Good Guys and Bad Guys

"The Magnificent Seven," which was shown here at a local branch library, can be used as a metaphor for many things-- including for the Underground Literary Alliance.

OUTCASTS, GANGS, AND SHEEP
The ULA was created ten years ago like the "Seven." We recruited a small number of the best outcast writers in America. We knew from the beginning that the odds against us were overwhelming.

"If God did not want them sheared, he would not have made them sheep."
This is the attitude of the Mexican bandit leader toward the villagers upon which he and his gang preys.

Contrary to a false narrative that was pushed against the ULA, our fight wasn't against all writers. Not in any way. The battle was between our gang and a rival gang which preys upon the lit world and, in my opinion, abuses American literature. They are a nasty group of people-- scoundrels in every way. I say that even though I've fully abandoned the fight. The mass of writers in this country was simply the terrain-- the village fought about.

"The Magnificent Seven," if it's about anything, is about character-- about how to be a man and how to live as a human being, which was a theme of the best Westerns of its time period. (See "Ride the High Country.") Character is what the ULA's opponents-- the "Billionaire Boys Club"-- has not a shred of. As they exhibited even on this blog time and again. Recently I reread a thread on this blog from 2007. It began with me being anonymously attacked for having earlier in the decade brought up quite a piece of uncomfortable information about the bandit leader. As the discussion progressed and the truth of the matter became apparent for all to see, the impact became greater, for what it said about the state of the literary scene and the rank cowardice which exists among established writers and mainstream publications. A sad chapter in U.S. literary history which will never see the light of day.

In the movie, when the going gets tough, the villagers lose their bravery and betray the seven do-gooder mercenaries.

Know this: the ULA campaign was an honorable one, and was fought honorably against the most ruthless of enemies. It was a case of good guys versus bad guys all the way, just like in the movies.