Via Locus, Michael Swanwick is not happy that SFWA has rejected a proposal to officially come out against war with Iraq.

Dear Locus Online,

I have recently learned that SFWA has rejected Sam Lundwall's attempt to get that organization to come out against war on Iraq, and emphatically do not agree with that decision. So as an alternative, I've decided to post the following statement on my website at www.michaelswanwick.com:

We, as independent members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), despite the official neutrality of our organization, hereby register our opposition to the impending invasion of Iraq. Some of us are opposed because it is a violation of international law. Some are opposed because it is contrary to the ideals that America strives to uphold. Some think this war is simply wrong. We all call on those in power to prevent it.

Here's Swanwick's specific anti-war page with all the people who have signed on so far.

I think it's cool if Swanwick wants to post his opposition to the war on his website and gather as many signatories as he wants from among the SF community. I don't agree with him or those who share his position, but it's an honest disagreement.

I don't think it's cool that he thinks the SFWA should have officially come out against the war. Now I'm not a member, but I know many people who are, and they are generally an eclectic, intellectually-diverse group, with many different opinions on many different matters. This is as it should be. Thus, I'm glad that SFWA has made the choice not to take an official stance one way or the other against prospective military action against Iraq.

I wholeheartedly support individual members expressing their opinions as loudly and often as they please, but I would not support an organization that ostensibly represents my field presuming to speak for all writers of speculative fiction on what is obviously a controversial, divisive issue within the community.