Blogger Chino Blanco, known to California LGBTs for his persistent reporting on the connection between the Mormons and Prop. 8, sent me this advisory Thursday about an event happening Saturday in Washington DC: Former Sen. Gordon Smith, now President of the National Association of Broadcasters, will be presenting Orson Scott Card with an award this Saturday, April 24th, from 6:00 – 9:00 PM at the annual BYU Management Society Gala Dinner at the Crystal Gateway Marriott. Saturday also happens to be Youth Pride Day in DC.
And who is Orson Scott Card (pictured here from Wikipedia) and why should LGBTs care? Well, aside from his prominence on the board of the National Organization for Marriage, Card has some curious positions regarding gay people, like this for example:
“How long before married people answer the dictators thus: Regardless of law, marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it down, so it can be replaced with a government that will respect and support marriage, and help me raise my children in a society where they will expect to marry in their turn.
Biological imperatives trump laws. American government cannot fight against marriage and hope to endure. If the Constitution is defined in such a way as to destroy the privileged position of marriage, it is that insane Constitution, not marriage, that will die.”
With permission, here’s a re-posting of a blog Chino Blanco posted last month about Card and the event:
From the press release:
The Washington, D.C. Chapter of the BYU Management Society (BYUMS-DC) announced today that it would honor best-selling author and columnist Orson Scott Card at its annual Gala Dinner on April 24, 2010. Card will receive the chapter’s Distinguished Public Service Award and will deliver keynote remarks about his views on ethical leadership today and his experiences as a prominent member of the literary and academic communities.
“We are proud to be honoring Orson Scott Card during this year’s Gala Dinner,” said Sen. Gordon Smith, Chairman of the Advisory Board. “His words and his example have reached millions of people, and his spirit of mentorship and service have much to offer our community.”
As it turns out, my very first post at Daily Kos also included a quote from Senator Smith:
“Part of what I fear, as you start defining marriage — we have a long history of doing that in this country, and my Mormon pioneer ancestors were the victims of that. They were literally driven from the United States in the dead of winter for following their religious beliefs. I don’t want that coming back, but there are some on the front pages of your newspapers who are trying to now.” — Gordon H. Smith
That was June of 2008. Smith was trying to strike a moderate tone in a tough battle for his seat and I was dashing off glib diaries about Mormon involvement in a sure loser for the LDS (the Yes on 8 campaign).
Both approaches wound up paying off equally brilliantly.
Live and learn.
What Smith apparently learned from his loss is that “moderation in all things” is truly overrated. Otherwise, two years on, what else to make of his latest brilliant move: assembling a gaggle of high-flying Mormons to publicly honor National Organization for Marriage board member Orson Scott Card for distinguished service to … the public.
The same public that is already aware (and aghast) that OSC has lately swapped the novel form for writing whackadoodle newspaper columns and blog posts?
No, obviously not that public (2008 taught me a thing or two as well: I’ve yet to affect the outcome in a single Mormon-inflected political contest, and I’ve long since owned up to the inadequacy of my online derision as a means of influencing a public that I now admit to hardly knowing). To demonstrate how grown up I’ve become, what follows is some exceedingly dispassionate and mature speculation regarding how on earth the BYU Management Society could possibly deem OSC deserving of this honor (with bonus Executive Summary gravitas courtesy of the outline format).
I. Could it be belated Mormon gratitude for OSC’s youthful support of George Wallace at a time when young people of his caliber were hard to find in the ranks of the pro-segregation, anti-miscegenation American Independent Party?
“I completely bought into the “not a dime’s worth of difference” slogan and yes, on my college campus I took part in the Wallace campaign … if you look at what I was doing in college, there’s no denying it, I was a Wallace supporter in September and October of 1968.” — Orson Scott Card
II. Or perhaps a more modern Mormon sensibility is what produced the BYUMS-DC decision, and it’s meant to signal an overdue recognition of OSC’s subsequent apology for supporting the Wallace campaign:
“Within a couple of years I had learned a little more and was deeply embarrassed at my naivete and stupid enthusiasm. I changed my mind completely. Now I have a deep aversion to bigotry-centered populist demagogues — one thinks, for instance, of the leaders of the anti-amnesty movement. (I’m thinking of Pat Buchanan and, to my disgust, my fellow-Mormon Mitt Romney.)” — Orson Scott Card
III. BYUMS-DC enthusiasm for (re)criminalizing homosexual behavior?
“Laws against homosexual behavior should remain on the books…to be used when necessary to send a clear message that those who flagrantly violate society’s regulation of sexual behavior cannot be permitted to remain as acceptable, equal citizens.” — Orson Scott Card
IV. Or perhaps it’s OSC’s penchant for government overthrow if the gays are allowed to marry?
“How long before married people answer the dictators thus: Regardless of law, marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it down, so it can be replaced with a government that will respect and support marriage, and help me raise my children in a society where they will expect to marry in their turn.
