Friday, April 21, 2006

Gwinnett Mom Battles Harry Potter

There is no accounting for stupidity. A Georgia mother is seeking to have Harry Potter novels banned from the Gwinnett County School libraries because it will lead to the practice of witchcraft. What troubles me about this kind of censorship initative is that many people have difficulty distinguishing fiction from reality. That a fictional character is a witch in no way can be mistaken for reality unless, of course, you don't have a clear grip on what is and is not real. That Harry Potter is able to conger up spells and ward off demons does not lead to the notion that middle school children will practice effective witchcraft. They may try to conger up demons but without a full blown Hollywood special effects team it is highly unlikely that they will meet with success. This level of ignorance stems from the same cauldron as fundamental's insistence that the earth and the universe were created in six days in spite of the overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary. Now I don't much care if one chooses to not allow one's own children to read Harry Potter--that is a matter of parental control and authority. But when one forces one's beliefs on others through censorship, I believe the line is crossed. I read Harry Potter, I even dream of what it might be like to be able to cast a spell on my boss from time to time, but that doesn't mean I can or even would if I could. Get a grip. Read about it here--> 11Alive.com - Gwinnett Mom Battles Harry Potter

Zoundry

American Theocracy : The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21stCenturyAmerican Theocracy : The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21stCentury


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