I never know how to start these things; I guess I’ll just get right into it.

This last week marked the release of the new Harry Potter film, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”. Now, as of this moment I have not actually seen the film but that doesn’t really matter anyway. This column is not about that movie, it’s about Harry Potter in general.

The basic premise is good, a young boy discovers that his life is not what it seems, and through a series of adventures discovers more about himself to ultimately become a better person in the end.

What’s wrong with that?

The basic story of Harry Potter has been told time and time again, people have been using this very simple, basic plot to teach children positive values since before books were even invented.

In fact I think I remember a young kid from Bethlehem learning these types of lessons and growing up to be a hero of some sort, what was his name again?

The problem with Harry Potter that so many people seem to have is the word witchcraft. Spooky stories of witches and wizards that have been told over the years have caused many people in our society to become uncomfortable, sometimes even afraid of the idea that witches are the ones who their children idolize over more traditional heroes such football stars, professional wrestlers, and let us not forget, Bratz dolls.

The logic in this system is flawed, as it now stands over-protective soccer moms aren’t allowing their children to read books but they have no problem allowing them to sit for hours every night in front of a mind numbing television set, learning life lessons from two muscular half naked stuntmen/actors beating each other senseless all for the sake of a very flimsy storyline, in which plot twists are decided by ticket sales and wrestler popularity.

And before anybody asks, yes I watched wrestling as a kid; I know what it’s all about.

Instead of people marking Harry Potter as a demonic, evil creation, maybe people should look at it as it really is, an entertaining story that has given rise to the popularity of the Fantasy genre for our generation. Witchcraft, Voodoo, whatever type of label you want to put on it, the fact remains that these things are just words, used by the religious fanatics to put the fear of God into people. Those that advocate Harry Potter as an example of negativity are more than likely highly religious, very preachy social activists. The kind of people who think the only books worth anything are the bible and other books that reference the bible.

Now I’m not saying anything bad about religion, my problem is that people use it as an excuse to put labels.

Harry Potter is not demonic, it isn’t evil. It’s a story, designed with the intent to entertain, and perhaps to teach a lesson. Not to corrupt children, or to recruit them into cults, or to turn them into “witches”.

I guess what I’m really trying to say is, it’s just a book.

Get over it.