zeekie: take two.

Dang it. I suppose it had to happen some time, but I really wish it hadn't happened with a book I really really like.

This afternoon, a friend told me that the reason he hadn't read "Ender's Game" was that Orson Scott Card - the author - is a homophobe. I didn't quite believe him. I couldn't believe that an author who had that much empathy for his 'outsider' characters could have none for the gay community.

But later, when I got home, I did a quick Internet search and: voila.

His views are pretty heinous. Other articles point to his other famous rants on the subject, including one in which he stated homosexuals should be tossed into prison.

I... really don't know what to do.

When Isaiah Washington started tossing 'faggot' around like it wasn't a horrible slur, it was the tipping point that made me decide to boycott the new Bionic Woman. I never would have watched Apocalypto anyway, but Mel Gibson's Nazi-lite outburst certainly didn't help.

So, if I am to be entirely consistent, I should throw away all my "Ender" books, and never pick up another Card book again. Or at least not until he comes to his senses.

But I really, really liked "Ender's Game". I still do. It is also one of the best books I've ever read in my life. And if the sequels / spin-offs are even a tenth of "Game"'s quality, then they will undoubtedly also be brilliant books.

So I'm not sure what to do with this Card-as-homophobe information.

On one hand, I'm sure that if I dig deep enough, there will be something about every author that disagrees with me in a fundamental way. His position on abortion, for example. Or her views on inter-racial relationships.

But, on the other hand, there's a distinct difference between dislike and intolerance. It would be fine with me if Card had said that he disliked homosexuality. But that's not what he has said. What he's said is that he would give people like me sub-citizen 'rights'. What he's said is that he would toss people like me into prison, pronto. That's not a live-and-let-live attitude. Even if he may not be in the position to effect those desires, that's still active intolerance, plain and simple.

So the question really is: does supporting an artist mean supporting his views?

My rational side tells me that it doesn't; but lining the pockets of someone who holds views I despise is abhorrent to me. Besides, rationality aside, it's hard to ignore the symbolic value of buying or boycotting someone's work.

Oh, just - goddamnit.