Birthdays and things

Neil, bless his heart, makes an effort not to discuss politics on his journal. But his disappointment at the results of the US election seemed pretty clear last week: “…there are people out there who don’t want you to read things, for your own good of course, and I suspect that the next four years may be easier for them than for you.” I imagine his concerns are shared by a substantial number of his fans.

So, in light of this, since it’s Neil’s birthday tomorrow, I propose his community of readers give him a big present: donations to the CBLDF.

If you haven’t joined yet, join tomorrow. If you let your membership lapse, like me (shame, shame), renew it. If you’re already a member, buy something and support the cause.

Like I said, I realize this is short notice, and not everybody’s in a position to scrape together the funds immediately. (Though I suggest a belated present’s always better than none at all.) But for those who can, it could be a massive turnout for the cause of free speech in a time that may come to need it badly.

And Neil’s forty-fourth seems like as good an occasion as any to rally it.

If this seems like a good idea, do spread the word to other communities who might be interested. I’m not active on the boards at Neil’s site, so I don’t know if there’d be interest there. But if you hang out in any communities with a lot of known Gaiman fans, see if this is something they’d go for. (In RL, too, if your local comic book store or similar is open to that sort of thing.)

Feel free to quote part or all of this message if you like.

I’m not much of a rabble-rouser, but this is an important issue, and likely to become more so. Let’s take this opportunity to say “thank you” to one of our most gifted storytellers by supporting a cause he’s done so much to champion, and be a voice for a good thing indeed.