One reporter reacts to JKR's revelations

[slytherin_jenn]

> Tonks:
> Rowling is in a unique position. No other book, except possible the 
> Christian bible, has been read by so many people in every county. 
> The Christian symbolism aside, there are major teachings in the 
> series. Some are obvious and some are not. Children read these 
> books. Children around the world. These books are in libraries in 
> American schools where Christian books can not go. These books are 
> being read by the young people who at an age where they can open 
> mindedly take in the ideas. This is why, in Iran, some objected to 
> the HP books on the grounds that they were brainwashing children to 
> Western ideas. But the sensors read them and passed them as OK. That 
> was before DD’s outing. Think of it in terms of WWII, instead of 
> Radio Free Europe, we have the HP books. They slip the ideas in 
> under the disguise of entertainment.  How are children indoctrinated 
> into any ideas that they will hold later in life? Sometimes their 
> parents, their religion, their culture, and often because they have 
> read something that presents ideas that are different than what 
> their parents, religion, and culture have tired to instill in them. 
> Now I hear you thinking, well then it is good that DD is gay. No it 
> isn’t, if the books do not get past the sensors, be it government, 
> school or parents.

Celoneth:
Sorry just had to address this one point - why does JKR or any other
author have to shoulder the responsibility of changing the attitudes
of the world? Radio Free Europe was a government program - JKR is a
private citizen with no duty to make sure that everyone reads the
books and gets the proper messages. They're books not propoganda
tools, not tools of the military or the government. Nor do I think
that the books were an attempt by JKR to evangelise her readers to her
views or Christianity or anything else - they're fictional books, made
for people to enjoy and read. All books have a message, some better
than others - some people agree with the messages of a book, some wont
- some will enjoy it, some will find it horribly offensive - its the
nature of literature. A lot of people won't read certain books and its
their right to not read them, but its still the author's right to
write them as they wish to.

I just have a huge problem with the suggestion that authors need to
consider what they write in terms of a larger geo-political context,
to be sneaky to get past censors in other states and to present their
message to readers in those states. That is the job of governments and
international organisations, not of authors or artists unless they
choose to willingly undertake such a job.
Celoneth