None other than George RR Martin weighed in on how full of shit they are: http://grrm.livejournal.com/418285.html

I don't quite follow this.

Long story told short: The hugo awards are oft seen as Science-Fiction novels' equivalent to the Oscar. However they are driven by popular vote. Something not exactly known by some of the fans themselves.

A very small clique of ultra-right wing and reactionary "fans" angry at past nominations that saw -some- amount of progressive writers and personas nominated over them have decided to "take back" the Hugos from what they perceives as some kind of conspiracy from a liberal "clique" of writers to hold out the Hugos from "true" scifi fans and writers.

Which is really just all too stupidly ironic considering how to do so they self admittedly game the system, one of their most promonent spokesman(and "nominated" writer/editor) even going out of his way to warn people that he's ready to "salt the earth" and attempt to destroy the Hugos every year after this one if he doesn't win any Hugo again. Without mentioning how clique-ish they themselves are considering how a lot of the nominations are aiming at promoting one particular writer/editorat the expense of others.

Compared to other years where a wide swath of editors, writers and publishers had been represented thanks to, you know, the system not being gamed by a reactionary clique.

In a fashion, they literally are the Gamergate of Science fiction literature(and in fact often overlap with the actual Gamergate) and just like the latewr seem to go out of their way to ruin everything and salt the earth behind them.

And like  Hellkat just posted here, their action has even led the likes of Gearge RR Martin(of song of ice and fire fame) to post about how full of shit the movement actually is: http://grrm.livejournal.com/418285.html

Apparently, Larry Correia felt there has been a campaign to exclude his books from the Hugo's by what he claims are "Left wing social warriors". He felt that the campaign was due to his political leanings and not the quality of his works. So, he starts Sad Puppies Think of the Children to ask people to join the Hugo's and vote for his and other writings he approves. An outgrowth of this is a group called Rabid Puppies, by, I think I read, a Danish author with extreme views.

In any contest won by voting members there has been groups that politic for their favorites and attempts by small groups to push their agendas. I've only read hearsay about the social warriors, and seen no proof that such a cabal exists.

There have been schisms at various cons within the furry community about one artist or another, so we should be no stranger to this kind of drama.

Personally, I don't agree with any group trying to push an agenda during an art popularity contest. Each piece should be judged on it's own merits. Sadly there are those in every political/social group that feel slighted and want to push their way to the top with what most would deem unfair means.

So fucking well said, I hate people form both the far-right AND far-left who push their ideologies in unnecessary situations.You want to push politics? Run for office or start a political action committee. Video games, comic books, and fantasy novels are not the place for your sideshow, unless its fair-use or parody.