Bush Officials Objected To Awarding Medal To J.K. Rowling Because Harry Potter Books Promote Witchcraft
Bush Officials Objected To Awarding Medal To J.K. Rowling Because Harry Potter Books Promote Witchcraft
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civil award, and is given to individuals who have contributed to: 1) the security or national interests of the United States, 2) world peace, or 3) cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.
In his new book, Speechless: Tales of a White House Survivor, former Bush speechwriter Matt Latimer reveals how politicized the revered Presidential Medal of Freedom became during the Bush administration.
Latimer writes that administration officials objected to giving author J.K. Rowling the Presidential Medal of Freedom because her writing “encouraged witchcraft” (p. 201):
This was the same sort of narrow thinking that led people in the White House to actually object to giving the author J.K. Rowling a presidential medal because the Harry Potter books encouraged withcraft.
Latimer also writes that when he suggested bestowing the honor upon Ted Kennedy, who had just been diagnosed with a brain tumor, fellow speechwriter Marc Thiessen objected because Kennedy “was a liberal” (p. 201):
When Ted Kennedy was diagnosed with a brain tumor, I suggested that the president might at least consider awarding Kennedy the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Marc objected wtih the genteel diplomacy he was known for. “That’s crazy!” he thundered. Kennedy was a liberal, he noted (of which I was well aware).
The Bush administration was notorious for awarding the medal to its staunchest Iraq war allies. Bush’s final three recipients of the Medal of Freedom were two supporters of his war in Iraq — former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Australian Prime Minister John Howard — and leading human rights violator and Bush foreign policy ally Alvaro Uribe. Other recipients included a whole lineup of figures heavily involved in the Iraq war, including Paul Bremer and George Tenet.
When President Obama took office, he awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 16 recipients, including Kennedy and former congressman Jack Kemp, a Republican.
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Bush Officials Objected To Awarding Medal To J.K. Rowling Because Harry Potter Books Promote Witchcraft
– - Like Cheney and Scooter weren’t Dracula and Renfield?
September 24th, 2009 at 2:04 pmAwarding the medal to Kennedy for his lifetime of service to the USA (and for that matter, the massive service of his whole extended family), would have been classy.
But I try to join Bush and Classy in the same context.
Rowling wrote some books which captured the children’s imaginagion. I’m not solidly behind that as being a medal of freedom.
At the same time, I am definitely aware of the theme of the later books that adults will use children and mislead the public. that should have been right down Bush’s alley.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:07 pmWhat was not highly politicised during that administration? Seriously, anything at all?
September 24th, 2009 at 2:08 pmif this country can’t even acknowledge the crimes of the bush admin. then this country is already doomed.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:08 pmBob’s point is excellent.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:12 pmI doubt if anyone is surprised other than the fact that some former Bushies are telling the truth for a change.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:14 pmWitchcraft bad. War good.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:15 pmAnother minority for the gop to oppress.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:17 pmROFL LMAO
September 24th, 2009 at 2:18 pmW politicized every thing so why be surprised that he did not want to give Rowling the medal? The man is a fool and always will be. Now if I could only learn that spell that makes people disappear hmmm,
September 24th, 2009 at 2:18 pmOn witchcraft. . . .
How can you fear something unless you believe in it?
September 24th, 2009 at 2:19 pmMapleStreet says: Rowling wrote some books which captured the children’s imaginagion. I’m not solidly behind that as being a medal of freedom.
Actually its spooky how many adults enjoyed the Harry Potter books–in fact it is adults that maintain the fan clubs etc.
Where Rowling deserves to be considered for the medal is that her fantasy novels prompted many kids to not only take up reading as a pursuit rather than a chore, but to examine and discuss what they read, rather than being merely entertained for a couple of hours.
The books have also joined a generation around the world, across cultures and continents not in the form of some disposal money making fad but as a shared experience of lasting effect and worth.
