Orson Scott Card

NOM Rhode Island Director Shrugs Off Card's Extremism

Submitted by Kyle on August 27, 2009 - 1:49pm

EDGE has an interesting interview with Christopher Plante, Executive Director of the National Organization for Marriage's Rhode Island chapter, discussing his perspective on NOM’s mission in the state, as well nationwide.

During the conversation, EDGE's Joe Siegel asked Plante what he thought about NOM board member Orson Scott Card, who has stated that "many homosexuals first entered into that world through a disturbing seduction or rape or molestation or abuse" and his vow last year that, should Proposition 8 fail in California, he would "act to destroy that government and bring it down so it can be replaced with a government that will respect and support marriage."

Plante's reponse was telling:

For his part, Plante says he was unaware of Card’s involvement with NOM and denied that NOM is a hate group. "I don’t believe that at all," Plante said. "Do I think that there are extreme people on both sides of the movement that can say hateful things? Absolutely. NOM is here to defend marriage, to protect it, and to encourage it."

Of course there are extremists on both sides of the debate ... and one of them happens to serve on the Board of the leading anti-marriage organzation in the nation by whom Plante just so happens to be employed.

As far as we are aware, NOM has steadfastly refused to comment on Card's connection to the organization, and if this is the best response anyone affiliated with them has been able to come up with, it's pretty obvious why.

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Dead-Ender's Game: Sci-Fi Writer Joins Board of National Organization for Marriage

Submitted by Josh on April 22, 2009 - 2:30pm

Orson Scott Card, author of the popular sci-fi novel Ender’s Game, has joined the board of the National Organization for Marriage. You may have heard of NOM recently thanks to its misleading “Gathering Storm” TV ad campaign which attacked equal rights for gays and lesbians.

We think that Card, who turned into a reactionary crank somewhere along the way, will be a good fit for NOM. Both have ample experience with alternate realities, and that should prove useful in explaining why committed same-sex couples shouldn’t be allowed to marry.

But Card’s recent writings have been outlandish even by the standards of NOM. Last July in the Mormon Times he appeared to advocate overthrowing the government if Prop 8 failed (h/t Box Turtle Bulletin):

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. […] 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.

While it’s clear that Card is a fiction writer through and through – albeit unintentionally – we’d like to know if NOM shares his radical views.