Biological imperatives trump laws. American government cannot fight against marriage and hope to endure. If the Constitution is defined in such a way as to destroy the privileged position of marriage, it is that insane Constitution, not marriage, that will die.” — Orson Scott Card
V. Or maybe it’s simply BYUMS-DC’s way of finally congratulating OSC on his ascension to the NOM board (and of assuring him that Maggie Gallagher was not the only one enthused by his appointment):
“We’re extremely honored that Orson Scott Card has joined with NOM in our shared mission to protect marriage and the faith communities that sustain it,” said Maggie Gallagher, president of NOM, “He is one of the great science fiction writers of our time and a real voice of courage and intellect on behalf of marriage.” — Margaret Srivastav
VI. Whatever the reason, it certainly had nothing to do with this.
Pax et bonum!
And a P.S. link just in case next month (April 24th, 6:00 – 9:00 PM, to be exact) will be your first time visiting the Crystal Gateway Marriott.
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I’m so torn here – because Orson Scott Card’s writing is brilliant, but his politics are so messed up. It’s almost as though the person who wrote the books and the person who gets involved in politics are different people.
Kevin – You’ve just described way too many of my Mormon friends and family. There’s something about the LDS spiral of shame/cognitive dissonance/Mormon-industrial-persecution-complex that seems to split their psyches.
By the way, we’re talking about this post over at r/lgbt and I got a chuckle from this comment:
http://www.reddit.com/r/lgbt/comments/bvl1a/lgbt_pov_mormons_to_honor_national_organization/
quote/
See, I distinctly remember being squicked by Card long before he started being so open about his bigotry. What did it for me was the Homecoming series, but once I twigged to what he was there was a lot of really nasty stuff in his books- Ender is a hero who commits genocide against “buggers”? Hell, Enders Game is full of young boys wrestling each other in the nude. I didn’t quit reading his books as any sort of “boycott” or anything, but just because I don’t want the creepy thoughts this person has in my head.
/endquote
And while I’m here, I want to thank LGBT POV. Forty years ago, we Mormons needed folks from outside our tribe to prod us past our racially discriminatory policies. We need outside help again now if we are to get past our current fixation with thwarting LGBT equality.
I have to respect Card for being willing to state so clearly and unequivocally his beliefs. He knows how his stand on gay marriage will affect some of his readers, but he is willing to openly be what he is. You don’t hear Stephanie Meyers speaking up like that–at least not yet–and don’t tell me its because she doesn’t support the LDS (Mormon)doctrinal stance on same sex marriage. She’s just as Mormon as Card is.
People are going to disagree and fight against what is hateful for them, just as does LGBT, right? It is childish to presume that noone must demur against the wave of social change your kind of group is foisting on the country. Just being vocal does not make one the majority. As long as there is a fair democracy, all who can should repair to the provisions it provides to speak out against what is immoral and perverted.
I’m a Mormon who supports traditional marriage. I think the time has come for all who have a voice to make that voice known, clearly and without pussy footing around about it. For too long we Mormons have had our beliefs only half heard. We don’t hate gays–we do abhor sexual immorality. But according to people like you, not according to pro-marriage supporters–to hate the sin and not the sinner is still hate. Thus the radical left likes to mis-characterize the defenders of traditional marriage, seeking to marginalize them. Its an old worn out tactic.
Does it occur to you that the plea to repent is for your own sakes? You can hide behind this or that psychological society or academic ‘proof’ to validate your lifestyle, but will that save you from the consequences of your deeds?
Fine–pull out the long knives and go after the Mormons–we know what you have in mind. But the effect of legislation and vicious attacks on traditional religion isn’t going to change eternal truth, nor will it mean much in the face of fires, earthquakes and pestilence. When people turn their backs on God and start making their own rules, that is when He begins preaching His own sermons.