"Don’t Purchase Anything from that Homophobe!"
Submitted by Clearlyhere
What do boycotts from either side of the political aisle accomplish? With the AFA calling for a boycott on McDonald’s, I see similarities in a minor skirmish that has surfaced over the author, Orson Scott Card, of Ender's Game fame. Card wrote an article damning the Massachusetts and California courts, though not specifically mentioned in the piece, for legislating an institution older than our government, marriage. It is a coherent and moderate statement on his views against gay marriage and the United States in Mormon Times, which makes it even more damning for its clarity. I always find well reason opinions worse than the screaming by Pundits such as Bill O’Reilly. Notably, none articles for this publication are linked onto his personal website for his fans, though his articles for a local North Carolina Paper are listed. On the sites where I read the about the story (here and here), readers say they will never read his books again and are encouraged to contact Marvel to protest his upcoming movie deal and/or comic series.
Boycotts of these sorts inevitably fail. Contrasting with the immediate image, the word boycott evokes of the Black Civil Rights movement, which was highly effective at uniting group action. Christian Right organizations, namely AFA and Focus on the Family, are quick to call for boycotts and are poor at executing them. Remember how Disney parks were boycotted by various Evangelical groups. The AFA also pushed for a boycott of Tide and Crest. This McDonald’s boycott will likely have the same effect, none.
Groups are more effective at buying products in support of organizations they believe in than abstaining from purchases. The Passion of Christ was a large success because religious groups, including AFA and FoF, supported it. How many screaming kids are going to understand that they can't go to McDonald's because the company recently joined the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce?
Is making a token statement of a not purchasing a product or writing to a large corporation going to change results? Famously, Star Trek continued because of a letter-writing campaign, Roswell was extended due to fan involvement, and more recently Jericho, a television series on CBS, received an extra season of 7 episodes because of a fan campaign, only to be canceled again in March 2008. The internet is filled with calls to action to save a show, to get a movie produced base on a popular book, etc. These are positive examples of organized groups banning together to effect a major media group instead of a boycott to stop a product.
Do I have a duty as an educated consumer to boycott, or in less flamboyant terms, abstain from buy the books of author who has so thorough spoken against my sexuality? My boyfriend avoids using Exxon because of a bad rating by HRC, which can hardly been seen as effectual. By not purchasing Card’s books will I be making a difference to his bottom line? I also understand that 10% of my money that he receives will inevitably go to the Mormon Church, which grieves me. I have read his books for more than 10 years and I have many first edition hardbacks on my shelves (some with signatures). His views are contrary to my own on the basic level on how I am living my life, but I enjoy the world and characters he has created, and have read his novels over and over again.
What do you do when your core beliefs are so thoroughly contradicted by an artist you support? I can’t see the actions I am able to take as having a difference, but that sounds like I am failing into the vast chasm of American apathy. I just don’t think I can give up a good book.
7 comments:
Rent them from the library. I don't want to give him a dime for his outspoken bigotry, but I still really like his books. They only way to circumvent this is to use library; you'll get to read his books and none of it will be donated to fighting for Prop 8 or whatever homohater group.
Or you can keep your values and read Dune. Just a thought.
I think it depends mostly on your conscience. Certainly, one person can't make a huge difference in a corporation like Exxon or affect an author to the point that he changes his beliefs. But, as an individual you have the ultimate power of the American consumer--you can vote with your pocket book.
For years, I boycotted Cracker Barrel restaurants because they fired some HIV+ employees (most of whom were busboys). I was incensed by the pure ignorance of their action. Did my boycott make any difference in their financial statements? No. But, I felt better knowing that I wasn't giving my hard earned money to people who took such ignorant actions and were insensitive to the needs of other human beings.
I don't think OSC's screed was particularly 'moderate' -- unless advocating the overthrow of the US government because of gay marriage is considered moderate. The screed goes on to make some factual errors and the tone is high hyperbolic.
A boycott probably won't work. But I have no desire to read anything from someone who hates me so thoroughly.
I struggle with all the time. I boycott Exxon and Coca-Cola for their stances on issues I care about like human rights. The more I learn about companies the less places and things I feel comfortable buying. It can be frustrating. For example, I love Vanilla Coca-Cola, and every time I am in the store I fight my desire to purchase it. It may seem petty, but damn it tastes so good to me! Nevertheless, I am moved by a line from Jewel's song " A Life Uncommon" - "No longer lend our strength to that which we with to be free from."
so i guess i can't read ezra pound because he was a fascist. or t s eliot because he was sort of an anti-semite. or is it only alright to enjoy the work of artists whose ideology you disagree with if the artists in question are dead?
Tough one. I guess that the question of buying his books Vs. reading them at the library, etc. makes a difference.
I can't expect every artist, writer, etc. I like to agree with my principles and ideas - and sometimes, I find it funny that we don't agree at all - but in this case, I feel he's crossed a line. Maybe this topic is more important to me than others, because it affects me personally, but reading his article (?) has left me reluctant to buy anything for him in the future, even if it's just for my conscience.
However, sometimes it's difficult to let go when a particular author has been such a part of your childhood. I don't know; I like C.S. Lewis and Enid Blyton, who would've most certainly opposed gay marriage nowadays. But I guess I can like them and laugh at parodies of them at the same time because they're dead, and whatever they did in life doesn't concern me. And I'm not giving them any money as well. But maybe I'm supporting the Catholic church by buying the old Enid Blyton books... :P
I think that you can't expect authors or artists of the past to be supportive of anything like the modern gay rights movement. They aren't informed by the realities that we face. A modern author or artist that is product of our times should be held to a higher standard. And to be against us so vehemently is inexcusable. If C.S. Lewis was born today, he might be an out gay man instead of an asexual Christian writer.
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