Re: Harry Potter Commentary
DebbieG

Sun Sep 24 20:46:13 2000
<sigh>*p*I just don't understand this... I really don't.*p*My family are voracious readers. Always have been. My dad introduced me to my first sci-fi and fantasy novels, and we've all happily read Madeline L'Engle and Terry Pratchett.*p*My six-year-old niece knows that she gets books from "Aunt Debbie" at all gift-giving occasions. Other things too, but always books. Sometimes even books that <gasp> aren't "appropriate" for a six-year-old, because, you see, we read _to_ her or _with_ her and answer any questions that arise.*p*After taking her to see the musical Cats, I gave her Ol' Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Some of the poems in that book can certainly be considered racist by today's standards, but when we read it together and discussed how much opinions had changed (and for the better) since it was originally written, it gave us an opportunity to discuss social issues in the context of a book and a musical that she adores.*p*But now, because my sister knows I'm pagan, I have to be concerned w/ whether I can give Tyler the Harry Potter books without being conceived as having "an agenda" of some sort. Would this have been a consideration without all this media hoopla? No, of course not. While my sister isn't particularly understanding of my religious choices, she also knows that I'll respect her wishes and not "proselytize" to a six-year-old. There are tons of books out there w/ magical characters and "witchy" themes... why, suddenly, are these particular books evil? And why, just because I _am_ pagan, should they suddenly become "suspect" if I give them as a gift?*p*Sorry for the rambling rant... I just don't understand why there's such a reactionary  fuss surrounding perfectly innocent books.*p*Debbie G.*br*
Harry Potter Commentary
TopazOwl
644
Sun Sep 24 20:07:44 2000