Look, none of this stuff matters, but did you ever notice that JK Rowling hasn't received a presidential medal of freedom for encouraging millions of young people to read, you know, books? No? Well, if you had, would you have wondered why? Yes? Good.
Harry Potter author JK Rowling missed out on a top honour because some US politicians believed she "encouraged witchcraft", it has been claimed.This story is mostly notable because it comes from the BBC, which explains why it's so prominently placed there - famous local girl denied award because of crazy American religious beliefs. It's a perfect storm to those guys. Still, considering this was the last time in history that kids will read books (now they're reading text messages) it seems a shame to have let the opportunity pass.
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.
The claims appear in Latimer's new book called Speechless: Tales of a White House Survivor.
He wrote that "narrow thinking" led White House officials to object to giving Rowling the civilian honour.
(cross-posted to HANG A LANTERN ON IT, my other blog.)
3 comments:
I am against any foreigners getting such awards, anyway. Unless they've become resident aliens or citizens and work out of the USA, of course.
Yes, valuing the contributions of others is a sign of weakness.
Not at all. It's just irrelevant to US awards. Of course, I DO devalue the Pulitzer and the absurd Nobel "peace" prize that has been give to half the tyrants of the 20th century, though! You know, if that's any consolation er anything.
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