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But I am surprised how quickly Americans - particularly young Americans- have turned around on the subject of gay people. Take it from me, young adults were the most hateful and fearful of gays when I was growing up. The abuse, yelling of fag or being shoved against lockers or whatever - that was the worst from the teen-age group. Hell, I was sometimes part of it in order to cover my own attractions.
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But once kids accepted "gay" as a thing, not a choice - then it is accepted. Not just lip service, but really accepted that gays are just the same as other people - get the hell out of the way!
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The current Orson Scott Card debacle is an excellent example. Orson Scott Card is a fantastic Science Fiction Writer. I used to read most of his stuff. He has a book called "Enders Game" that was a genre changer and has followed it up with some great books. Once he said horrible things, I stopped reading him, but I didn't trash him to everyone else.
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Orson Scott Card is also a Mormon who really really hates fags. In 1990 he was very anti-gay and it was tolerated and accepted. He still is very anti-gay. I mean just hates us.
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In 2012 as a Board Member of the National Organization for Marriage, he said in an editorial for the Mormon Times "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. " LINK
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Okay, in my brain, whatever - crazy nut job. But here is where it gets odd. DC Comics hired him as one of many writers to write a digital reboot of Superman (among others). DC is trying to get new fans, restart the franchise, etc. Well after years of trashing gay people (really years - I could go through the list, but no point), comic book shops said no to Mr. Card doing the reboot. If he writes the magazine, many Comic Book Stores won't carry it. To which DC tried to hold fast. It was, mainly a digital reboot, so they said okay and tried not to comment on the whole thing. But now the major illustrator has bowed out. Artist Chris Sprouse exited the project saying that media coverage took away from the work. He would still work with DC Comics (who is still happy to work with Mr. Sprouse), but he can't illustrate Card's words.
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Orson Scott Card is, of course, playing the victim. After calling fags his "mortal enemy", he is now the poor abused author who can't have his first amendment rights. This is, by the by, my pet peeve**. Of course you can have your First Amendment rights to say anything. But people will REPSOND. The First Amendment that allows you to spew crap, but it doesn't mean that people can't disagree with you.
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Anyway... the point here isn't Orson Scott Card, but how far youth has gone to say, "Look, this is disrespectful and stupid. It isn't behavior that we will accept. DC Comics, we won't boycott you or anything, but we won't buy, carry or promote this author."
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The Corporate Schmoe's who are really shitting bricks right now are the executives at Summit Entertainment. They have a big blockbuster movie of Ender's Game coming out in November that has a price tag (pre-advertising) of $110 Million. That's looking like a ton of money after the current dust up. Summit is just hoping OSC will keep quiet and everyone will just move along. Nuttin' to see here.
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**Actually my second worst pet peeve. The inaccurate use of "literally" is literally my first pet peeve.