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[gofreak]

*smacks forehead* It amazes me how some people manage to get elected. And I don't just mean some US politicians, but others elsewhere. But anyway, another crazy insight into the Bush era:

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.

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.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8282356.stm

 

[Jenga]

was this before or after goblet of fire

 

[Kurtofan]

Witchcraft:lol :lol
In which century do they live in?

 

[mAcOdIn]

Why would she have gotten one, isn't she British? I can understand giving it to a foreigner who makes some great advancement or discovery for the species but a fiction author? Whatever.

 

[Tieno]

Seeing the Bush administration and reading the aftermath, then seeing how some americans react to Obama 6 months into his first term...it's like my brain wants to explode. It's insane.

 

[timetokill]

It recognizes those individuals whom have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."

.... and why was Rowling even considered in the first place?

 

[numble]

"The Presidential Medal of Freedom recognizes those individuals whom have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."

 

[Tieno]

.... and why was Rowling even considered in the first place?

It'd probably fall under culture or significant public endeavors?

Regardless, it matters on what grounds she was denied: witchcraft. Wether she'd actually deserve the medal, is a discussion worth having.

 

[Saya]

She got millions of kids (and adults) to read again, so I think a honour like that is not that out of place.

 

[mAcOdIn]

She got millions of kids (and adults) to read again, so I think a honour like that is not that out of place.

Ehh, if she hadn't have come along it would have just been done by the Twilight author.

 

[Ashes]

Ehh, if she hadn't have come along it would have just been done by the Twilight author.

She got kids to read thousands and thousands of pages. When saya said she got them to read, Saya meant she got them to really read.
And the numbers hp books draw in compared to twilight aren't on the same continent, let alone the same ball park.

 

[Tieno]

Ehh, if she hadn't have come along it would have just been done by the Twilight author.

But it didn't and she used her money for philanthropy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._K._Rowling#Philanthropy

But if she hadn't written Harry Potter, she wouldn't have done that either so it doesn't matter, right?

 

[aku:jiki]

Ehh, if she hadn't have come along it would have just been done by the Twilight author.

I don't think you've been following what's been happening to the world's reading habits if you believe this to be true. Kids certainly don't read anymore.

 

[mAcOdIn]

she got kids to read thousands and thousands of pages. When saya said she got them to read, saya meant she got them to really read.
and the numbers hp books draw in compared to twilight aren't in the same continent, let alone the same ball park.

This is why I hate encouraging "art." Both books suck so I could care less if people read either of them. I don't consider the mere act of reading to be all that impressive if it's spent reading Harry Potter or Twilight.

But I will admit that Twilight is not even close to the same scale that Harry Potter was for children or adults and that Rowling's success is more deserved than whoever it was that wrote Twilight. The Twilight comment was more a knock against Harry Potter than trying to elevate Twilight to Harry Potter's status, which is kind of a mindfuck as technically they're both the same, but the nuance I meant was completely different, lol.

But it didn't and she used her money for philanthropy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._K._Rowling#Philanthropy

But if she hadn't written Harry Potter, she wouldn't have done that either so it doesn't matter, right?

Now see, that's impressive, I can support that.

 

[seanoff]

i thought it was obvious that that administration was batshit insane.

this is just more fuel for the fire.

 

[aku:jiki]

This is why I hate encouraging "art." Both books suck so I could care less if people read either of them. I don't consider the mere act of reading to be all that impressive if it's spent reading Harry Potter or Twilight.

What are you talking about, dude? Nobody's saying we should be impressed kids are reading HP, we're saying that it's better for their minds than Jackass and 4chan is.

 

[OptimoPeach]

I could care less

I couldn't

 

[SmokyDave]

But it didn't and she used her money for philanthropy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._K._Rowling#Philanthropy

But if she hadn't written Harry Potter, she wouldn't have done that either so it doesn't matter, right?

Love Rowling, love her contribution to raising literacy, hate that she donated a million to the labour party. I'd rather she spent it filling a swimming pool with jelly beans. It's her money and everything but the reasons she gave for the donation baffled the shit out of me.

