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DECEMBER 14, 2006 at 11:53 AM
Posted by GERI
Source: Associated Press
In a year long battle to remove the Harry Potter books from the shelves of the Gwinnett Public Schools in Georgia, Laura Mallory, who has not read the books, may appeal the decision after it was announced
this morning that the books will stay on library bookshelves.
Ms. Mallory started her crusade in November 2005 and with constant decisions and appeals her last avenue, in which she will be able to present testimony from experts, will be the Supreme Court. Ms. Mallory believes the books foster:
... murder and greed and violence. Why do they have to read them in school? If parents wanted to get these books, they could get them in bookstores.
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Hobbit at Heart
Points: 2907
DangerousBookworm says:
Okay. What part of "FIRST AMENDMENT" does this lady not get? If she doesn't want HER kids to read it, she can just tell them not to, like my aunt and uncle did with my cousins. (My dad told them that the books were OK, but by then none of them wanted to read them.) And "murder and greed and violence"? Uh, lady...these books are about GOOD versus evil, and about FRIENDSHIPS and ALLIANCES and GROWING UP, just with a good dash of fantasy thrown in. Geez...she's probably the person that tried to ban Black Beauty.
Sorry. I just wrote an essay on censorship for English class.
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 6:23 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1509
Aurore says:
Some people are so hypocritical. They're all for freedom of religion and freedom of speech until it applies to a topic they disagree with. Just because a book isn't about Christianity doesn't mean it's evil. And Wicca is a religion. Just like Christianity. It's not devil worshipping.
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 6:30 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2380
Phoenix's_Song says:
It just showed her on the news... she was talking about how she doesn't think she'd be able to make an appeal to the Supreme Court because she doesn't have enough money or "energy" for it. if she did make an appeal, it most likely wouldn't go her way... she just needs to let this go...
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 6:30 PM EST
Hobbit at Heart
Points: 2907
DangerousBookworm says:
More to add (sorry, forgot): She hasn't even read the books? One has to read them before one bans them! It just doesn't work that way, Laura Whatsyourface! Good for her that she lost. Her case also has no grounds. I'm Christian, and I adore these books. Same with one of my friends, who's even more obsessed than I am.
Whoever brought up Narnia is absolutely right...it's in the exact same genre as HP and LotR, but Lewis admitted outright that Aslan, etc., were symbolistic of Christian things...and Lewis was an atheist for most of his life. It was actually Tolkien and a couple of others who sat him down and talked God into him...so it figures that, in our twisted world, people freak out over Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings while adoring Narnia...and authors don't matter to kids! They don't really care what religion their favorite author is, as long as the authors write good stuff that the kids can relate to.
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 6:31 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1509
Aurore says:
"Geez...she's probably the person that tried to ban Black Beauty."
Someone tried to ban Black Beauty? WHY?! People are dumb.
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 6:32 PM EST
Heiress of Gryffindor
Points: 3537
Nienna Narmolanya says:
Gosh, what a loser. Haha, murder and greed and violence? Ahh,. Harry Potter SO does not promote that nonsense. It's pretty much against it, and that Mallory lady's and idiot for for talking about great literary works like the Harry Potter books like that without even reading them. *tsk* *tsk*
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 6:37 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2317
loopy looney says:
I am glad this whole tyrade is over, and Harry Potter is allowed to still inspire and entertain kids everywhere!!!
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 6:39 PM EST
Student
Points: 228
Jlgrigsby says:
It aslo teachs friendship and loyalty. That lady needs to get a grip on reality.
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 6:40 PM EST
Goddess of the Moon
Points: 10750
dee_dee says:
That woman needs to get some medications really soon... how can someone be like that? how can she talk about something she didn't even read?
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 6:42 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1675
lissir10 says:
It's not like the books are telling people to go out and kill!! It's more like saying Fight against it! haha!! I hate it when people who haven't read the books critizes(spelling) Them....
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 6:42 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1237
HeadmistressMcGonagall says:
I think it's a good idea to keep Harry Potter on the library shelves. It's a great literacy tool, and if Harry Potter makes kids want to read, and helps kids love to read, then as a teacher, I'm all for it.
