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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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5

Dumbledore Sparks Fight for Real-World Justice

Nonprofit Harry Potter Alliance uses books as inspiration

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(Newser) – Harry Potter’s battle against injustice in the wizarding world has prompted fans to take the fight to the Muggle universe, the Los Angeles Times reports. Inspired by moral teachings of Albus Dumbledore, Harry’s mentor, the nonprofit Harry Potter Alliance has registered voters, collected some 13,000 books to donate to community centers, and raised $15,000 for displaced persons in Darfur and Burma.

The group was started in 2005 by Andrew Slack, now 29, who calls himself a Potter “rabbi.” He says Potter readers should oppose prison torture the way Dumbledore opposed Dementors and should fight for fair trade, like Dumbledore in his support of house-elf rights. J.K. Rowling applauds the effort: “What did my books preach against throughout? Bigotry, violence, struggles for power, no matter what," she told Time. “All of these things are happening in Darfur. So they really couldn't have chosen a better cause."

In this film publicity image released by Warner Bros., Michael Gambon portrays Albus Dumbledore in
In this film publicity image released by Warner Bros., Michael Gambon portrays Albus Dumbledore in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."   (AP Photo/Warner Bros., Jaap Buitendjik)
Andrew Slack, of Boston, third from right, talks to a small group of Wrockstock attendees about the Harry Potter Alliance Saturday, May 24, 2008, in Potosi, Mo.
Andrew Slack, of Boston, third from right, talks to a small group of Wrockstock attendees about the Harry Potter Alliance Saturday, May 24, 2008, in Potosi, Mo.   (AP Photo/Kelley McCall)
Andrew Slack, of Boston, talks to a small group of Wrockstock attendees about the Harry Potter Alliance Saturday, May 24, 2008, in Potosi, Mo.
Andrew Slack, of Boston, talks to a small group of Wrockstock attendees about the Harry Potter Alliance Saturday, May 24, 2008, in Potosi, Mo.   (AP Photo/Kelley McCall)
J.K. Rowling poses after she was awarded with the medal of Knight in the Legion of Honor order by French President Nicolas Sarkozy during a ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Feb. 3, 2009.
J.K. Rowling poses after she was awarded with the medal of Knight in the Legion of Honor order by French President Nicolas Sarkozy during a ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Feb. 3, 2009.   (AP Photo/Benoit Tessier, pool)
The seven-book print set of Harry Potter books autographed by author J.K. Rowling are seen at the National Braille Press in Boston, Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007.
The seven-book print set of Harry Potter books autographed by author J.K. Rowling are seen at the National Braille Press in Boston, Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007.   (AP Photo/Bizuayehu Tesfaye)
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We always connect everything back to the books. It's very Talmudic. - Andrew Slack, Harry Potter Alliance founder

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5 comments
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TerrifiedCitizen
Jul 20, 09 2:27 PM CDT
Charity should start at home. We have more victims of notoriously ambitious prosecutors than ever. Their tools? Plea bargaining and circumstantial evidence. Reply
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ClearSight
Jul 20, 09 3:02 PM CDT
TC, how true......
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Snarfeh
Jul 20, 09 4:44 PM CDT
That is a partial list. They do community work locally, too, and probably do not limit themselves to any one charitable act. They will probably branch out to do more, too, as the Alliance grows. Also, keep in mind there are ignorant religious people in this country that would probably turn down their help simply because they are based on the Potter books.
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stacysaw
Jul 20, 09 3:31 PM CDT
excellent point. Reply
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SomeGuyInNC
Jul 23, 09 3:38 PM CDT
Ridiculous, he needed a children book to tell him that these atrocities in Darfur need to stop Reply
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