Orson Scott Card - Is His 'Anti-Gay' Opinion an Issue?

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

For those who don't know, legendary science fiction writer Orson Scott Card was hired on by DC Comics to write a portion of their Adventures of Superman anthology. But the artists on board has basically refused to go any further with Card involved, because the Ender's Game writer has a strong, anti-gay stance on marriage.

This has resulted in tons of petitions and people freaking out about Card being involved. Some have even questioned if the team behind this November's "Ender's Game" movie will ask him to step out of a production role, because of the heat the issue is causing. Most likely, nothing will change. DC really wants him, and his input (and money) is more valuable for the movie than a bit of bad press.

But this raises a much deeper issue. Now, I'm strictly on the side of freedom when it comes to the marriage issue. I think people should be able to seek happiness - legally, and without fear or guilt - in whatever way it applies to them. I'm a 23-year-old heterosexual white American male, so the issue really doesn't effect me all that much, but that's where I stand.

I'm also a huge OSC fan. He's one of the greatest, if not THE greatest sci-fi writer in history. We can argue Dune and Ender's Game in a different thread, if you want. I love everything he's ever written, and as my primary literary inspiration, I wish he wasn't so morally opposed to something I believe in. But that doesn't influence the way I read his work. Maybe it should, I don't know. I think there's a discussion to be had on inherent good, and objective quality that isn't changed by a person's stance on a hot-button issue.

Card doing Superman sounds amazing. And of course he should be involved with Ender's Game. That's not even a question. Do I feel like his involvement is "empowering" the anti-gay cause? No. If you're morality and perspective is loose enough to be shattered by watching a movie or reading a comic, you likely lack conviction and your opinion on the issue isn't worth much anyways.

But I could also see the opposite end of the coin. I don't see the fight against homosexuality as an "opinion". I see it as a form of oppression. So maybe there's something to be said about putting him out in the cold. About taking a stand against people - even if we love those people - for the sake of a better society. I don't know. I could understand how somebody who cares more about the issue, or is a homosexual themselves, would want him to be gone from the project. But honestly, those projects have nothing to do with the issue. Nothing at all.

What are your thoughts?

 

[One Punch Doug Crashin]

If he doesn't change his stance he's going to have to step out of this role as well. Society is changing and being anti-gay is now a thing of a past... at least it should be.

 

[justinsayne]

I don't give a fuck, he's allowed to take whatever political stance he wants, no matter how stupid or wrong other may feel about it. If he's capable writing a Superman story that is actually interesting, which is a rarity these days, then let him write his Superman story, DC will eventually find an artist to work with him.

Allowing someones beliefs affect your entertainment is just dumb, Frank Miller has said some stupid racist shit in the past yet it doesn't seem to stop people still from buying & reading The Dark Knight Rises, which still stands as one of the most highly praised Batman stories of all time.

 

[The Butcher]

In a community full of fans who lionize the demon Chris Benoit became in his last days on the basis of "separating the wrestler from the criminal," then this one should be cake. Card is allowed to have his opinion, and that should be the end of it.

Justinsayne makes a great point by mentioning Frank Miller. Music fans might be interested to know that Eric Clapton had (and possibly still has) some very bigoted views. San Francisco 49er Chris Culliver couldn't "be with that sweet stuff," prior to the Super Bowl last month, and NASCAR driver Jeremy Clements just got back from suspension after making a racial remark rumored to have been the "n-word." Millions upon untold millions of individuals, many of whom are our friends and neighbors, have bigoted opinions. And, in the United States of America, they are free to have those opinions.

Fans and co-workers are also free to chastise and boycott these individuals, don't get me wrong. That's probably not the best way to get through to these people, though. Sure, with guys like Culliver and Clements, the public shame pretty much forced them to make a PR-friendly mea culpa, but that doesn't mean that they love gays or blacks any more than they did before. People who are seeking social change need to realize that this isn't an overnight fix and that being assholes to the people that they're trying to change the minds of probably isn't the best way to educate them.

No amount of boycotting or saber rattling is going to get Card to change his opinion. Nor should it, really. There's no educational value in it at face value, and it's more likely to piss him off than get him to rethink his deeply held beliefs. Social change is a laborious process. Trying to drag the old guard into the new age is only going to make them fight change that much harder. Rather than go to the top of the bigot food chain, folks just need to do their part on their level.

 

[HBK-aholic]

In this sense - where the person is just writing a portion of something about Superman, I likely wouldn't 'boycott' it. But if the person were marketing themselves (Such as being a singer or comedian) I'd likely not buy it. There feels to be a difference between buying Superman items, and buying items about the homophobe, or whatever issue it was that I disagreed with.

And I don't really know who this guy is, aside from the explanation in the first post, so my response isn't about him specifically.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

In this sense - where the person is just writing a portion of something about Superman, I likely wouldn't 'boycott' it. But if the person were marketing themselves (Such as being a singer or comedian) I'd likely not buy it. There feels to be a difference between buying Superman items, and buying items about the homophobe, or whatever issue it was that I disagreed with.

And I don't really know who this guy is, aside from the explanation in the first post, so my response isn't about him specifically.

He's a science fiction writer, and perhaps considered to be the greatest of all time. He wrote "Ender's Game" in 1985 and it has become the first real challenge to Frank Herbert's "Dune". Since then he has expanded the series to include three others - "Speaker for the Dead", "Xenocide" and "Children of the Mind". There is also a book between the first and second, another expanding on the first, and a prequel trilogy he is working on right now.

