Wondering

[susanmcgee48176]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Carol" <cinders at ...> wrote:
>
> Hi all. I know I don't post here, but I read a lot. I've been a
> member for a couple of months now.
> 
> I'm a big Harry Potter fan though now after reading all the posts, I
> don't think I'm quite as much of a fan as most of the people here,
> because it's not all I think of all day like it appears a lot of you
> do.
> 
> Here's the one thing I don't understand. Why are these books,
> specially more than any other, taken SO seriously?? I really am
> curious, not trying to be stupid or anything. I mean these are just
> books, fiction. No one in them is real, and from most of the posts, 
I
> swear people think they are real people. All of the trying to figure
> out things kind of baffles me. I mean I am curious about some 
things,
> but not enough to rip the entire series apart. I've always thought 
of
> reading fiction as something I do for entertainment, enjoyment. So
> many don't even seem to have enjoyed the books and yet read them all
> anyway.
> 
> I am also a children's author. Definitely nothing like the HP 
series,
> but none-the-less, so I am truly wondering the answers. I used to
> think that I wanted to be JK Rowling. She was a broke, single mom,
> teacher, writer, and now she is rich and famous. I am a broke, 
single
> mom, writer, teacher (I did it in that order), and want to be rich
> and famous. But then I've been reading all the horrible things that
> have been written and said about JKR, and I now have no desire to be
> her. Honestly, it's almost frightening. There are even lists with
> people that want to kill her, and now with this gay thing, well,
> that's just one more reason for people to talk so bad about her.
> 
> I guess I don't see why it's gotten so far. I can't imagine her life
> and wouldn't want it, though I still want to be fairly rich and
> famous. hehe Other novelists have awesome books and rich and famous
> but people don't talk so horribly about them. So it just made me
> wonder why these? Why do people treat them like real people, take 
the
> books so seriously, and talk about JKR like she's the devil instead
> of just a writer that wrote a few books. I really hope this doesn't
> ruffle feathers. I don't mean it to. Just as a writer, I'm curious 
to
> know.
> 
> Thank you everyone,
> 
> Carol
>


Good question, Carol.....

I know...I recently corresponded with a couple of other science 
fiction/fantasy writers, and I KNOW they all think -- gosh, she's a 
billionaire..why not me? And it's a good question...

Hearing the relentless, disgusting attacks on her from so many sides, 
and hearing about her struggle to keep her children out of the public 
eye (Peter Jackson did the same), I hear you loud and clear!

I'm in a BIG minority on HP for Grownups....and was even before she 
told us that DD was in love with GG....
I really respect the author, and I liked the DH...
Of course, there were parts of it that I didn't like, and I wished 
different outcomes for some of the characters....

But, for example, when the inconsistency about Ron came up..in the 
past, someone would have said...well! lots of people start out as 
partners in a family business, become silent partners, and go on and 
do something else...Or maybe Ron worked two jobs before he and 
Hermioine got married and had a family (or during it)...but now it's 
BAD! JKR BAD!....there's an astonishing amount of hostility towards 
her on the list...

I'm with you...maybe I DON'T want to be rich and famous!

On the issue of tolerance. I don't really expect anyone to respond.

I posted a very careful and long post on the list about canon suppot 
for DD's orientation and I don't think anyone has responded. People 
are too busy repeating stupid lies (that she announced it at a press 
conference), or busy accusing those who confront them with their own 
bigotry and intolerance with themselves being intolerant. (No, I am 
not tolerant of prejudice, discrimination, or hatred).

There are two or three people who persist in spreading the lie that 
it's lesbians and gays who molest children....one of them finally 
showed his true colors by saying that he had no sympathy for the 
muggleborns in Diagon Alley (why didn't they just go off into the 
Muggle World and get a job? Why were they so weakwilled?)
Gosh, I started to cry when the poor man demanded of Bellatrix.."what 
happened to my children?" Did no one else find that scene heart 
wrenching?

Am I supposed to be silent when I'm compared to a child molester? 

There was a woman in Virginia who was a lesbian, had a child by her 
former husband who was in PRISON for murdering his second wife, and a 
judge gave her former husband custody of the child! (And yes, I can 
verify MY facts). Can you imagine anything more terrifying?

I'm sick and tired of the bigotry in the HP community.
I'm disgusted.

Susan