A woman in Gwinnett County, Georgia, is trying to get the Harry Potter books pulled out of the school libraries here. She objects to the books because they "promote witchcraft", and "they show witches in a good light".
My question: What is the proper response to such nonsense?
Thanks for your views.
2006-10-03 05:45:53 · 7 answers · asked by silvercomet 6 in Education & Reference ➔ Other - Education
Hi, Dickn200, I live in Alpharetta (probably 5 miles from you!), and it was that TV piece that got me started.
I'm on the phone to the Gwinnett Co. school board as I write.
What total nonsense.
2006-10-03 06:01:00 · update #1
I live in Roswell and just watched this moron on the noon news. The best thing you can do is to get everyone you know to call the Gwinnett County board of education and voice your opinions!
2006-10-03 05:55:57 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This here is the single best response to the "witchcraft" in Harry Potter that I have found.
Author John Granger writes a lot about the controversy, and he has done some in-depth analysis of the HP books in light of the way that they support the Christian faith. His thesis is that the HP books and the magic within them is not counter-Christian, but pro-Christian. He has written some good books with compelling arguments that would help you a lot in this response, as the nonsense is often coming from misguided Christian groups and individuals.
The following website is written by Granger, and it addresses the magic controversy, the issue of books being good for children (and JK Rowling's interesting treatment of this issue), and the Christian imagery found in one of the HP books. I suggest picking up some of his books if you want an even more in-depth reading into this topic!
http://www.ev90481.dial.pipex.com/harry_potter_granger.htm
I would love to see these arguments get presented in that Georgia courthouse. I think that the defense of Harry Potter though, will be superficial, and even if the woman loses, some fundamental Christian groups will feel like they are still right. However, if the arguments in the paper above were part of the defense, these groups would have to stop and reconsider their position.
2006-10-04 00:46:43 · answer #2 · answered by crazyperson1972 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why can't she just reject things that aren't a part of her religion? I've never seen a Muslim in a stripclub, or an Amish person in a...car. But they don't tell us that WE can't go into stripclubs or cars.
In the article I read, the library board in Gwinnett county also eliminated funding for Spanish books, for fear that illegals may benefit from them. Yah, that's a great idea. Let's limit our perspective to all english, all Chrisitan. Are they gonna ban tacos next just in case there are illegals who are hungry around the corner? Brilliant.
http://apnews1.iwon.com//article/20061004/D8KHTC800.html
2006-10-04 12:03:58 · answer #3 · answered by truthyness 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You respond the same way you respond to any vocal extremist... ignore her. She is off her rocker, and the rest of the world can just let it go. Even if it is pulled from school libraries, it is not a big deal. She will never get it passed anyway. I would be more worried about Cobb Counties stance on evolution than this...
2006-10-03 05:57:22 · answer #4 · answered by Craig B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i assume you are asking if you should say or do something.
personally i would have no initial response.i would continue to watch her progress and if it starts looking like she might get it done,then i'd take some action,such as allying myself with like minded people to protest it.
i have heard that there is a list of books that are threatened to be banned.no matter what the subject no book can be banned by any government agency and have it stand a court challenge.
2006-10-03 06:00:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Obviously an uneducated person. Think of all the books can could be banned if we all took that approach. Would Peter Pan be barred because there is no Never-land, no fairies----(witchcraft?????)
2006-10-03 05:56:18 · answer #6 · answered by Bella Donna 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
um...are they going to ban
Wizard of Oz (glinda, the "good" witch?)
Casper the friendly ghost?
halloween stories?
uh..i dunno, but i'm sure there are other "magic" books. come on!! gimme a break..... it's a BOOK.....i've grown up learning about wizards, and witches, and wands and spells.. i've never turned into a crazy "magic" freak.. sigh. what is this world coming to....
2006-10-03 05:58:02 · answer #7 · answered by sasmallworld 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