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[disnut8]

I'm surprised Vengeance missed this one.  It's happening in our own backyard.  A Gwinnett County woman wants the Harry Potter books banned from the public schools libraries.  A quote:

Laura Mallory, the parent who filed the complaint, said the books conflict with her
Christian beliefs. She said the stories glorify witchcraft.

"There are so many problems facing our children today ? drugs, alcohol, violence and the growth of the occult, too," Mallory said. "These books are helping to mainstream witchcraft. These books are dangerous and harmful to our children."

Needless to say, there has been much discussion and debate here.  A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.  Christians are supporting Ms. Mallory.  Others are saying that although she has a right to voice her opinion, she doesn't have the right to remove something like this based on just her beliefs.

A couple of quotes from responses:

"Never mind that Harry Potter is responsible for a resurgence in children reading or that the books are about good winning over evil. I'm still trying to find the demonic activity in the six books we own because I really don't recall any. Entertaining storytelling with a great message for children. Yes. Demonic activity. Nope."

My favorite, though and true to any topic of this kind -

"If you don't like it, don't read it!''

?Posted by "OMS seventh-grader" on the message board

Sigh - it's no wonder some children grow up with little or no imagination.  They aren't allowed to have one.  I think that's more dangerous than Harry Potter.

[elmono311]

She can respect the rest of the population's opinion and the right to free speech and she can shut the hell up. Man, I hate when people get all righteous and try to force their ideals onto other people.

[Vengeance]

I can't cover everything! 


Honestly, I've dissected the First Amendment to death because that's my ENTIRE law class this semester and there's nothing to worry about. She won't win. Even if she were to win, it would go to SCOTUS eventually (if they rule for the woman consistently through the appeals process) and there just isn't any way they could justify removing the material.

[disnut8]

She won't win. Even if she were to win, it would go to SCOTUS eventually

It took me a while to figure out what SCOTUS was.  Thank goodness for reading Tom Clancey!

[Supermercado]

She can respect the rest of the population's opinion and the right to free speech and she can shut the hell up. Man, I hate when people get all righteous and try to force their ideals onto other people.

And that's the bottom line right there. If I want to read something, then dammit, I'm going to do so.

[disnut8]

Here's an update.  This woman has NEVER read an entire Harry Potter book!!!  She has just read some paragraphs here and there.  If you are going to make such an outlandish judgement, at least have some backup for it.  It's like taking all those movie reviews to heart.  Like "a great motion picture".  But what you don't see is "a great motion picture for the blind, deaf, and dumb".

[elmono311]

Like all these religious folk who have never read The Da Vinci Code and are dead against it. IT'S A WORK OF FICTION!!!