You might remember that that Dubya billed himself as the Education President ( before he became the War President and the Deciderer). By happy accident Rowling has done more for education and international relations by writing her novels than Bush ever did with all the power of the US at his disposal.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:20 pmHi bit…
September 24th, 2009 at 2:20 pmWell Voldemort himself presenting a medal to Harry Potter’s creator would be a little awkward…
September 24th, 2009 at 2:21 pmokie dokie says: On witchcraft. . . .How can you fear something unless you believe in it?
That’s genius, because its true! Bravo!
If a person believes that turning water into wine and raising the dead really happened, then they believe in witchcraft and therefore…BURN HERRR!!!,
September 24th, 2009 at 2:24 pmI think I am getting the hang of the new evangelical math:
Harry Potter = Bad
Torture = Good
September 24th, 2009 at 2:25 pmI love those books – just finished the series again last month. I’m 45.
What I get from them, put very simply, is that all personality types are necessary for our world to continue to grow. We NEED all four houses, even the Slytherins (sp?). It’s up to the three “good” houses to keep the “evil” house’s contributions positive, and brush aside their negatives.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:27 pmthere is superstition.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:29 pmNow magog on the other hand…
September 24th, 2009 at 2:30 pmSo?
September 24th, 2009 at 2:31 pmChimpy practiced VOODOO ECONOMICS for 8 years.
The Republicans are all crazy. Deluded.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:35 pmSooo…Mickey Mouse is the antichrist? You know he was the conductor of Fantasia… an evil movie, right?
And Walt Disney is his daddy…giving birth to a bastard rat.
Donald Duck was a phuckup to…right? He could barely speak English.
And Goofy? Don’t get me started….
Then…turn off ABC/Disney teevee.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:36 pmThe PMoF during the Bush Administration was reserved only for George Tenet (who lied on command about Iraq, WMD’s and Al-Qaeda) and other world leaders who were culpable in promoting acceptance of the same lies.
You know, I was inspired by the Harry Potter books to try waving a stick around and saying made-up words. Nothing happened. So I don’t know what would be bad about “encouraging witchcraft,” or at least would make it any worse than “encouraging hula hoops.” On the other hand, I don’t see why she would deserve it anyways just because she wrote some popular children’s books. As her books also celebrate Britain and Britishness, it would be more appropriate for the Queen to give her an honor of some sort.
I’m a little more concerned about the fact that someone is explicitly excluded for the reason that they are a liberal. That’s the very definition of politicization.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:36 pmWhen I lived in Tennessee, every year the fundie nitwits would angrily protest (and often sue) over Halloween art in the schools. That “Halloween promotes Devil Worship and Witchcraft.”
Glad to be away from those morons — uh, “morans.”
September 24th, 2009 at 2:36 pmMeh. Rowling didn’t deserve the Medal because Harry Potter books are overdense tripe. Not because they promote…. WITCHCRAFT!
Should anyone be surprised that witchcraft actually came up as a point of contention for something during quite possibly the most fanatically religious administration the country’s ever seen?
September 24th, 2009 at 2:37 pmThis was the same sort of narrow thinking that led people in the White House to actually object to giving the author J.K. Rowling a presidential medal because the Harry Potter books encouraged withcraft.
Hmmm, I guess Lynn Cheney stayed out of THAT discussion!
Sisters
September 24th, 2009 at 2:37 pmAlternative wingnut objections to J.K. Rowling receiving the medal of freedom:
(1) She is a girl;
(2) She is a foreigner;
(3) Monica Goodling did not believe Rowling’s resume contained sufficient involvement in conservative clubs;
(4) The Harry Potter books do not adequately portray Jeebus as the source of all magic;
(5) Dumbledore was a liberal;
(6) Cheney objected to Voldemort not getting lead billing.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:37 pmdixie blood says:
Sooo…Mickey Mouse is the antichrist? You know he was the conductor of Fantasia… an evil movie, right?