 

[Ashes]

wiki entry for folks:

Awards and honours

The Harry Potter series have been the recipients of a host of awards since the initial publication of Philosopher's Stone including four Whitaker Platinum Book Awards (all of which were awarded in 2001),[80] three Nestlé Smarties Book Prizes (1997–1999),[81] two Scottish Arts Council Book Awards (1999 and 2001),[82] the inaugural Whitbread children's book of the year award (1999),[83] the WHSmith book of the year (2006),[84] among others. In 2000, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was nominated for Best Novel in the Hugo Awards while in 2001, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire won said award.[85] Honours include a commendation for the Carnegie Medal (1997),[86] a short listing for the Guardian Children's Award (1998), and numerous listings on the notable books, editors' Choices, and best books lists of the American Library Association, The New York Times, Chicago Public Library, and Publishers Weekly.[87]


The popularity of the Harry Potter series has translated into substantial financial success for Rowling, her publishers, and other Harry Potter related license holders. This success has made Rowling the first and thus far only billionaire author.

Criticism (negative):

By the time of the release of the fifth volume, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the books began to receive strong criticism from a number of literary scholars. Yale professor, literary scholar and critic Harold Bloom raised criticisms of the books' literary merits, saying, "Rowling's mind is so governed by clichés and dead metaphors that she has no other style of writing."[102] A. S. Byatt authored a New York Times op-ed article calling Rowling's universe a "secondary world, made up of patchworked derivative motifs from all sorts of children's literature ... written for people whose imaginative lives are confined to TV cartoons, and the exaggerated (more exciting, not threatening) mirror-worlds of soaps, reality TV and celebrity gossip"

Positive:

Stephen King called the series "a feat of which only a superior imagination is capable", and declared "Rowling's punning, one-eyebrow-cocked sense of humour" to be "remarkable". However, he wrote that despite the story being "a good one", he is "a little tired of discovering Harry at home with his horrible aunt and uncle", the formulaic beginning of all seven books.[30] King has also joked that "Rowling's never met an adverb she did not like!" He does however predict that Harry Potter "will indeed stand time's test and wind up on a shelf where only the best are kept; I think Harry will take his place with Alice, Huck, Frodo, and Dorothy and this is one series not just for the decade, but for the ages."[

There's tons more non wiki stuff, like relating to Internet phenomena, cultural impact, etc etc.... but you get the drift... its the most successful book of our times, by a long long long margin. It's a tent pole in publishing history and nobody can take that from it.

 

[Papa]

Heh, not 20 minutes ago I saw Matt Latimer on the Colbert Report.

 

[mAcOdIn]

What are you talking about, dude? Nobody's saying we should be impressed kids are reading HP, we're saying that it's better for their minds than Jackass and 4chan is.

I'm not convinced that that is award worthy though, everything's better for a person's mind than Jackass and 4chan. I feel that awarding what is common just because some idiots can get behind it is kinda setting the bar a little low for excellence. It becomes an award for nothing but mainstream shit. I mean really, sure she got them to read a lot of pages but she didn't up and change the habits of those people, it's not like now all of a sudden people are just reading more, Harry Potter ended and that's that. So sure they read, but all they read was Harry Potter.

Now I like books, but I don't think merely getting someone to read is that impressive, as I don't believe the act of reading to be all that special. Someone could go and read every fucking book of the "Survivalist" or some other supermarket novel and frankly I don't think they're any better off than someone sitting at home watching MacGyver reruns. It's not the act of reading that's so great it's the content. It just reeks to me as a kind of bailout for an industry. People very well may stop reading books in the future. Sure there will always be books but that doesn't mean that the market has to be big forever. There's nothing wrong with letting it become a niche market. 90% of the shit published is trash anyways, just like TV and just like movies and just like music.

Next we'll think about giving the award to the Black Eyed Peas for getting people to make lip syncing videos.

Now JK Rowling's personal charity work combined with her books might have made her a good choice however. I'm not such an ass that I'd consider work done in her own country to not be of benefit here because I think poverty is a global problem and people should see these positive results.

 

[C.Dark.DN]

This is why I hate encouraging "art." Both books suck so I could care less if people read either of them. I don't consider the mere act of reading to be all that impressive if it's spent reading Harry Potter or Twilight.

