J.K. Rowling is an outspoken progressive, but unlike the kids who grew up reading Harry Potter, she doesn’t believe in waving a magic wand, declaring an area a ‘safe space,’ and banning free speech.
The Nation reported that Rowling spoke with Pen America’s annual literary gala in New York on Monday about how she disagreed with the petition to ban the presumptive Republican nominee.
“I find almost everything that Mr. Trump says objectionable,” the Harry Potter author said. “I consider him offensive and bigoted. But he has my full support to come to my country and be offensive and bigoted there.”
She said that freedom of speech allows people to disagree, and hurt feelings are not grounds to ban someone from the country.
“If my offended feelings can constitute a travel ban on Donald Trump,” she continued. “I have no moral grounds on which to argue that those offended by feminism or the fight for transgender rights or universal suffrage should not oppress campaigners for those causes.”
While Rowling has had some harsh words for Trump, even comparing him to the evil Lord Voldemort, she had an equally stinging critique of social justice warriors who try to ban speech.
“If you seek the removal of freedoms from an opponent simply on the grounds that they have offended you, you have crossed a line to stand along tyrants who imprison, torture and kill on exactly the same justification,” Rowling said.
Hopefully Rowling can cast a spell on the millennials who needed counseling after simply seeing Trump’s name written in sidewalk chalk.
