It's been a long time since I've read a good bit of satire in a newspaper editorial, so I was quite surprised, not to mention impressed, when I stumbled upon Ryan Williams' creed about "Evil lurking in Harry Potter" (Nov. 18). In it, Mr. Williams goes on at length about the moral and existential threats present in the famous J.K. Rowling series and accuses the myriad Potter fans on campus of betraying the University's Christian principles.
What makes this editorial brilliant, however, is the care with which he wrote it. It's obvious he's familiar with most, if not all the baseless accusations against the Potter franchise and its creator, J.K. Rowling, and he manages to address nearly every one in turn, subtly highlighting just why they're so absurd.
I have to wonder whether Mr. Williams has read the books, though. It seems he hasn't, because the editorial reads like it's from someone who wouldn't touch them with a 10-foot pole, but I could be wrong. It's entirely possible he actually has read them and chose to ignore them to make his diatribe all the more convincing.
Whatever the case may be, though, I have to applaud Mr. Williams for his biting take on paranoid fundamentalism and the reactionary absurdity it breeds.
Kudos, Mr. Williams. I hope to read more of your work soon.
Pete Reimers
library staff
Nov. 18
