Jonathan Maas asked Alexander Chee:

One of your best essays is ‘Mr. and Mrs. B.,’ in which you describe working for William Buckley, who unleashed an unspeakably homophobic idea, and his wife Mrs. Pat Buckley, who was a champion of gay rights WAY before it was fashionable. I understand your love for Pat, but do you think there is a tragedy in the sense that Mr. Buckley didn’t live long enough to realize that his unspeakably homophobic idea was wrong?

Alexander Chee I don't know that more age would have improved his views. He had many opportunities to realize this. He was determined to remain as he was. If there's a tragedy, it is that he created so much pain and cruelty in his lifetime, and that he had every opportunity to make it right and took none of them.

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