Really dumb statements being said here.

Every one has their opinions, but have you even read Harry Potter? Or did you make fun of it your whole life because it was the "cool" thing to do? I know many people who read it. There's a lot of people on GAF who like the Harry Potter books and movies.

Moving on to kids reading Harry Potter. Have you ever heard of reading levels? Harry Potter books target kids who can't read fucking classic literature. Competitive books for that age are easy to read fantasy books.

Harry Potter is avery long easy to read fantasy book series. That's very good for a kids to read.

As people said, she got tons of kids to read multiple books and it's a good thing without a doubt. Your opinion that the books suck is irrelevant.

As far how twilight compares to harry Potter.... Twilight is about vampires. It's target audience is young adult girls. Very different.

 

[Eteric Rice]

Seeing the Bush administration and reading the aftermath, then seeing how some americans react to Obama 6 months into his first term...it's like my brain wants to explode. It's insane.

As an American, I look at it and it feels like my brain is about to collapse in on itself. Kind of like dividing by zero.

Trust me when I say that most Americans aren't this retarded. We're generally good people, even the religious ones.

 

[mAcOdIn]

Really dumb statements being said here.

Every one has their opinions, but have you even read Harry Potter? Or did you make fun of it your whole life because it was the "cool" thing to do? I know many people who read it. There's a lot of people on GAF who like the Harry Potter books and movies.

Moving on to kids reading Harry Potter. Have you ever heard of reading levels? Harry Potter books target kids who can't read fucking classic literature. Competitive books for that age are easy to reason fantasy books.

She got tons of kids to read multiple books and it's a good thing without a doubt. Your opinion that the books suck is irrelevant.

As far how twilight compares to harry Potter.... Twilight is about vampires. It's target audience is young adult girls. Very different.

I read the first book and saw, I think, the third movie, maybe it was the second movie, can't remember. I have not read the whole series however so feel free to criticize me for that as it's entirely true that having not read them all that I couldn't criticize them all from a position of authority. Edit: Also, in the sake of fairness, I have not read or seen "Twilight."

There's a lot of people on GAF that 'like' like Commando the movie as well. Again, why I think celebrating art is a funny thing. I'd prefer it if national awards were restricted to scientific, philanthropic, national security or social leaders and leave recognizing and awarding art to the guilds and private organizations myself. I have no problem with her receiving awards from those groups, I just question if it's worth a "Presidential Medal of Freedom."

I think she's done more then write a best seller; that's all I'm sayin...

edit: never mind... just see my previous post...

I've addressed that twice and think that a far stronger argument for her being recognized. Being that her charity from what I understand is only for Britain I don't know if it qualifies, but since I consider poverty to be a global issue it wouldn't irk me if her charity work that was made possible because of her books was the reason she was awarded.

 

[MightyHealthy]

My mother hasn't watched the Harry Potter movies because of this same reason :lol

 

[Ashes]

I think she's done more then write a best seller; that's all I'm sayin...

edit: never mind... just see my previous post...

 

[Bisnic]

My mother hasn't watched the Harry Potter movies because of this same reason :lol

Did you tell her we're in the 21st century now and to stop believing in fairy tales?

 

[Deleted member 1235]

Witchcraft:lol :lol
In which century do they live in?

the one with evangelical/new life christians in it.

when I was a boy the tv show sabrina was condemned by my parents shit hole church as well.

fucking sabrina the teenage witch my god.

Did you tell her we're in the 21st century now and to stop believing in fairy tales?

she's allowed her faith damnit!

 

[Messypandas]

i remember them banning these books from U.S schools for the same reason. Insane if you ask me, absolutely batshit insane

 

[mAcOdIn]

the one with evangelical/new life christians in it.

when I was a boy the tv show sabrina was condemned by my parents shit hole church as well.

fucking sabrina the teenage witch my god.



she's allowed her faith damnit!

Just tell her just as there were good and bad angels there are good and bad witches.

I say that because it uses her faith against her, the obvious route that there is no witchcraft or else by now everyone'd have super magic power and making shit appear with a twitch of their noses would probably not work.

i remember them banning these books from U.S schools for the same reason. Insane if you ask me, absolutely batshit insane

And yet we'll read Poe or Homer.

