Actually, that's just a Corolla.

[mrissa]

One of the happy things I have purchased by not buying a SFWA membership is that I don't have to care when SFWA is once again making a train wreck spectacle of itself. However, I have to confess that I went over to read the comments on Scalzi's entry about the current SFWA presidential candidates, to see for my own personal amusement whether anybody was actually trying to support Andrew Burt.

And in that comment section, I found something curious. Now, fellow eligible non-SFWAns: when we've asked over the last N years why we should join SFWA, what's the first thing everyone says? All together now: The Emergency Medical Fund! When people like matociquala gave up their SFWA memberships, I seem to recall that doing something else in that direction was an important factor

Robin Bailey -- who presumably would know, being a past president -- says in Scalzi's comments that SFWA dues do not support the EMF, that the EMF is funded by voluntary donations and other SFWA income.

Huh.

Sheila Finch points out that while dues do not go to support the EMF, SFWA is the administering body, and it wouldn't exist in its current form without SFWA. This is true. Also, if Honda and Toyota didn't make a bunch of other cars, they probably wouldn't have gotten to the point of making hybrids at this point. I just feel that people should be clear on whether they are actually purchasing a hybrid or just a randomly selected Toyota.

I don't mean to imply here that anybody who cited the EMF as a reason to join SFWA was intending to mislead prospective members by bringing it up as the first thing. I just wonder how many such people think their own SFWA dues are going to support something that they are not, in fact, going to support. I suspect it's a substantial number. And I do feel like it's best, when someone is asking why they should pay SFWA dues, not to cite something that their SFWA dues categorically will not support.

Comments

[redbird]

Interesting. Thanks for passing this along.

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

Another question is, no matter how the EMF is funded, are you eligible to receive money from it in time of need if you're not a member?

[evangoer.livejournal.com]

Oh, Andrew Burt has his supporters (http://the-flea-king.livejournal.com/330373.html).

What I'm wondering is, if Fred is a SFWA-eligible writer, and Fred was highly interested in supporting health care for other SF writers, what is Fred's optimal strategy?

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

1) Vote democratic

2) Give money to The Haven Foundation

[david-de-beer.livejournal.com]

when we've asked over the last N years why we should join SFWA, what's the first thing everyone says? All together now: The Emergency Medical Fund!

yup. I remember getting this response last year, but oh wait, there's a clause - the fund is also only truly applicable to Americans. Non-Americans pay the same rates of course, but you can't use the Fund. Because Americans need the Fund more.
So it was explained to me by some kind, random personage on some blog or other.
Glad to know it, had no idea Americans were struggling so much with health issues, kind of assumed since their currency is consistently and significantly stronger than mine I would be at least viewed (potentially) in as much need. I do have a minor niggle with paying for something to which I will no recourse, but life is never fair.

But:

1) I don't really care much what happens to the SFWA, not as much as I did;
2) I will still join, for at least a year, just to see what it's like. I cannot resist the compulsion.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I do have a minor niggle with paying for something to which I will no recourse, but life is never fair.

But that's the point: you wouldn't be paying for the Emergency Medical Fund. Because apparently SFWA dues don't support it.

[david-de-beer.livejournal.com]

SFWA is just too confusing for me..

[redbird]

I suspect the kind, random personage assumed you lived in a civilized country with a national health care system.