Comments | therealjae: Its meaning is universal. (Pardon me while I delete five countries from the universe.)

therealjae

Its meaning is universal. (Pardon me while I delete five countries from the universe.)

Jul 31, 2008 13:14

There are so many things to be annoyed by in Orson Scott Card's latest tirade about how men marrying men and women marrying women is going to spell the automatic downfall of U.S. culture, civilization, democracy, and constitution. matociquala already mentioned most of themBut there's one more thing that Card is forgetting (or conveniently leaving out) when ( Read more... )

queer, u.s.-centrism

Comments 33

darthfox July 31 2008, 19:23:53 UTC

The governor of Massachusetts just repealed the law where a couple from out of state couldn't marry in MA if the marriage wouldn't be recognized in their home state. (Maybe that's mentioned in Card's screed.) I am very pleased by this. Next up: some sort of test case, one assumes?

therealjae July 31 2008, 19:49:13 UTC

Nope, Card manages to ignore the U.S. states that already allow it, too. On the one hand that's even weirder, but I can see it if I squint because, you know, it's not the whole society, it's two weird outliers. But there are countries where it is allowed everywhere, which kind of throws a wrench into his "this is going to lead to chaos and armed uprisings!!!!" tenet without further explanation.

-J

redbird August 1 2008, 00:15:17 UTC

"Two weird outliers," plus one that is taking "full faith and credit" seriously. Two and a half may not sound like much: but 20% of Americans live in places that recognize same-sex marriages (although for the moment, New Yorkers have to travel to actually contract said marriages).

acari July 31 2008, 19:46:03 UTC

Bzuh? Who is that person and why is he so crazy?

therealjae July 31 2008, 19:47:04 UTC

The author of a number of really good science fiction novels. Sadly.

-J

acari July 31 2008, 20:10:39 UTC

Oh, good. So there is no danger I might accidentally read anything of his then.

siobhan63 July 31 2008, 20:11:21 UTC

"The author of a number of really good science fiction novels."

Meh. I read one of his novels - that Ender's thing that's supposed to be one of his best and found it entirely so-so. Can't even really remember anything about it. Certainly didn't make me want to go out of my way to read anything else he's written.

Thread 8

em_h July 31 2008, 20:00:18 UTC

If he bothers to think about the existence of the rest of the world at all, I'm guessing he'd go for (c). There seem to be a number of very right-wing Americans who already believe that Canadians and Europeans have passively accepted life under socialist dictatorship & that Americans are the only people who would Truly Stand Up against such shenanigans, what with their unprecedented history of having a revolution and the right to bear arms and all that.

It's not a new thought, but I'm especially impressed in his case by the argument that male-female marriage is both a natural biological imperative AND so incredibly difficult that it takes the full force of law and all possible societal pressures to maintain it. Perhaps because he's so unusually open about the second part. Obviously he sees all heterosexual marriage as a constant miserable struggle. But good for you. Like medicine or something.

therealjae July 31 2008, 20:01:42 UTC

I know!!! It's so illogical that it's art.

-J

aquaeri August 1 2008, 03:53:59 UTC

It's not exactly the first time OSC has gone on a rant against the gays, and that kind of magical logic has been seen enough times that there's almost an industry speculating about the extent to which OSC might be a severely repressed homosexual. I don't generally believe in the "homophobes are closeted homosexuals" idea, but the fact that he thinks he's making a well-reasoned argument (again and again) does make me wonder. A lot.

lcohen July 31 2008, 20:47:43 UTC

you know, once you put your fingers in your ears and start saying "lalala i can't hear you" you can ignore much larger things than a country the size of canada.

therealjae July 31 2008, 20:49:29 UTC

Bwahaha! *snerk*

-J

starfishchick July 31 2008, 21:10:48 UTC

Dear Orson Scott Card:

Please shut up now.

Yours truly,
Canada

therealjae July 31 2008, 21:13:04 UTC

Oh, man, I'd forgotten that article! Thanks for the link. *g*

-J

Everyone is entitled to my opinion. starfishchick August 1 2008, 15:04:10 UTC

An oldie but a goodie. (Sorry I screwed up the link!)

And I just ... I disagree with OSC, but what can I do about it? Other than live my same-sex-marriage-supporting lifestyle and let people know that I do support it?

I find it frustrating that people who have a public face like he does will voice hateful opinions like this. (But I am for free speech, so, CONFLICTED!)