The Devil went down to Georgia, and ended up at JC Magill Elementary School.

At least that’s the opinion of one woman, who has waged a protracted legal battle to protect the tender spiritual sensibilities of impressionable young children.  There is a scourge in the school library, a dark force promoting witchcraft and the occult.  In September 2005, she pointed this out to the school librarian, who ignored her request to have several books removed from the shelves.  She then took her case to the Board of Education, who promptly threw out her complaint.  Fearing for her children’s souls, she appealed to the State Board of Education (who rejected her) and then to the Gwinnett County Superior Court.  So next Tuesday, in a courtroom in suburban Atlanta, Ms. Laura Mallory of Gwinnett,Georgia, USA will face off against Mr. Harry Potter of #4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, Great Britain, in the final battle for the future of mankind.

None too soon.  Potter’s dark influence is spreading.  His fifth movie, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” opens July 11.  His seventh installment, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” hits bookstores ten days later.  Ten days after that, on July 31, it’s Harry’s birthday!  And Georgia isn’t the only state under his evil dominion.  Down in Florida, Universal Orlando has just announced plans to build “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” slated to open in 2009.

No wonder Ms. Mallory is worried.  In a recent interview, she said, “Personally, I don’t think it’s a good idea to raise a whole generation of witches. I don’t think it’s good for our country… kids today don’t want the Easter Bunny’s power, they want Harry’s power, and they’re getting it… I have a dream that God will be welcomed back in our schools again, I think we need him.”

She also acknowledges that she hasn’t actually read a single page of any of the Potter books.

What a muggle!