– - Disney knows silly. Its spokescreature is a mouse that has its own dog.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:38 pmRight-wing Republicans should also consider banning the traditional Dick and Jane Elementary School Readers because they promoted a bizarre ultra-whiteness view of the world. Oops, my mistake, the right-wing Republicans loved that bizarre ultra-whiteness view of the world…
September 24th, 2009 at 2:44 pmSince witchcraft is a form of religion, this is yet another example of Christian persecution of perceived non-Christians in violation of the Constitution, our Laws, our Values and the Duty of so called Conservatives as American citizens.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:50 pmright-wing-Republicans might as well just become the Taliban.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:50 pmNext they will ban music.
How can you fear something unless you believe in it?
And the corollary to that is if you can convince people to believe in something and fear it, you can control them.
Kinda like the Jeebus died for your sins myth I hear so much about.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:50 pmThe Republicans want to cancel America but the train has left the station, and it’s a good train – finnaly headed in the correct direction.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:52 pmYes, the Republicans believe in witches. Yes, these witches scare the hell out of them, and yes Republicans cannot be depended upon to have good judgement.
September 24th, 2009 at 2:54 pmSarah Surrender is protected from witches,
by a secret spell that was cast on her by an African Minister.
In Africa, some people get chopped up with machetes because they are rumored to be witches.
Watch out for Kirk Cameron and Sarah Surrender.
September 24th, 2009 at 3:01 pmNanlichi @ 2:50
Precisely.
It certainly supports the argument that organized religion
September 24th, 2009 at 3:03 pmwas created for political control, doesn’t it?
Be afraid of fantasy. Witches and goblins and orcs will twist our children, make them turn their back on reality!
They should be following the news where people are being blown up with outlawed weapons, where we are fighting wars over make believe WMDs, where huge corporations are sucking up major profits while Main Street dies.
At least the kids have a chance of realizing what is real and what is fantasy.
September 24th, 2009 at 3:07 pm…former Bush speechwriter Matt Latimer reveals how politicized the revered Presidential Medal of Freedom became during the Bush administration.
_____________________________________________________________
Ye gods, is there ANYTHING that the Bush administration didn’t manage to destroy or tarnish while they were in power?
September 24th, 2009 at 3:27 pmKnow what the difference is between the fantasy of Harry Potter and the reality of American mercenaries like XE?
You can close a book.
September 24th, 2009 at 3:28 pmPeople who believe such nonsense should be barred from public service. One can’t be trusted to make real-world decisions if one is living in a fantasy realm. And no Believer in the Rapture should ever be allowed a place in a discussion of the future. One can’t be expected to plan for a future one doesn’t Believe will happen.
September 24th, 2009 at 3:33 pmIf Rowling is making an argument in favor of witchcraft in her books, it’s that it works. You really can fly on broomsticks, become invisible by throwing a cloak over your head, and have bolts of energy come out of the end of a stick that form a horse.
Let’s assume for the sake of argument that there are kids who will read these big thick books and then decide to become witches like Harry and Hermione and Ron.
There’s just one problem: the broomsticks won’t move, everybody can still see you under the throw rug, and the stick doesn’t do anything!
The end result is not widening recruitment for witchcraft but, sooner or later, bitter disillusionment. Maybe the book is *gasp* not true!
If Rowling had advertised witchcraft as something 1) that used to do all sorts of wonderful things thousands of years ago, but doesn’t now for a number of very good reasons, and 2) will give you all sorts of wonderful and unverifiable rewards after you die, then maybe the books would be better recruitment tools.
September 24th, 2009 at 3:33 pmI guess not. That is the first time I ever heard of a liberal brain tumor. It must have been in the left side of Kennedy’s head.
September 24th, 2009 at 3:34 pmWell, so will Fox News.
September 24th, 2009 at 3:38 pmSort of like when Reagan encouraged witchcraft by giving the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Frank Sinatra
And I’ve got no defense for it
The heat is too intense for it
What good would common sense for it do?
