Attempts to Ban Harry Potter

I was actually chatting about this in a mailing list I'm on. The gist of my response was about this part:

"In the Georgia decision, the state board ruled that Mallory had failed to prove that the books promote the Wicca religion."

I guess I'm confused. Even if the books had promoted the Wicca religion, so what? Last I checked, public school districts weren't run by the Christian Church.

I'd make her read the books and pull out any quote at all that equates the magic used in them with anything to do with promoting ANY religion.

As it happens the school closes down in mid-winter for the holiday break, Christmas , I think...

What's the bimbo gonna do next, set a shotgun booby trap in her chimney for Santa?

If the book was banned for promoting Wicca, then wouldn't if follow that logically, any book, promoting any religion could be banned? And, if by promoting we mean mention, then ultimately all books promoting all religions would be banned. Soon, of course, all books would be banned. That is the dream, isn't it?
You know, if the nice lady doesn't want the books, she can ban them from her house. That's her right. But the moment anyone starts controlling what others can and cannot read, then you erode one of the basic freedoms of a free country.
Your country is free or it isn't. If it is, then you have to put up with all manner of things with which you don't personally agree. Because if you fight against an issue, like HP, and win, then someone else will fight against what you hold dear, and will win.
Voicing your opinion is your right and your duty in a democracy. Foisting your opinion is not.

Oh, witches in books are bad?

Get thee out of the library, Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty! Begone, Hans Christian Anderson! Frank Baum, with your witches of the North, South, East and West, run for your life! Lion, the WITCH and the Wardrobe, tremble with fear, and Gandalf had better get to the seminary!

See how ridiculous it is? I think it's the whole teaching aspect that some find fearful. A school that teaches witchcraft and wizardry? Horror! Never mind that it's make believe magic, and in no way, shape or form reflects any current pagan religion. They celebrate no Sabbat, do no rituals, or in any other way even remotely connect any of their 'magic' to pagan practices.

And if she knew anything about the actual pagan religion, she'd know that. Which is where my problem always lies - they jump and scream and shout and have either a) never read any of the books or b) no idea about real paganism. Usually both.

It's irrational and bigoted.

Can I stick my head in here? I posted my Harry Potter expericence here. http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showpost.php?p=598921&postcount=69

I worked at a Christian book store, and even though I am christian I grew impatient with the people who didn't think for themselves. One day a man asked if we had a book about why his son shouldn't read Harry Potter. I didn't even bother looking. Heck, we might have had one, but I had had it. I asked if he had read Harry Potter. "No," he said indignantly. "Why don't you read it and decide for yourself if your son should read it." And he left all in a huff. I wonder if this woman in GA has read it. She obviously has no understanding of it. FOr starters, IT IS FICTION! And the central theme, fighting evil, is a good message for kids.

Harry potter isn't about a relgion. It is a craft.

What bugs me is the mentality that it is fine to stock books for HER religion but damn any other. What do you want to bet that there is a copy of Left Behind in the next asle.

Has anyone mentioned to her that God could handle it all on his own, if He wanted?

Tell her to home school her kid if she doesn't like the library system and to shut up.

The subject caught my eye so I popped onto the board even though I'm a Christian. This grows so tiresome: the crusade against Harry Potter by people who haven't read the books, who don't know the values it promotes, who don't know anything about the author (who, I believe, is a Christian), and who ignore the long, rich tradition of magic as used in Christian literature, from the legends of Arthur to C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. Harry Potter--like all fantasy, is ultimately about good vs. evil, which is a theme in most religions, including Christianity, but which is not specifically "religious" in and of itself. Although I will say, I very much doubt the school library carries Left Behind, and I'm sure if it were ever made assigned reading, people would flip out and be appeased by having the book yanked. Whiners come in all shapes, sizes, and religions.

Does she plan on banning the Left Behind series, as well? I say that if something is going to be banned, they all should be. If you're going to open children's minds (and hearts) to one way of thinking and say, "Choose for yourself," you should give them all the information and then let them decide.

I know this is like beating a dead horse. It has all been said again and again. Same thread different topic. It is just irritating for most of us to have anyone try to push their values on us. Live and let live. She is wasting court time and money for something few are interested in.

This should be filed under frivolous and she should be billed for expenses.

Hold your calls, folks. I think Delarege has the winner. This just screams frivolous lawsuit.

Sorry to intrude, but as a pagan I sometimes check in on what's going on here. I find it interesting that so many Christians see their religion not as one of many systems of belief, rather they consider it the "Truth" and "The Way." Where I live in Eastern Kentucky, school-kids are fed Christianity at a very early age. My kindergartner regularly comes home with Bible song-sheets and stories of Jesus, though I wanted to wait until she was older to expose her to it. And Church and State are supposed to be separate? Not here. The public library doesn't carry more than ten books on Paganism, and those are in the supernatural section rather than the religious. Books on Christianity, on the other hand, take up an entire row of shelves. And while I have never publicly seen any attempts to ban Harry Potter here, I'm sure that at some point it has come up. I guarantee, though, that the school libraries aren't much different here than the public. While kids may not be disciplined for choosing a Harry Potter novel, they will be encouraged by "caring" librarians into choosing "Left Behind" instead. In the end, we're free to believe what we want, as long as we recognize that Christianity takes precedence.