Really??! I enjoy his books. That is really fucking disappointing. Why do people have to be such ass holes? (I'm having "that" kind of day). And the thing that bugs me so much about finding out something like this about someone I like (or, whose writing I like) is now every time I read one of his books, I'll think of that, and enjoy it a little bit less.
Ak! You are not kidding about that article being infuriating! I'm not even going to get started on this issue because we'll be here all day. Let me just say that people who blame "the gays" (and WTF is up with that phrase??) for their own failings have so many other issues they can't find their own head with two hand and a flashlight. Why are people so hateful?? Why are they so afraid?
Side note: Serenity_Valley and Str8on gave us a baby t-shirt before Miss M was born that says "They're raising me gay". It's awesome. And that's how we're raising her. She is what she is. The other day I was out with Maddie and someone was commenting on how she's so cute, and some day she's going to break boys hearts. And I said, "or make some girl or boy very happy", and the woman didn't say anything, just looked at me. I wasn't sure if she thought I was crazy, agreed with me but didn't want to get into it, disagreed and didn't want to get into it. But I wanted to say, get used to it. This is our reality. People love who they love. Learn to love it too.
I know it says more about me that I can't separate an artist's work from their personality, but the fact is, I am often affected by stuff like this. Not always, and my love for the material sometimes overshadows whatever assholery of the person who created it, but more often than not.
That said, I don't think artists should muzzle themselves for fear of losing their audience. I understand the instinct to do so, and if they don't feel strongly about an issue to say anything publicly, that's cool. But I guess because I'm so passionate about what I believe in and have no problem engaging with those who disagree (and possibly learning from them), I can't NOT speak my mind...even if it meant losing my audience. I mean, those beliefs are part of me, they're part of my work, and I have a hard time believing that's not true for others.
I ran across his frothing bullshit a few years ago, and was horrified. (He's a Mormon, so I suppose I *shouldn't* have been entirely startled, but I was.)
I haven't bought a book of his since. I'll read them from the library, but he'll never see another penny in royalties from me. It's all I can do.
ETA : just to be clear, not that I think all Mormons are assholes, far from it. But a subset of every religion is fundamentalist or conservative, and a certain strict hard-line Biblical interpretation does lend itself to sexism and homophobia.
Yeah, he's pretty hateful. I love some of his books, though, so I try really hard to buy them at Half Price Books - I think the authors don't get royalties from that (or certainly they don't get as much).
You obviously don't read james_nicoll. One of his favorite hobbies is posting links to OSC essays that make his flist collectively clutch their heads in pain.
Seriously, it's kind of like an exercise in behavorial conditioning. Most people (including me) won't even click the links anymore; we just go "Aaagh!" and move on.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 06:14 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 06:27 pm (UTC)Side note: Serenity_Valley and Str8on gave us a baby t-shirt before Miss M was born that says "They're raising me gay". It's awesome. And that's how we're raising her. She is what she is. The other day I was out with Maddie and someone was commenting on how she's so cute, and some day she's going to break boys hearts. And I said, "or make some girl or boy very happy", and the woman didn't say anything, just looked at me. I wasn't sure if she thought I was crazy, agreed with me but didn't want to get into it, disagreed and didn't want to get into it. But I wanted to say, get used to it. This is our reality. People love who they love. Learn to love it too.
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 07:15 pm (UTC)That said, I don't think artists should muzzle themselves for fear of losing their audience. I understand the instinct to do so, and if they don't feel strongly about an issue to say anything publicly, that's cool. But I guess because I'm so passionate about what I believe in and have no problem engaging with those who disagree (and possibly learning from them), I can't NOT speak my mind...even if it meant losing my audience. I mean, those beliefs are part of me, they're part of my work, and I have a hard time believing that's not true for others.
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 07:37 pm (UTC)I haven't bought a book of his since. I'll read them from the library, but he'll never see another penny in royalties from me. It's all I can do.
ETA : just to be clear, not that I think all Mormons are assholes, far from it. But a subset of every religion is fundamentalist or conservative, and a certain strict hard-line Biblical interpretation does lend itself to sexism and homophobia.
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 09:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 09:45 pm (UTC)I saw him at San Diego Comic Con. He looks like a sane person, but he obviously isn't one.
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2008-10-27 07:37 pm (UTC)Seriously, it's kind of like an exercise in behavorial conditioning. Most people (including me) won't even click the links anymore; we just go "Aaagh!" and move on.
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From: