Anti-Harry Potter fundie at it AGAIN, after being rebuffed by Ga. Dept of Educ.

[CurtEastPoint]

What IS it with these people??? Since you have to register to read the AJC, here's the crux of this idiot's saga. Again, wasting taxpayer money while plugging her fundy religion:

She has taken her case to administrators at the Loganville elementary school her children attend; to a school appeals committee; to the Gwinnett County Board of case to administrators at the Loganville elementary school her children attend; to a school appeals committee; to the Gwinnett County Board of Education; and to the Georgia Board of Education. She's lost at each level.

Along the way, she's been derided by columnists and in letters to the editor in publications as far away as Canada. In a Dec. 15 editorial, the Augusta Chronicle called Mallory's campaign "ludicrous" and said, "Ms. Mallory and her ilk are tilting at the wrong windmill."

Still, Mallory insists her campaign to kick Harry Potter out of public school libraries has been worth it.

"Some parents who've heard about the controversy in the media, now, instead of taking Harry Potter at face value, they've started looking into the effects of it," Mallory said.

Mallory bases her claim, in part, on testimonials and Internet articles by conservative Christian authors that she's posted on her Web site.

Mallory acknowledges she hasn't read any of the six books in the "Harry Potter" series. The seventh — and final one — is scheduled for release this summer.

Regardless of the outcome of today's hearing, Mallory said she'll go "as far as necessary to get the truth out."

"Personally, I don't think it's a good idea to raise a whole generation of witches," Mallory said.

"I don't think it's good for our country."

[tanyev]

1. She'll go as far as necessary to get the truth out.

Except for actually reading any of the books she is complaining about.


:eyes:

[TrogL]

31. I dealt with a parent like that

Objecting to a book she hadn't read.

Her response - "Why should I read about sin? I can judge the book by its cover."

I wish I was making that up.

[msongs]

2. want to get witchcraft out of schools? take out all the bibles nt

[Goblinmonger]

3. As an English teacher

I want to just throat punch people like this for having the audacity to take books away from kids. Like HP or not, the series has caused a lot of kids to start reading that otherwise would not be.

As a reader, I am amazed that she cannot see the clear biblical discussion of good vs. evil that HP gets in to. I am expecting at least one clear christ reference in the last book and probably two.

[kay1864]

5. That's part of why she keeps losing

Hordes of people (parents and kids) show up to testify that they wouldn't be reading at all if it weren't for HP.

And not one mentions being turned to witchcraft. Go figure.

[kestrel91316]

45. THANK YOU. Harry Potter is what finally got my young nephew

interested enough in reading to become GOOD at it, and get his grades up.

He has just finished his freshman year at UMinn majoring in speech therapy, and he got a 4.0. He plans to go to medical school.

Harry Potter gets a thumbs-up from me!

[kay1864]

4. You can read the AJC article without registering...

By going to www.bugmenot.com.

Article is here: http://www.ajc.com/services/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2007/05/28/0529metPOTTER.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=13



Personally, I don't think it's a good idea to raise a whole generation of witches," Mallory said

What a loony. And what a waste of taxpayer dollars.


Edit: Picture from the article. Note the look of the woman next to her:


Laura Mallory took her Harry Potter challenge from the school level in Gwinnett to the state Board of Education late last year.

[kestrel91316]

47. Figures. What a STEPFORD WIFE!

[BlueJazz]

6. My Scientific Take on this highly volatile subject.

"Personally, I don't think it's a good idea to raise a whole generation of Fucking Idiots," Bluejazz said.

[YOY]

7. The fact that some people can't process the word 'fiction' shows that they have been buying into the

craziest fiction of them all: A holy book taken literally.

[woodsprite]

10. You would love the convo my daughter and I had the other day.

Out of the blue, she asked if she could ask me a question (she's 14). She asked what I honestly thought of the Bible - Did I believe that it was literally the word of God or was it one huge metaphor? I told her maybe the original scrolls started out that way, but as a book it's been rewritten/edited by politicians and religious figureheads over the centuries to control and manipulate the masses. It's an interesting piece of literature that may still have some truths in it, but it's hard to weed thru. If a person tries to live a life of love and caring for EVERYONE, as Jesus did, then you really don't need additional "instructions" and the world would be a much better place for all people.

I told her to consider it's similarity to the Pirate Code - a collection of guidelines. (Yeah, we went to see Pirates of the Caribbean this weekend ;)

[YOY]

11. Amazing that the New Testament can be rolled up into a few simple non-fantastic lines

but all the other bunk and fluff get in the way.

[Clark2008]

15. Here's the bottom line of the New Testament:

# Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
# Blessed are the meek: for they shall posses the land.
# Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted.
# Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.
# Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
# Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.
# Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
# Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Now, how many fundies do any or even half of these?

[YOY]

17. The difference between right wing and left wing Christians I guess

The RW prefers the 10 Commandments, the scary Revelations/Leviticus shit, and John 3:16.

The LW prefers the Beatitudes and Matthew 5:44.

I guess I'll just stick with agnosticism with a moderate Christian philosophy.

[Clark2008]

23. Whenever I hear that clap trap about the 10 Commandments, I

always answer with the fact that, as a Christian, I'd rather see the Beatitudes.

I get some weird looks as though they have no clue what I'm talking about.

[conscious evolution]

35. We also like the beatledudes

"All you need is love"
"All we are saying is give peace a chance"
"Imagine"

[YOY]

37. I could do without Wings though...

"Simply Having A Wonderful Christmastime" makes me want to kill puppies...nothing to do with our nefarious 'war on Christmas' either...

[kestrel91316]

48. I find it interesting that I have never once heard a fundie quote from

the Beatitudes.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

8. How in the world did I survive "The Wizard of Oz" year after year...

without turning into a witch, good or wicked.

[conscious evolution]

39. LOL!

I remember seeing that at church a lot growing up.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

42. And the walls didn't come tumblin' down? No bolts of lightning?

Impressive. :-)

[conscious evolution]

46. The toilets overflowed one year

Does that count?

[Solly Mack]

9. She really needs to stop the huffing

[freethought]

12. Hasn't read any of the books, eh?

Too bad. One thing I have always liked about Harry Potter is a strong message of the value of friendship and the ability of the main character to keep his good nature in the face of adversities.
And here this woman worry about raising witches!? WTF?

I would be willing to bet money that this woman has some steamy sex novels hidden away in her home.

[Gemini Cat]

25. Ha! I bet you're right about those steamy novels

o/t This is the same type who will say it's okay for the government to read their e-mails and etc, since "they" have nothing to hide. However, they seem to forget about those nasties e-mails and other wise they have hidden away!

[RamboLiberal]

49. There are a lot of good moral lessons in Harry Potter

I've been slowly working my way through the audio versions of the book. One of the things that struck me was the anti-slavery/pro working rights stand that Hermonie(sp) takes towards the house elfs.

[Bitwit1234]

13. I agree - we shouldn't raise witches

You could spell that with a "B". But it seems to me this woman is the witch.

Why should the whole state be subjected to her views. It is about time that people picked a conservative book and made the rounds telling them to BURN it.

When the conservatives start protesting, just ask them how it feels. Altho you can't say Harry Potter is of any political party.

[LostinVA]

14. There aren't any witches in Harry Potter anyway

Moran.

[kay1864]

20. Huh?

The name of the school is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The boys train to become wizards, the girls train to become witches.

[LostinVA]

27. I don't think I've ever heard the term "witch" used in any of the books

To describe any of the characters.

[gollygee]

30. They call themselves witches and wizards

I'm quite sure that word is used. They even have a magazine called Witch Weekly.

[mondo joe]

41. Indeed. And Hermione is "the most talented witch of [her] generation" -

per Sirius Black.

[KamaAina]

38. Yes, but real Wiccans do not practice Hogwarts-style witchcraft

or wizardry.

Of course, there's no way this ignorant Muggle would ever know that. That would imply that she actually bothered to learn something about Wicca rather than just repeating "Four legs good, two legs bad". :P

[Fire Walk With Me]

16. She should read some Clive Barker books. He's writing children's books now.

Brrr. Makes Harry Potter look like the Velveteen Rabbit in comparison.

Perhaps she's a publicity hound? I remember the Michigan housewife who went after "Married with Children" and only served to boost it's popularity.

[YOY]

18. Barker is also working on 'Jericho' (not the TV show)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJomQXRfzgc

That'll straighten your short 'n' curlies!

[Mz Pip]

19. I challenge

Ms. Mallory to cite an example of one child who has turned into a witch from reading Harry Potter. Where's this "a whole generation of witches" coming from? I suspect it's coming from Ms. Mallory's paranoid delusions.

Mental illness is tragic but there is hope. Meds are good for such things but you've got to take them, Ms. Mallory.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[kay1864]

21. Oh, she already "found" one...

From April 2006, her second (IIRC) defeat:

At Thursday’s hearing, Mallory spoke against the books along with four other parents and students. One of them was Stacy Thomas, a mother of five, who said reading the “Harry Potter” series made her daughter turn to witchcraft, ultimately causing their Christian family to lose friends, finances and their reputation.

Her daughter, Jordan Fusch, 15, testified that she began experimenting with tarot cards, curses and seances after reading the books. “As a former witch, I can tell you that witchcraft is not fantasy. ... I felt I could not escape the clutches of witchcraft,” Fusch said. “It has taken several years of counseling to get to where I was before witchcraft and reading ‘Harry Potter’ books.”

As another DUer noted, you can't make this shit up.

[Mz Pip]

22. I remember OUIJA boards

back when I was a teenager. I suppose some people take that stuff seriously but, like anything else for most people it's pretty harmless entertainment.

THe novelty of Tarot and seances would probably have lost its appeal if the girl had just been left alone. Then again this girl probably had a whiole lot of other issues and the witchcraft thing was just a manifestation of a much deeper problem. If Harry Potter didn't trigger her problems, something else would have.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[kay1864]

28. And that Ouija board scarred you for life, didn't it?

:rofl:

Me, I think the girl was put up to it. It's not above fundies to lie blatantly to make their case, since in their minds the ends justify the means. "Now Jordan dear, here's what Jesus wants you to say tomorrow..."

I saw the girl on the news that night and she wasn't very convincing.

Not to mention that Tarot cards and seances are nowhere to be found in the HP books.

[LostinVA]

29. She also apparently doesn't know what "witches" and "witchcraft" are

Moran.

[Initech]

24. So she's morally against Potter, yet hasn't read any of them? What a tool!!!

:rofl:

[InvisibleTouch]

26. Nothing wrong with raising witches.

As a whole, the Wiccans I know are a lot more sane and moral than any fundie-wackjob I've ever seen. We could do worse.

[dflprincess]

32. This reminds me

I need to stop at Barnes & Noble and get my name on the list for the new (and last) Harry Potter book.

[Maeve]

43. Princess, you shock me!

I've had it pre-ordered on amazon for MONTHS!!!

Tsk...

[Hawkeye-X]

50. Already done that last week, online

Waiting for shipment.

Can't wait!

[Fleshdancer]

33. I want her to read the The Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman...

her head would explode. ;)

[mark414]

34. look at this gem of a quote:

At Tuesday's hearing, Mallory argued in part that witchcraft is a religion practiced by some people and, therefore, the books should be banned because reading them in school violates the constitutional separation of church and state.

and the very next sentence is:

"I have a dream that God will be welcomed back in our schools again," Mallory said. "I think we need him."

christ what a moron

[FVZA_Colonel]

40. That really sums up the Fundie worldview quite well.

Seperation of Church and State, but only when applying it to non-Christian religions.

[stanwyck]

36. If you really want to be scared

watch "Jesus Camp". Harry Potter is one of the targets of the evangelicals. But what really is scary is that the evangelicals want to raise an army of children so committed to Christianity, that they will kill and die for the cause. Just like the fundamentalist Muslims -- who the children's minister admires...for their ferocity.
If you don't think the fundamentlist Christians are gaining, consider that Monica Goodling, and hundreds of other graduates from Pat Robertson's "college" and Jerry Falwell's "college", have permeated this administration. They're top picks for federal jobs throughout this fundie administration.
And, as we saw during Goodling's testimony, their qualifications lie not in their knowledge, but in their religion. Goodling, a "lawyer", didn't have the first clue about the law. She kept referring to "rules". "Uh, those are laws." She was told. Repeatedly. "Oh, I might have stepped over the line." Great job on the education, Pat.
And these are the people working for us, running our country. Now, that's scarier than any monster Harry Potter has come up against yet.

[kestrel91316]

44. The "witches" in the Harry Potter books are FICTIONAL, you freak!

She'd work just as hard to deny folks the right to practice true Wicca if she knew it existed, which I suspect she doesn't.