I agree. His story was great. Here’s a direct link to it for those interested.
http://www.dansimmons.com/news/message/2006_04.htm
Simmons is still taking heat from folks over that, to some he will always be a frothing racist. To a certain set of sci-fi fans, really good writers who express any type of conservative/libertarian leanings is called being ‘brain eaten.’ Like they have a disease that has to be overlooked.
I think he has some lefty type political leanings as well on the social side of things, but I think he is a great writer. In the age of internet and instant info, you are going to at times know too much about writers and artists.
Freegards