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JK Rowling denied top US honour
BBC ^ | 9/30/2009 | BBC

Posted on 09/30/2009 7:42:01 PM PDT by Saije

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.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Books/Literature
KEYWORDS: book; bush; latimer; rowling
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Another juicy tidbit from Latimer's book and I don't find this one all that believable either. If Rowling was rejected for the Medal of Freedom it wouldn't exactly be a surprise. Her books may be entertaining best-sellers but that wouldn't seem to be a sufficient reason for her to get this kind of recognition from the President.
1 posted on 09/30/2009 7:42:05 PM PDT by Saije
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To: Saije

Not giving her the medal of freedom is one thing, however, saying she ‘encourages witchcraft’ is like saying that Walt Disney encouraged poisoning apples.


2 posted on 09/30/2009 7:43:23 PM PDT by mnehring
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To: Saije

I’ll never forget being in a bible study in which one of the elders of my church (who was the person giving the study) brought up how he was looking forward to the next Harry Potter book to read with his kid. He said the books encouraged youth to understand good versus evil.

One lady in our packed room raised her hand and then asked him how he could justify encouraging the reading of books that are based in witchcraft and wizardry, especially for children.

I was known for having pretty solid justifications to any position or opposing position brought up in class. However, on this one, the elder looked at me as though I would help defend his position. I smiled and simply shrugged. :-) It was funny watching him recover and justify the books.


3 posted on 09/30/2009 7:51:54 PM PDT by ConservativeMind (Liberals have an inability to value good character or to desire it for themselves.)
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To: Saije

Exactly,

1. Some people who supported the president do not like the witchcraft in her books.

2. She was not given an award.

This does not necessarily imply causality.


4 posted on 09/30/2009 7:52:38 PM PDT by JLS
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To: Saije

why would we give a civilian honor to a foreigner?


5 posted on 09/30/2009 7:53:35 PM PDT by plain talk
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To: Saije

What would we give a Medal of Freedom to a British author of children’s books for? I mean, they’re great books and she’s sold a boatload of them, but a Medal of Freedom? Why?


6 posted on 09/30/2009 7:55:18 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: Saije

Oh, come on! She was a guest of the White House several times, even reading from one of her books at the Easter Egg Roll one year. If she didn’t get every honor in existence, that doesn’t mean she was discriminated against.


7 posted on 09/30/2009 7:55:55 PM PDT by TurtleUp ([...Insert today's quote from Community-Organizer-in-Chief...] - Obama, YOU LIE!)
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To: Saije
In what way did Rowling's books contribute to US national interest, world peace or cultural endeavours? They pretty much just encouraged her pocket books. As for getting people to read, C.S. Lewis's books are being read by three of my five children (the other two are still working out See Jack Run).
8 posted on 09/30/2009 7:56:18 PM PDT by wbarmy (Hard core, extremist, and right-wing is a little too mild for my tastes.)
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To: mnehring

Snow White shacked up with seven dwarfs. Half of Disney’s characters are naked from the waist down. And dogs owning dogs is just shy of slavery.

The HP books promote goodness over evil, loyalty between friends, acceptance of those different from ourselves, and the value of learning.


9 posted on 09/30/2009 7:56:55 PM PDT by bgill (The framers of the US Constitution established an entire federal government in 18 pages.)
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To: plain talk

“why would we give a civilian honor to a foreigner?”

I thought of that too and did a quick search. Foreigners are given the Pres. Medal of Freedom. Tony Blair. Mother Theresa, a bunch of others.


10 posted on 09/30/2009 7:57:48 PM PDT by Saije
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To: Saije

Why, exactly, would she get the Presidential Medal of Freedon. No Americans eligible?


11 posted on 09/30/2009 7:59:34 PM PDT by CaptRon
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To: Saije

“As a result, she was never presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. “

Um, she’s never done that, promote freedom, wo why would she be given the medal? I didn’t get one, either.


12 posted on 09/30/2009 8:00:35 PM PDT by CodeToad (If it weren't for physics and law enforcement I'd be unstoppable!)
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To: Saije

Not giving her a medal she didn’t deserve is a big deal?? Can we give her the Presidential Medal of Literacy?? How did she ever promote freedom?


13 posted on 09/30/2009 8:00:43 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: Saije

I didn’t get one either.


14 posted on 09/30/2009 8:02:20 PM PDT by ThomasThomas (It always easier to find spelling errors after you post.)
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To: Saije
if anyone should get a medal of freedom it should be this man for teaching kids (especially from very culturally deprived backgrounds) how to read in the first place:

Zig Engelmann
15 posted on 09/30/2009 8:04:18 PM PDT by ari-freedom (Fiscal conservatism without social conservatism is dead.)
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To: Saije
Unmitigated BS. Rowling is not a US citizen for one thing, which makes the hurdle for the CMF a lot higher for her. Her books would have to have a significance beyond entertainment, either in a spiritual or revelatory way. Has she discovered anything new? Has her writing positively impacted our civilization wholesale? Has she by her writing liberated the minds of men and women the world over?Has she become a philanthropist with her massive wealth?

No.

She writes great fiction that borders on a mind f__k. That alone doesn't make the grade.

JR Tolkien would be a different matter, if he were still alive.

16 posted on 09/30/2009 8:04:30 PM PDT by Candor7 (The effective weap<p>ons against Fascism are ridicule, derision, and truth (Member NRA)
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To: Saije

I like the HP books.

That said, I don’t think they rise to the level of the Medal of Freedom.


17 posted on 09/30/2009 8:06:33 PM PDT by PLMerite (Speak Truth to Stupid.)
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To: ConservativeMind
There is no need to justify a work of fiction. The books don't encourage witch craft because they are patently untrue and merely for entertainment purposes only. Any person with a brain can recognize the difference between fiction and a work that would really encourage the practice of witch craft.

These books are entertaining and they do have a good moral to them overall, I feel sorry for self righteous people who let their religious fervor over ride their good sense to the point they can't even read a work of fiction for fear of being contaminated.

18 posted on 09/30/2009 8:13:24 PM PDT by calex59 (FUBO, we want our constitution back and we intend to get it!)
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To: Billthedrill

I was wondering the same thing.


19 posted on 09/30/2009 8:14:51 PM PDT by MamaB (If you see someone without a smile, give them yours.)
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To: Saije

Did Enid Blyton, James Herriot, or Roal Dahl get the Medal of Freedom? How about Tolkin?


20 posted on 09/30/2009 8:16:01 PM PDT by paudio (Road to hell is paved by unintended consequences of good intentions)
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