HeadmistressMcGonagall
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 6:44 PM EST
Witch
Points: 930
lemonlime says:
I don't think she can really make a fair judgement on the books until she actually picks one up and reads it. Because I definitely don't see how these books promote "murder and greed and violence." Sure there are those things in the books, but as far as I see, JKR has put them in a negative light. Besides, these books have inspired many people to read, and I think that's a good thing.
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 6:52 PM EST
Witch
Points: 686
StormbreakerGirl says:
Well, ofcourse they'll stay on the Georgian shelves! They're GREAT books!
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 6:58 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1041
*Peeves12 says:
Oh boy, here we have another anti-HP person. And whaddya know? She hasn't even read the books! Most people like fiction books that have "murder and greed and violence" because it makes the books interesting. Harry Potter doesn't encourage that stuff anyways. All the evil characters kill and steal, and we're not supposed to like the evil people.
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 6:59 PM EST
Witch
Points: 852
WitOfHermione says:
*sigh* I simply cannot stand people who are ignorant. They deliberately fight when they don't even know what they are talking about. What a waste of carbon.
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 7:10 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2081
kermittounette says:
Oh wow... WHat a geek! I really think that those books can't be put off the bookshelves, every child just learn to read with these books!
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 7:19 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 395
Padfoot. says:
Wow, she's an idiot. If she doesn't want her kid reading the book, than she can just have her kid not read the book. How difficult is that?
Harry Potter will not be banned!
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 7:20 PM EST
Hogwarts Founder
Points: 3482
Godric Gryffindor says:
I'm glad they were let at the bookshelves!
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 7:22 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 377
Michelle&Felicis:) says:
GAAHH GOD!! SHE HASN'T EVEN READ THE BOOKS!!
Harry Potter will STAY-IN-THOSE-SHELVES
ooh yeah.
Stupid woman!
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 7:35 PM EST
Gryffindor's Captain
Points: 15176
DarkVamp says:
Well, I don't think that it is exactly all that fair for them to be doing that to harry potter books... it's basically kind of stupid.
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 7:40 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1294
loonylupinlover says:
Talk about book burning..... It it would start here and where would it end? If this woman had even read one of the books I could maybe understand her being a bit concerned. All she is going to do is have her children is she has any to read them behind her back to see what all the uproar is about. she must have a lot of money and no time on her hands to keep at this for so long. She obviously doesn't understand the constiution or freedom of speech. Very happy she isn't my mom.
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 7:40 PM EST
Sirius's Veil Thrower
Points: 4666
SiriusBlacksGodDaughter says:
Haha, she lost!!! YES! If you think about this, it's sort of ridiculous. It's like taking about PG-13 movies because they're "too violent and gorry".
~Drish~
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 7:56 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2436
emmafan says:
Maybe if she actually read the books she might figure out that they aren't leading people to be greedy and murderers. I don't figure how she has any grounds for an appeal that would make any sense.
People like this make me sick!
General
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 7:58 PM EST
Princess of Fantasy
Points: 2538
magiclover13 says:
Well, that's just weird. It's her opinion only. Plus she never even read the books!
"... murder and greed and violence. Why do they have to read them in school? If parents wanted to get these books, they could get them in bookstores."
Well, it looks like the "murder and greed and violence" won. ;D
And part of the reason why people go to libraries to borrow books is so that they don't have to spend the money on them.
At least she lost. :D
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 8:29 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 302
xGryffindorGirlx says:
I'm happy that she didn't get what she wanted that's for sure. The Harry Potter series is something that we can read and get away from the harsh lives we all have. It opens up our imaginations with characters that we can all relate to. A fantasy world that we would usually only dream about. These books are just like any other book and should be available to read in bookstores, public and school libraries. If we were to listen to every person who had an issue with an book, not just Harry Potter, there wouldn't be any books left on the shelves!
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 8:40 PM EST
Witch
Points: 894
darkside rocker says:
This lady will not give up.
Posted Dec 14, 2006 at 8:56 PM EST
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