Ender? Ended

The first Christmas present Tom ever got me was the Ender's Game triology: Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, and Xenocide.  These are three great sci-fi novels, full of fun action, intriguing characters and lots of philosophical meaning.  We even had the author, Orson Scott Card, sign the books in the mid-90's.  Now, I knew at the time that Mr. Card was a Mormon. Besides the occasional guest starring appearance by Donny and/or Marie on Fantasy Island, my only real exposure to Mormonism was Tony Kushner's fantastic Angels In America.  So, I asked him about it during the signing, merely curious.

Mr. Card: I know enough about it to not read it.

Me: Ok, just curious.  Thanks for the signing!

Mr. Card: No prob.

I haven't read anything from him since.  Or thought about him.  Until today, when I heard about his rabid tear against gay marriage.  This is how his op-ed ends:

How long before married people answer the dictators thus: Regardless of law, marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it down, so it can be replaced with a government that will respect and support marriage, and help me raise my children in a society where they will expect to marry in their turn.

Biological imperatives trump laws. American government cannot fight against marriage and hope to endure. If the Constitution is defined in such a way as to destroy the privileged position of marriage, it is that insane Constitution, not marriage, that will die.

Oh man. Really? I thought the whole point of having laws is to put order onto the chaos unbridled "biological imperatives" can bring.  The fact that Mr. Card is perfectly willing to dump the Constitution over same-sex marriage and to "act to destroy" the "government and bring it down, so it can be replaced with a government that will respect and support marriage" just floors me. He also claims that he's not homophobic and has the "love the sinner, hate the sin" approach to the "homosexuals."  Which is just insulting.  First of all, he doesn't "love" me.  He don't even flippin' know me.  I'd take the word "respect" if I felt that he and his bigoted ilk actually mean it, but don't throw the word "love" at me about this.  Love is what is at the center of this debate.  I actually can respect his marriage to his wife and understand that her love her, but he don't give the same back to me and my spouse.  Or to millions of LGBT Americans across this country.  We do love our spouses and want to stay with them, have the protections that legal marriage brings.  No, we aren't perfect and yes, we make mistakes just like the heteros.  Gays aren't threatening marriage; rapid divorce rates amongst the straights are.  Focus on that first, Mr. Card, then come talk to us gays.

Obviously, since I was a fan of his work, this kind of screed does disappoint me.  A lot.  While I won't go so far as to burn the copies of the Ender's Game trilogy we have the house, but this may mean I might donate them.  To Out of the Closet.

[Thanks to Pam's House Blend for the head's up]

Comments

[Sarah]

Um...WHOA! I didn't know he was so crazy-scary. "My mortal enemy"?!

Brings up a lot of interesting question about separating the artist from the art. I always wonder, for instance, how I would feel if I had read Cerebus before finding out about Dave Sim's gross views on women. Since I found out about the gross views first, I now have no interest in reading Cerebus (even though I might like it).

Totally donate to Out of the Closet. Heh.

[bstewart23]

For some reason, even in my nerdiest, sci-fi periods, I never purchased Card's books, though I distinctly remember taking a gander at the covers when I was much younger. Colour me happy that I never gave the asshole even a dime.

[katied]

1. One of those "biological imperatives" includes seeking quality of life. I'd say living with and marrying the person you love falls pretty frigging squarely under the title of seeking quality of life, making *anyone's* choice to marry a biological imperative, so Card can shove that one right up his pasty, intolerant, Mormon ass. Oh, yes, I did.

2. I think you should sell them on eBay. They're autographed, so you'll get more for them, and I think it would just chaff his ass further to know you made extra bucks off of his crappy books (which he will recoup none of) because they were signed. To a gay guy. Who then turned around and sold them on eBay. Shove that up your ass too, *Mister* Card.

But then, that's me. And as you know, zen never was my strong suit.

[katied]

ps. include me in bstewart's happiness at never giving money to the loser.