 

[C.Dark.DN]

I read the first book and saw, I think, the third movie, maybe it was the second movie, can't remember. I have not read the whole series however so feel free to criticize me for that as it's entirely true that having not read them all that I couldn't criticize them all from a position of authority. Edit: Also, in the sake of fairness, I have not read or seen "Twilight."

There's a lot of people on GAF that 'like' like Commando the movie as well. Again, why I think celebrating art is a funny thing. I'd prefer it if national awards were restricted to scientific, philanthropic, national security or social leaders and leave recognizing and awarding art to the guilds and private organizations myself. I have no problem with her receiving awards from those groups, I just question if it's worth a "Presidential Medal of Freedom."


I've addressed that twice and think that a far stronger argument for her being recognized. Being that her charity from what I understand is only for Britain I don't know if it qualifies, but since I consider poverty to be a global issue it wouldn't irk me if her charity work that was made possible because of her books was the reason she was awarded.

I don't even care about the award. I think someone said she got all kinds of other awards anyway.

I just remember school before and after Harry Potter came out. The teachers always encouraged reading and most students didn't. The only time most people seemed to read was in class or the yearly summer reading. Kids usually put that off until the last week before school. The people that I remember that where disciplined enough to read a long book like Harry Potter and keep going through the series without being told to all seemed to do well in school. I have no real evidence to back this up.

As for me.. I never read Harry Potter. I read a few other books here and there each year but it never developed into a big habit. I slacked off a lot in school.

I respect the books and like the movies.

 

[jason10mm]

Perhaps we would have a better perspective if we knew who DID receive the award. Looks like it is handed out like candy, Clinton and Bush handed out 80 or so over their 2 terms, Obama has already dished out 16 in his first 7 months.

Looking at the Literature receipients, hard to say if Rowling is in the same league as Michner, Ellison, L'Amour, Steinbeck, particularly after only a few years on the scene. I think an award like this should be reserved until the artists works can be shown to stand the test of time. Otherwise "flash in the pan" sensations might devalue the award.

I suspect she WILL get it eventually, certainly if she can demonstrate a continued creative streak.

As for Kennedy, he has it now, so that is a moot point. Seems like this award is a HIGHLY political event.

 

[Bisnic]

she's allowed her faith damnit!

What? We're not talking about religion here, but witchs!
But vampires are real! I always stay at home when it's dark outside, you never know. :lol

 

[Bit-Bit]

I don't think the Twilight author got as many people to read as Rowling did. Come on guys.

Rowling got kids, teens, adults, and even seniors to read her books. Both male and female demographic.

Twilight author got teens, and adults. But only the female demographic.

Rowling is also the better storyteller. Her words might be simple and basic but she crafts them in a way that is very exciting to read.

 

[weremichael]

There really is one way to solve this: Does Rowling float? Because everyone knows that witches float, just like ducks and small rocks. I have to agree with Kurtofan, I question in what century do these imbeciles believe they live in??

 

[Messypandas]

i think this is true. i remember in my school of course most kids had to read, and they would be given important texts in classes that would read. but harry potter was the first book i remember people habitual reading in the libraries and on the breaks instead of using there gameboys and stuff. i really respect her for that, and for how grounded and awesome she seems as a human being. deserves all the awards she gets

 

[mAcOdIn]

There really is one way to solve this: Does Rowling float? Because everyone knows that witches float, just like ducks and small rocks. I have to agree with Kurtofan, I question in what century do these imbeciles believe they live in??

Well, in all fairness asking "what century" implies that at some point it was logical to believe in witches, where frankly I believe it was NEVER rational.

Fucking seriously, if I were a witch and you were going to kill me I'd turn every last villager into a human centipede. If there really were witches and they all sank to the bottom then they were all great human beings who refused to use their demon inspired powers to save themselves and can't really be that bad. Or something like that, witches aren't real, never were and it never made sense to fear them.

 

[Nocebo]

Just tell her just as there were good and bad angels there are good and bad witches.

I say that because it uses her faith against her, the obvious route that there is no witchcraft or else by now everyone'd have super magic power and making shit appear with a twitch of their noses would probably not work.

