JK Rowling denied top US honour

BBC ^ | 9/30/2009 | BBC

[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.

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Latimer claimed, in his book, that the veteran politician and health care activist [Ted Kennedy] was excluded because he was deemed to be too liberal.

As soon as Obama awards the Medal of Freedom to Rush Limbaugh, I'll concede Latimer's point here.

[The4thHorseman]

I decided to re-read the series this summer and I’m about 3/4 of the way through the Half-Blood Prince. Enjoying it as much as the first time—but I’m looking forward to Deathly Hallows; that’s where the reality of the fight against evil really hits home (even though I did cry quite a bit reading it).

[SuziQ]

Oh, I got fahklepmt several times reading the series, but then, my kids will tell you I'm very soft hearted. I could never read the Christmas story, "The Littlest Angel", to them, because the premise of the story just breaks my heart.