A lot has happened in the world recently, and I admit, the editorial page in an indie spec fiction magazine may not be the appropriate place to discuss it. But, in times of strife, human beings have always found solace in stories.
Writers are able to get their own feelings, ideas, and intuitions out on the page in a way that not only entertains, but educates and sparks deep thoughts.
Readers lose themselves in the escape offered by these worlds, often absorbing new ideas they won’t consider until long after the story is finished.
Stories can give us courage, can act as warnings against the future, can provide necessary emotional release. They lift us up. They show us the way. They delight, inspire, and dismay.
And in this time of conflict, both reading and writing are powerful political acts.
With all this rattling around in my mind while putting together this summer’s issue, I found myself reflecting on the editorial page that inspired “Raye’s Rants” in the first place: “Stan’s Soapbox,” written by none other than the former Editor in Chief of Marvel Comics, Stan “the man” Lee. I went back and read some of his words over the years, and while so very many remain relevant today, a few jumped out at me as particularly pertinent to my current state of mind:
“It’s totally irrational, patently insane to condemn an entire race – to despise an entire nation – to vilify an entire religion. Sooner or later, we must learn to judge each other on our own merits. Sooner or later, if man is ever to be worthy of his destiny, we must fill our hearts with tolerance.”
–November 1968
“Let’s consider three men: Buddha, Christ, and Moses… men of peace, whose thoughts and deeds have influenced countless millions throughout the ages – and whose presence still is felt in every corner of the earth. Buddha, Christ and Moses… men of good will, men of tolerance, and especially men of love. Now, consider the practitioners of hate who have sullied the pages of history. Who still venerates their words? Where is homage still paid to their memory? What banners still are raised to their cause? The power of love – and the power of hate. Which is truly enduring? When you tend to despair… let the answer sustain you.”
–May 1969
“It seems to me that a story without a message, however subliminal, is like a man without a soul…None of us lives in a vacuum — none of us is untouched by the everyday events about us — events which shape our stories just as they shape our lives. Sure our tales can be called escapist — but just because something’s for fun doesn’t mean we have to blanket our brains while we read it!”
–March 1970
I hope Perseid Prophecies–and the stories these authors have worked so hard to tell–can provide some modicum of respite, make you feel something that moves you, and offer a new idea or fresh perspective.
E.S. Raye