Eh? No you're not since the Bible clearly says any kind of witchcraft or sorcery is detestable.

 

[gdt]

Man, comparing Twilight to HP? They're not even in the same league. In terms of anything.

 

[Instigator]

There it is, another religion bashing thread in the making.

Truly, Christians are the most persecuted people in the history of the universe.

 

[Tieno]

There it is, another religion bashing thread in the making.

Truly, Christians are the most persecuted people in the history of the universe.

Instigator indeed.

 

[leroy hacker]

For reference, all of the previous literature recipients:

* Jacques Barzun (2003)
* James Burnham (1983)
* J. Frank Dobie (1964)
* T. S. Eliot (1964)
* Ralph Ellison (1969)
* Eric Hoffer (1982)
* Louis L'Amour (1984)
* Harper Lee (2007)
* Archibald MacLeish (1977)
* Dumas Malone (1983)
* James A. Michener (1977)
* Carl Sandburg (1964)
* John Steinbeck (1964)
* DeWitt Wallace (1972)
* Robert Penn Warren (1980)
* Eudora Welty (1980)
* E.B. White (1963)
* Elie Wiesel (1992)
* Thornton Wilder (1963)
* Tennessee Williams (1980)
* Edmund Wilson (1963)
* Albert Wohlstetter (1985)

Complete list of recipients here.

 

[Nocebo]

There it is, another religion bashing thread in the making.

Truly, Christians are the most persecuted people in the history of the universe.

Who's bashing religion?

 

[weremichael]

Well, in all fairness asking "what century" implies that at some point it was logical to believe in witches, where frankly I believe it was NEVER rational.

Fucking seriously, if I were a witch and you were going to kill me I'd turn every last villager into a human centipede. If there really were witches and they all sank to the bottom then they were all great human beings who refused to use their demon inspired powers to save themselves and can't really be that bad. Or something like that, witches aren't real, never were and it never made sense to fear them.

I guess I am not thinking of the rationality of believing in witches (which I do, since there are women who are Wiccan). I am thinking of the hegemonic belief in evil witches that dominated previous centuries leaders (religious zealots). I am not excusing their belief nor atrocious actions, I am simply pointing out that they existed in previous centuries. Therefore, that is where these witch hunt should return.

This is a perfect thread for banned book week!

 

[Bit-Bit]

There it is, another religion bashing thread in the making.

Truly, Christians are the most persecuted people in the history of the universe.

No one's doing that bro. Shut the fuck up.

 

[mAcOdIn]

I guess I am not thinking of the rationality of believing in witches (which I do, since there are women who are Wiccan). I am thinking of the hegemonic belief in evil witches that dominated previous centuries leaders (religious zealots). I am not excusing their belief nor atrocious actions, I am simply pointing out that they existed in previous centuries. Therefore, that is where these witch hunt should return.

This is a perfect thread for banned book week!

Fair enough, although considering the sheer difference in amount of people on the planet I'm not sure that less people believe in withcraft now than in the past, it's entirely possible that more people believe in witches than in the past. Of course, I hope that that's not true.

 

[Cheebs]

Obama gave her the medal of freedom recently iirc.

Obama is a self-admitted fan of the Potter books though as well.

 

[gkryhewy]

Seriously, it's like we have our own Taliban. Ameristan.

 

[T Dawg]

Obama gave her the medal of freedom recently iirc.

Obama is a self-admitted fan of the Potter books though as well.

Obama is the antichrist, of fucking course he's going to give her the medal. He probably fed her some babies too as they cackled over the stupidity of the american liberals.

 

[British Monsoon]

I just hate the way the media likes to portray Rowling as this literary saviour who suddenly turned millions of kids into life-long readers - I know a lot of kids who are huge Harry Potter fans, but a fair few of them don't really read much of anything else, they largely go back to TV, video games and films for their entertainment between Potter books. If this wasn't the case and if Rowling was deserving of half the sanctimonius hype the media foists upon her, then perhaps we would have seen a true resurgance in childrens/young adult's literature and a generation of kids engendered with a true love of reading, rather than just a love of Harry Potter.