’cause it’s witchcraft, wicked witchcraft
And although I know it’s strictly taboo
When you arouse the need in me
My heart says “Yes, indeed” in me
“Proceed with what you’re leadin’ me to”
It’s such an ancient pitch
But one I wouldn’t switch
’cause there’s no nicer witch than you
[instrumental]
’cause it’s witchcraft, that crazy witchcraft
And although I know it’s strictly taboo
When you arouse the need in me
My heart says “Yes, indeed” in me
“Proceed with what you’re leadin’ me to”
It’s such an ancient pitch
But one I’d never switch
’cause there’s no nicer witch than you
September 24th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
And don’t forget the astrologers, galmud. Ol’ Ronnie was into the black arts up to his eyeballs.
September 24th, 2009 at 3:43 pmMedals and badges to cover up the Republican butchery.
September 24th, 2009 at 3:44 pmI see no reason to award this multi-millionaire She has been awarded plenty with huge book sales. Having said that for christsake it’s like Bush thinks witchs are real. I suppose he is anti-vampire as well. Grow up church people
September 24th, 2009 at 4:05 pm12. 5th Estate,
I agree entirely (I am a librarian, it is in my blood). Only differ in that I wonder if it made it over the bar for a Medal of Freedom.
Of course, you can easily trump the argument by asking what did the Bush-time recipients do for their medals.
September 24th, 2009 at 4:49 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Hi conservative guy. Have you run away already?
September 24th, 2009 at 5:20 pmconservative guy says:
Awarding a freedom medal to Kennedy cheapens the award.
Allowing radical hate filled extremists like you to post cheapens the blog.
September 24th, 2009 at 5:27 pmAnd your words cheapens the English language.
September 24th, 2009 at 5:28 pmI don’t think conservative guy is really an adequate replacement for Troll John Kerry.
There was something about the way Troll JK bolded all of his troll droppings, so they were easier to avoid.
conservative guy just doesn’t have the same panache.
September 24th, 2009 at 5:30 pmconservative guy says:
Awarding a freedom medal to Kennedy cheapens the award.
It couldn’t get any cheaper than it already is.
September 24th, 2009 at 6:00 pmBack in the day, I had an email forwarded to me from my cousin who is right-wing evangelical. The email originated from a preacher that was preaching for a boycott of Harry Potter because it taught children witchcraft. Not sure how widely circulated it was. The email quoted a news article several times to back up the argument. Towards the end it included a link to the news article for you to read for yourself. I about fell out of my chair when I saw the link was to The Onion.
September 24th, 2009 at 6:24 pmThank you, ElBruce!
September 24th, 2009 at 6:26 pmActually, every liberal should remember to mention J.K. Rowling the next time a conservative friend or family member complains about public support of the arts. The small amount the British government paid Rowling in support to help her write her books resulted in a $3 billion industry. How many people collect paychecks now because the British government supported a struggling single mother named J.K. Rowling while she was writing her books longhand in coffee shops?
September 24th, 2009 at 6:28 pmSo, if J.K. Rowling weighs the same as a duck…
September 24th, 2009 at 8:55 pmNinerFan says:
How many people collect paychecks now because the British government supported a struggling single mother named J.K. Rowling while she was writing her books longhand in coffee shops?
Just think of the revenue brought in by her income tax returns alone. I’m sure it has already more than paid for any assistance she receives many, many, many times over by now. It’s called investing in people.
September 24th, 2009 at 9:32 pmUosdwis says:
So, if J.K. Rowling weighs the same as a duck…
She turned me into a newt!
September 24th, 2009 at 9:32 pmRe: JTBF @ 30: Thank you for defending Paganfolks. You rock!
September 24th, 2009 at 10:08 pmThis was the same sort of narrow thinking that led people in the White House to actually object to giving the author J.K. Rowling a presidential medal because the Harry Potter books encouraged withcraft.
Actually, I think what they really meant was the following:
Heavens knows that a literate public is definitely one of the biggest enemies to the Bush administration. I mean, they’d know things!
September 24th, 2009 at 10:24 pmpaleolib says:
——————————————————————————–
Alternative wingnut objections to J.K. Rowling receiving the medal of freedom:
(5) Dumbledore was a liberal;
Not to mention gay. :D
September 24th, 2009 at 10:28 pmRepublicans for Voldemort!
September 24th, 2009 at 11:34 pmHaving Palin and Bachmann in Republican ranks promotes witchcraft.
