In Georgia, a judge ruled that Harry Potter books can remain on the shelves in schools despite arguments made by parent Laura Mallory, defeating yet another attempt by conservative Christians to have the books removed.
Mallory's failed argument is that Witchcraft is a religion and therefore making the Harry Potter books available in schools is a violation of the separation of Church and State. She might have a point if anything in the Harry Potter series resembled the tenets of the Wicca religion, but of course what the books really feature is fantasy novel-style spellcasting with no religious overtones aside from a generic good-versus-evil plotline.
On a personal note, I find it interesting that some conservative Christians get up in arms about how "separation of Church and State" is nonsense until they find a case in which they can use it to attack ideas that run counter to their beliefs. Mallory might have a point about consistent application of the law if the Narnia books of C.S. Lewis were banned by the school because of their Christian allegorical content, but I seriously doubt that is the case here.
In other Harry Potter news, it has been announced that a Harry Potter theme park will open in Orlando, Florida in 2009.
All Aboard for the Harry Potter Rollercoaster!
When you have your own Florida theme park, you've made it as far as popular culture is concerned.
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