The American Bible Belt wants to start a Nazi style book-burning of 'Harry Potter' books on the grounds that Potter is a 'wizard and a Satanist'. "I think the Christian Heritage party's new pin-up boy Philip Sherry should either confirm or deny whether his party wants to consign the Harry Potter books to the flames here in New Zealand," says Libertarianz Deputy Dr Richard McGrath.

The prize-winning series of children's books written by Scottish author J K Rowling have sparked a worldwide resurgence of interest in reading by children. "She has enthralled a whole generation of children in much the same way as Alan Duff has with his Books In Homes programme," says Dr McGrath, and Libertarianz applauds Ms Rowling's achievement.

But of Sherry and his party he wonders: "Will they endorse the paranoid views of their American counterparts, or will we see a split from mainstream Christian thinking? I wonder if Mr Sherry truly understands the inquisitorial nature of the party he now stands for. He and his party should stop sitting on the fence and either endorse the three Harry Potter books or condemn them," says McGrath.

I await Mr Sherry's comments with interest."

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