Should You Boycott 'Ender's Game'?

I suppose this was inevitable.   After years and years, Hollywood finally got around to getting the classic science fiction novel Ender's Game onto the big screen.  The preview looks promising and overall I felt a mild thrill of geek excitement about it.  With Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley and Viola Davis in the cast there's a heft of genuine star power to it and it looks like a good time at the movies.

And that's good because really and truly, Ender's Game is a classic of the genre.  If there was a Buzzfeed article about the 25 Science Fiction Novels You Should Read No Matter What, Ender's Game would be somewhere on that list and I would give it a hearty two thumbs up to anyone that's looking for new science fiction to read or are dipping their toes into big, wild world of science fiction for the very first time.  It's thought provoking, genuinely good- maybe even great writing.

But here's the thing:  the author, Orson Scott Card hasn't been shy about his views on marriage equality and needless to say, he's decidedly against it.  (For the full manifesto and reasoning, check this out.)  This, of course, has offended people some of whom are calling for a total boycott of the movie.  The Hollywood Reporter is saying that the filmmakers are starting to distance themselves from Card's views and I'm sure this is only going to pick up steam the closer we get to the movie's release date in November.

As a writer and lifelong lover of books- especially science fiction ones this presents me with something of a quandry.  I'm not a diehard Orson Scott Card fan.  Ender's Game seems to have spawned a whole slew of sequels not many of which impressed me as much as the original but Ender's Game itself is a genuinely well-written, thought provoking book- and I appreciate that.  Good science fiction not to mention good literature is supposed to be thought provoking and it helps when the author can actually write as well.  But I disagree with Mr. Card's views on marriage equality.

For a start, I don't find his arguments especially compelling.  Gay marriage has been going on in Iowa for a few years now and I remain married and I still love my wife and unless something has changed in the past few minutes of me starting this blog post, she still loves me.   (Ditto for the Cigar Parentals.  Still married.  Fabric of the family still strong.)  The social apocalypse promised by opponents of marriage equality has yet to appear.

However, I also think that this country was founded because people were looking for a place where they could be left alone to practice whatever religious beliefs or lack thereof they happened to hold.  That's been a founding premise of America since the Pilgrims landed.  It would be very nice if everyone could just stay in their respective corners and get on with the messy and complicated business of living on some of these issues instead of trying to make foie gras out of these issues by forcing them in a spiky 'French guy craving paté' kind of way down the throats of everybody else in the country.*

But since I don't live in that country, were I seem to be landing is here:  I do not in any way, shape or form agree with Mr. Card's views but as a believer in the First Amendment, I have to respect his right to express those views, however repellent and odious I might find them.  But should I spend my money and go see a movie and send some fraction of the $7.50 I'll pay for a ticket to Mr. Card's pocket?

I'm honestly not sure.  Will this boycott be effective to begin with?  If I choose not to go see this movie in theaters but millions of eager movie goers flock to a holiday release, Mr. Card will make plenty of money anyway. (It's a science fiction movie.  It's like geek catnip. People will probably go anyway.)  But Hollywood being Hollywood there's also a decent chance that this could suck.  The book is always better than the movie, after all.

In the end, if I'm going to make a statement by boycotting something I'd like it to be meaningful.  When the brouhaha over Chick Fill-A blew up, I couldn't pretend that I was boycotting them over their views on marriage equality because Chick Fill-A isn't something I eat on a regular basis.  'Oooooh, I'm not going to patronize a restaurant I hardly ever go to anyway, I'm being such an activist and such a protestor.  F**k them and their waffle fries!'  I do believe in voting with your feet though.  If a company or a restaurant chain hold views that you disagree just don't go there.  It's that simple.

So, in that spirit and since there are plenty of movies every year that I'd like to see but never get around to seeing, I think I will forgo Ender's Game at the theaters.  However, I make no promises about Redbox.  That way at least I can take some comfort in knowing that Mr. Card will be getting a tinier fraction of my money than if I sprung for the full movie ticket.

*Obviously I support marriage equality.  But both sides seem to think that the other is out to get them and force them to endorse the opposing view which I find tiresome.  Let those that want to get married get married and let everybody get on with life.

UPDATED, 7/11/13:  An interesting update to all of this...  Mr. Card has issued a statement which included this quote (while also conceded that it was now just a matter of time before same sex marriage is legal everywhere.):

"Now it will be interesting to see whether the victorious proponents of gay marriage will show tolerance toward those who disagreed with them when the issue was still in dispute."

Hmmmm...  define tolerance?  I don't think people with distasteful opinions should be hounded or herded into re-education camps until they change their ways.   Everyone has a right to their opinion, even if it happens to be a shitty one.  But I also have a right not to buy Mr. Card's books or go and see movie adaptation of his books if I feel strongly enough about his views...  If I met Mr. Card in person, I wouldn't hesitate to tell him that I find his views distasteful and wrong if the subject came up and I certainly would be loathe to share a beer with the guy.   He can have his opinion.  Just don't expect me to give him a cookie and a pat on the head for it.