Posted on 09/07/2009 12:13:01 PM PDT by DoctorBulldog
In Obama's fascist speech to your schoolchildren, he promotes J.K. Rowling as someone to admire. Of course, she is a self-admitted "Left-Wing" Socialist who teaches kids bad morals and Socialism via her fictional characters. Gee, imagine that...
Just so you know that I'm not making this stuff up, I have copied the text from the Socialist Party of Australia:
Potty about Harry Potter
With over 325 million copies of all seven books sold worldwide, the last four books have also been, consecutively, the fastest selling in history. They have been translated into over 65 languages and author JK Rowling has amassed over $1 Billion (US). In short Harry Potter is a worldwide phenomenon.
Suzanne Beishon from the Socialist Party asks why?
They are not stunning literary creations, the writing is average at best, and yet they have set alight the imaginations of children and adults across the world.
The key is the huge attention to detail. Treading that fine line between convincing and far-fetched that so many fantasies fail in, it comes out on top. The last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, does not disappoint.
The sixth book built up to a stunning finale and while, when I picked up the final book I thought this is too thin to be able to tie up all the loose ends it achieves it magically (excuse the pun!).
So, with the close of Harry Potter (although there are still two more films to come), we can ask what relevance does Harry Potter have for socialists?
JK Rowling has called herself left-wing and has also said that within the books there is a certain amount of political stuff.
Of this there is evidence throughout, such as the three unforgivable curses being killing, torture and enslavement.
There are comments on slavery with the oppression of the house-elves whose cause is taken up by Hermione who sets up the Society for the Protection of Elvish Welfare.
There are also comments on the education system, testing, the curriculum and the virtues of the Baccalaureate over A-Levels or in Hogwarts case, O.W.L.S.
Racism and discrimination are a theme throughout. The fight for a multicultural society is borne out in the battle against Lord Voldemorts dream of a world dominated by the superior pure-blood wizards.
In the story all the mainstream media is used by the state to discredit the anti-Voldemort movement. It is only the small independent press and pirate radio that is able to put the truth out to the wizarding world.
Why does Harry Potter deserve to be reviewed by socialists? Not only does it have positive political comments throughout and has been so incredibly successful, it has also achieved where many governments have failed for years, in getting hundreds of thousands of children that do not normally read, reading.
You are reading waaaaayyyyy too much into this. She is the most well known author around these days. She has written a series of books many in his audience will have read. She backs up the message of the speech, work hard and good things will eventually happen.
He may or may not know of her politics, it really has nothing to do with him mentioning her in the speech. Her politics really have little to do with why he is holding her up as an example to follow.
That is very helpful. Thank you.
That is very helpful. Thank you.
Thank you for your willingness to hear me out.
Cheers
She gave a million quid to the Labour Party. I wonder how much they just *took* from her out of the billion she earned?
What they ought to do is tax her back down to a working-class income and see how much she still likes it. I’d love to watch her write that check to the Inland Revenue Service.
That said, I’ve read all the books and liked them very much.
Yes, I’ve read her books too and have also enjoyed them. In fact, it was via her Harry Potter books that I first picked up on her Socialist leanings. Also of note is the way in which she portrays the Ministry of Magic as somewhat totalitarian.
Cheers
Oh, one more J.K. Rowling quote I forgot to include:
“Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open. That is my view. It is very inclusive, and yes, you are right: I am left-wing.”
http://www.angelfire.com/mi3/cookarama/ewinter.html
Cheers
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