or horror stories, and I've only read that one 2020 "clean" tingler. Chuck's writing style and interests are not my jam. But dude is definitely on the side of the punkass angels and I respect him for that.
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:43 PM on January 9 [34 favorites]