JK Rowling denied top US honour

[Kaboose the Moose]

[Source: BBC News [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8282356.stm]]

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.

Looking back at the Bush era, I can't believe that all this happened only a few years ago. To accuse someone of "sorcery/witchcraft" is really keeping with the times, assuming of course we are in the middle ages.

I cannot believe that this was actually a valid concern amongst US politicians. How on earth did they manage to get elected?

Edit:

It seems that a lot of you have focused on the issue that she was up for an award in the first place. Well honestly, if you have managed to overlook the "encouraged witchcraft" part then I may have to spell out the main issue here:

a) Do you think the people responsible in taking away her honour had a valid claim by saying "she encouraged witchcraft" in her books.

b) Even if she was encouraging witchcraft (by some stretch) is it justifiable to deny someone of an honour/award because of their beliefs.

Or you know, you all can continue discussing the fact that she was not worthy of the award in the first place.

 

[VanityGirl]

I never heard about that, but it is very interesting

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

"This isn't the Dark Ages anymore."
"Oh, I rather Believe It Is..."

sorry, had to quote that.
That just seems a little narrow-minded to me. Oh No! It promotes Witchcraft! *Hiss* :|
well... maybe in a few years she'll get her honors. If they calm down about fairy-tales.

 

[TheFacelessOne]

Oh. Wow. This shows just how stupid we are...

 

[EchetusXe]

If Lattimer is right then that just shows how idiotic the Bush administration were.

 

[Bernzz]

Is it bad of me that I laughed out loud when I read that?

Fuckin' idiotic people, though. It's a friggin' BOOK!

 

[ProfessorLayton]

Great, another overreaction. Promoting witchcraft in a fictional story. I really don't think she deserved a medal or anything, but I also don't think that she was promoting witchcraft by writing a FICTIONAL story about them.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Given that all Rowling did was copy some earlier authors like Sheila Mcullagh or Diana Wynn Jones (Or Shakespear, Aesop if you want to go that far back), I can't see why she should have got it anyway.

But seriously, if you're blocking this, haven't you already admitted that witchcraft actually exists?

 

[Simalacrum]

dear lord, everytime I think American politics is growing up, I hear some stupid shit like this. At least this was a few years ago... still... =\

 

[Eleuthera]

Sorry, did someone just compare Rowling to Steinbeck?

 

[Galaxialconda]

Oh boo-hoo, poor super rich "has the ability to bath in money" JK Rowling.

 

[scrambledeggs]

loloollo poor J.K.

 

[MetaKnight19]

I might be the only one in saying this but, so what? Her books aren't that good *opinion here*, the films are OK but not stellar.

 

[Baggie]

I never really understood harry potter, I just saw a bunch of kids reading kids books. Why adults would openly proclaim they also read kids books is beyond me. Give Terry Pratchett a Nobel Prize and then we'll talk.

 

[Sigel]

Schmeh...I think the reason for not giving her the award are idiotic, but also do not think she merits it especially after reading the seventh book.

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

Oh, no! J.K. Rowling doesn't have the honor from America! It's not like America's the only country in the world.

 

[Distorted Stu]

Govements = Stupid.
That really is out of order, concidering she inspired millions of people to get into reading, mainly children!