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Questioneer Alex feels a lot like I did when I found out the chairman of Urban Outfitters had donated to Rick Santorum, meaning I couldn’t buy any of their nice patterned bedspreads any more. He writes:
I have a problem. I am a gay Orson Scott Card reader. For many years I devoured his books and it wasn’t a couple of years ago that I found out about his support of anti gay movements in the US.
These days I don’t buy new copies of his books, I borrow them from friends or libraries (whatever his personal beliefs, the man writes damn good science fiction).
The problem for me now is that my favorite sci-fi book of all time, Ender’s Game, is becoming a movie. I want to see it, but I’m not sure if I can buy a ticket knowing where a part of my money might be going.
So answer me this: Should I go to see the film at the cinema?
Pirating the movie seems counter-productive to me.
Why so – because you would be getting what you want, albeit illegally, without contributing to his wealth? Your strategy is rather inconsistent; I don’t want to upset you further, but authors receive royalties when their books are borrowed from libraries. To get around that, you could go to a bookshop, sit in one of the armchairs for the whole day, and read it there without buying it, but it is behaviour like that which sent Borders to the knackers’ yard (sorry Borders, it was mostly my fault. But it was silly of you to think I was ever going to buy all those copies of Interview Magazine).
But readers, what do you say Alex should do about seeing the film? Pay the money, grudgingly? Pay the money non-grudgingly, having decided to overlook Orson Scott Card’s personal beliefs? Wait for the film to come out on DVD then borrow it off a friend? Buy a ticket for a different film then sneak into the Ender’s Game screening instead? Or, avoid the film entirely, as adaptations of beloved books are so often crushingly disappointing?
Answer Me This! Podcast 
February 26, 2013 at 6:47 am |
If the fact that where the money is going is toward anti-LGBT causes would literally plague you throughout the film, don’t go see it. If you would only cringe a bit afterward, then I guess go see it. I sort of understand where you’re coming from; I’d be severely torn if Peter Jackson was some sort of outspoken anti-LGBT person but somehow still retain that masterful directing.
On a personal level, I could never go to a film fully knowing the source material was from a person who would happily take my money and then support the further taking away my rights. It’s a very whorish thing to do from someone so supposedly religious.
February 21, 2013 at 10:28 am |
He seems like a deeply religious guy in a fairly extreme church. Even if all gay people and everyone they know boycotting the film and all of his works isn’t going to change his mind. People like that are dogmatic and not open to change.
Personally, I really enjoyed the book Battlefield Earth until I learned about L Ron Hubbard’s background. When the film came out, I couldn’t bring myself to watch it. My actions didn’t hurt L Ron in any measurable way, but I wouldn’t have enjoyed the film (I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it anyway going by the review 🙂 ).
So that’s the answer for me – will you enjoy the film and books knowing that the person who wrote them hates people with your sexuality? If not, don’t go see it.
February 21, 2013 at 7:30 am |
Omg Samuel hates gays!!!!!
February 21, 2013 at 10:00 am |
Clearly not.
February 20, 2013 at 11:24 pm |
I think this might be being taken too seriously. I am not a fan of anti-gay movements of any kind for any reason, but one person buying at ticket or a book or a DVD is unlikely to make a huge difference to anything financially, let alone a cause to which a person who will get a tiny amount of the gross is sympathetic. Go to the film and enjoy it 🙂