JK Rowling denied 'Top US Honour'

[Scotracer]

Harry Potter author JK Rowling missed out on a top honour because some US politicians believed she "encouraged witchcraft", it has been claimed.


Matt Latimer, former speech writer for President George W Bush, said that some members of his administration believed her books promoted sorcery.
As a result, she was never presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The claims appear in Latimer's new book called Speechless: Tales of a White House Survivor.
He wrote that "narrow thinking" led White House officials to object to giving Rowling the civilian honour.
The award acknowledges contributions to US national interest, world peace or cultural endeavours.
Past literary recipients of the award include John Steinbeck and Harper Lee.
Others denied the privilege under the Bush administration included Senator Edward Kennedy, who died in August this year.
Latimer claimed, in his book, that the veteran politician and health care activist was excluded because he was deemed to be too liberal.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8282356.stm

This is the most powerful government in the world and they are scared of witchcraft? I thought we had left the dark ages behind.

Questions for debate:

1) Is the US as superstitious as this report appears to show?

2) Is the claim in any way justified; does the series promote 'witchcraft'?

3) Am I the only one horrified by it?

[Nilloc James]

Competing magic?

Exactly religion does not like competion.

And a long standing history of repressing pagans doesn't help the situation.

[Coyotero]

You're absolutely right Cathar.

Howacome famous actors and musicians embrace Qabbalah as a trend (An ancient form of Hebrew sorcery that was also practiced by the likes of Master Therion Aleister Crowley and self-proclaimed Necromancer Arthur Edward Waite), and we hear relatively little about it from the fundies, but then J.K. Rowling writes a book about a form of magic that isn't even practiced by any real religion, and they get their panties all in a bunch?

What is it about Wicca/Witchcraft that so frightens these people? Truth be told, Wiccans are about the least scary religious sect I've ever known. Most Wiccans I've known would give you the shirt off their back if you asked 'em for it.

What I don't get is the irrational fear. They have their rituals and sacraments just like every other religion, but because of the names they use they're treated like something to be feared. Makes no sense.

[VermilionUK]

Have some American's not realised that Harry Potter is fictional? And these people are in the Government of all places!
Sorcery/witchcraft is all make-belief, it's fantasy. Nothing more.

I saw a video last night showing a woman from "Jesus camp" telling a group of 5-16 year olds that Harry Potter is a sorcerer, and that God will kill him - no matter how much of a hero Harry Potter was

I don't get it - we're in the 21st Century. Surely we are past the age of fearing witchcraft.

[Ink]

1)Is the US as superstitious as this report appears to show?
I honestly don't know. I see some things on the news or internetz that give the impression America is one big conservative, gay-hating, bible bashing country. But then I see things that give the total opposite impression, so yeah, I don't know.

2) Is the claim in any way justified; does the series promote 'witchcraft'?
I guess it could, I've seen Harry Potter fangirls claim they were Wiccan after reading Harry Potter, although it is my bet that they didn't actually believe anything they said. But I do not see witchcraft as a threat in the same way the people who denied JK Rowling the award see it as a threat.

3) Am I the only one horrified by it?
To be honest I'm not really suprised, so I can't really be horrified if that makes sense?

[ForkieUK]

I've heard a lot recently that a lot of (American?) Christians actually believe that the Harry Potter films promote, condone, and I've seen the word 'teach' sorcery/witchcraft.

Is this a genuine fear? Because this concept simply does not compute in my brain. Are there people who genuinely believe that: a) Magic such as the magic portrayed in Harry Potter, i.e. magic wands and turning people into frogs and the like, actually exists and, b) that the children's books/films can actually make kids believe that they can do this magic themselves and cause some kind of disaster?

If this is the case, surely any film with the mildest of similar CGI special effects has the potential for the same thing. Do they lock their kids in boxes or force them to where goggles so their eyes don't inadvertently glance a TV screen or something?

Is it such a national fear that a presumably fully grown, mature, rational government official shares that same fear to the point that he actually denies the author a literary award for fear of condoning the same said sorcery?

I am genuinely boggled by this. BOGGLED I tell you!