Along with that he wrote the "Ender's Shadow" series, which kind of looks at the whole thing from different perspectives. There's a bunch of them, and I think they're still ongoing, but I don't know enough about them.

Outside of that continuum he's written several other critically acclaimed series. most of which are still ongoing. He's probably the busiest writer on the planet, in terms of the sheer number of books he puts out in such a short time period. He's also been involved with Marvel doing Ultimate Iron Man, and a few video games. But mostly, he's just argued as the best sci-fi writer of all time.

 

[Moon Knight]

Never heard of him, but he has a right to his opinion. I may not like it, but assuming he keeps his views out of the stuff he is working on it shouldn't be an issue. So, as long as his stuff isn't anti-gay and he keeps it to himself here; I won't care.

 

[Dirk]

I think that a lot of these anti-gay "activists" are just in denial and in the closet themselves (not that there's anything wrong with that, people need time to come to terms with themselves).

 

[Moon Knight]

I think that a lot of these anti-gay "activists" are just in denial and in the closet themselves (not that there's anything wrong with that, people need time to come to terms with themselves).

Doubtful, most are just raised in a bigoted religious environment that teaches such things.

 

[lowandmighty]

I believe in freedom as well but that also includes freedom of expression and free speech. The way I see it is like this: if you can't express your view on something just because its controversial then you can't express your views on anything.

I say who cares if he's anti gay marriage. The new pope is also anti gay marriage but did that stop him from being made the new pope? Shit no.

I don't see how this should be an issue stopping Orson Scott Card working on Superman, its just his opinion and let him have it.

 

[MrHashasheen]

I don't give a fuck, he's allowed to take whatever political stance he wants, no matter how stupid or wrong other may feel about it. If he's capable writing a Superman story that is actually interesting, which is a rarity these days, then let him write his Superman story, DC will eventually find an artist to work with him.

Allowing someones beliefs affect your entertainment is just dumb, Frank Miller has said some stupid racist shit in the past yet it doesn't seem to stop people still from buying & reading The Dark Knight Rises, which still stands as one of the most highly praised Batman stories of all time.

This.

 

[Dirk]

Seriously didn't know that the guy from Sin City also did Dark Knight Rises, but it kinda makes sense. Good to know...

 

[The Butcher]

I think you guys mean The Dark Knight Returns; Frank Miller could eat puppy and kitten sandwiches on television with a swastika tattooed on his forehead, and it wouldn't affect my love of that graphic novel.

And about O.S. Card writing Superman and possibly inserting some of his own views into the story-- has it ever been definitively determined that Superman is cool with gays? Seriously, does anybody have an issue or even TV or movie quote that they can refer to that paints Superman as a proponent of gay marriage? It's a timely issue, and if Card adds that layer of human failing to Superman, then I'd be fine with it. It's not as if another writer can't show Superman's opinions grow and change in future story arcs.

 

[Dirk]

Comic books aren't as narrow-minded (socially) as they once were. It's a different universe, but Northstar (who is a big deal) is gay, so is Graymalkin (who isn't). Mystique also had a child with a woman, so it's a rainbow free-for-all.

The DC-universe is a lot more clean-cut (except for Gotham City, which is edgy as always), but if I had to single out a queer, my money would be on the Riddler (the top hat and verbose couplets make him very camp, not to mention Jim Carrey's ADHD-like interpretation in the movie).

 

[Shocky]

He's a science fiction writer, and perhaps considered to be the greatest of all time. He wrote "Ender's Game" in 1985 and it has become the first real challenge to Frank Herbert's "Dune".

Fucking lies, nothing will ever touch Dune as far as Sci-Fi. Do not blaspheme against Muad'Dib.

The issue at hand, if it means that much, don't buy the book. It's a real simple concept. I am of the opinion that freedom of speech covers all forms of speech. People are entitled not to like something. I know it doesn't fit the PC, Barney the Dinosaur Era we live in. I personally feel his opinion is antiquated, but whatever.

There is a starving artist out there that will work with Scott. I applaud the artist that left as well. If it bothers you, use your power as a consumer.

 

[Shocky]

Comic books aren't as narrow-minded (socially) as they once were. It's a different universe, but Northstar (who is a big deal) is gay, so is Graymalkin (who isn't). Mystique also had a child with a woman, so it's a rainbow free-for-all.

The DC-universe is a lot more clean-cut (except for Gotham City, which is edgy as always), but if I had to single out a queer, my money would be on the Riddler (the top hat and verbose couplets make him very camp, not to mention Jim Carrey's ADHD-like interpretation in the movie).

Marvel has easily been light years ahead of DC when it comes to the homosexual issue. Hell, Claremont wanted to pull the trigger on Mystique and Destiny back in the early 80's, but it was a no go. Northstar is far from a big deal. I've been an X-Fan since the early 90's, and we really don't care about that Alpha Flight guy.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I'm by no means anti-gay but I don't believe ostracizing a person because they feel differently about the situation.

My personal opinion, any person who bashes Card for being "anti-gay" is no better than the people who go on "homosexuality is immoral" rant. In both cases you are taking it to an extreme and it helps no one in both ways. If Card does great work then why should his personal stance be an issue? Because people don't like his views? Does it have anything to do with his work at all?