September 25th, 2009 at 5:59 amConservaTROLL
Someone as disgusting and putrid as you being alive cheapens life itself. Go kill yourself
September 25th, 2009 at 8:37 amThanks #30. As a practicing witch I resent the objections to my religion and LOVED the Potter Books, with one caveat: there weren’t enough and they were too short. By the way I’m 73. Spells do work, but you have to turn them over to Goddess, God, the Universe, to decide whether and which ones will be granted, like prayers. Spells are, after all, physical prayers.
September 25th, 2009 at 3:01 pmOh yes, witches believe in harming no one. They also don’t believe in interfering with free will.
September 25th, 2009 at 3:03 pmRowling’s books are “encouraging witchcraft” but, believing in Gog and Magog and thereby launching a “Crusade” and invading Iraq is reality???
A side note of encouraging human ingenuity and compassion; My son is now 16, but when he was in kindergarten he and the other kids wanted to dress up for Halloween but were not allowed to because of complaints of “demonic servitude, devil worship”, etc by a handful of fundamentalists, so his teacher had all the kids dress up as scarecrows, because after all, it was harvest time and they were studying scarecrows. This wonderful woman loved the kids and wanted them to have their fun, so she found a way around the fundamentalist (and school board) nonsense. Adapt and overcome the lunacy!
September 25th, 2009 at 4:03 pmiraq should have been invaded. Afganistan should have been invaded. Iran needs to be next. You people will continue to put your heads in the sand and call PEACE>>>PEACE… but the fact is the governments and large portions of the populations of these countries are out for our blood and they are not shy about it. As soon as we become worms like all of you are proposing, its all over for us. May not be this year or next but it will be over soon. And then you can cry peace peace as your dictator tells you what to do.
September 27th, 2009 at 4:10 pmWe should just be happy he didn’t award himself one. And, if Rowling and witchcraft are so great, why hasn’t Obama given her a medal of freedom?
/they ought to name a sewage plant after him: http://www.urinalgum.com/?p=317
September 28th, 2009 at 1:15 amjdgilk
Blindly following GWB is like following a chicken
with its head cut off. Bullying people is NOT the
way to accomplish anything and Bushco is about as
mafia as you can get.
Get your head out of Rush Limbaugh’s anal cysted butt!
September 28th, 2009 at 7:02 amEven the two words in the name of this site were anathema to bushpunk’s MISadministration;
September 29th, 2009 at 9:32 amthink
and
progress.
I’m my 70 years, this scumbag’s MISadministration has been the very worst and most deeply ANTI-American freedom of all of them.
jdgilk:
So, by following your logic, we should engage in not one, not two, but three costly foreign wars to ensure Peace?! Do you know they call that kind of policy? They call it Fascism! Let’s invade everyone else so we can have peace, or maybe it’s lebensraum you want. Hm?
September 30th, 2009 at 12:10 pmOk, for all the folks in the GOP who have it mixed up, Harry Potter is about magic and/or sorcery. Witchcraft is a belief system embraced by humanity for at least the past 1500 years. It’s also a faith which teaches some great lessons about respecting yourself and others. So, to add up, the thought that Harry Potter= Witchcraft is equivalent to 2+2=5, funny but not at all realistic. Oops, my bad, the GOP lost touch with reality didn’t they?
September 30th, 2009 at 12:17 pm——————————————————————————–
USNclerk says:
——————————————————————————–
Ok, for all the folks in the GOP who have it mixed up, Harry Potter is about magic and/or sorcery. Witchcraft is a belief system embraced by humanity for at least the past 1500 years. It’s also a faith which teaches some great lessons about respecting yourself and others. So, to add up, the thought that Harry Potter= Witchcraft is equivalent to 2+2=5, funny but not at all realistic. Oops, my bad, the GOP lost touch with reality didn’t they?
We may know this, but they don’t know this because they would have to actually research and think for themseleves and not just what Rush Limplog and Becky Glenda/ Glinda tell them what
September 30th, 2009 at 8:43 pm