A social media war has broken out between J.K. Rowling, the author of the much beloved harry potter books, and Piers Morgan, currently the U.S. editor at large for the Mail Online and a former host on CNN. The argument, oddly for two citizens of the United Kingdom, is over American politics. Rowling is a sworn foe of President Donald Trump, and Morgan is his warmest defender from across the pond.
According to Mediaite, Morgan appeared on the Bill Maher HBO show and got into an argument with one of the other guests. This led Rowling to take to Twitter and gloat how much she enjoyed his getting being told to “f--- off.” That tweet led to an exchange in which Morgan called Rowling a “rabid Remain/Clinton supporter” and Rowling called Morgan a “fact-free, amoral, bigotry-apologism of celebrity toady.” Later Morgan appeared on Tucker Carlson’s show on Fox News and called Rowling a “serial loser” for supporting the losing side in a recent British election, opposing Brexit, and supporting Hillary Clinton in the last American presidential election.
The feud is an example of how politics can make strange enemies.
Morgan initially came to the attention of American audiences when he took over the timeslot on CNN from Larry King. After that he immediately started to alienate everyone with his constant and relentless opposition to the private ownership of firearms. Morgan has gained a strange new respect among some conservatives with his defense of President Trump.
Rowling hardly needs an introduction to anyone as the author of the Harry Potter books that elevated her from being on the dole to one of the richest women in the United Kingdom. She has used social media to make her political views known, opposing Scottish independence as well as championing Hillary Clinton in the last election and comparing Trump to one of the infamous death eater villains in her books.
She has also gotten into trouble with the social justice warrior crowd for “cultural appropriation” of Native American culture in her conception of the wizarding world in North America.
Rowling’s view on American politics has raised some eyebrows. If one has read the Potter books, unlike Piers Morgan, one would find that Hillary Clinton most resembles the mad, bad, and dangerous to know Bellatrix Lestrange, lover of the Dark Lord Voldemort and torturer of Hermione Granger.
To be sure Donald Trump is no prize either, as he has more than a passing resemblance to Gilderoy Lockhart, the vainglorious teacher of defense against the dark arts at Hogwarts.
In any case, we have another example of how a combination of toxic politics and social media have caused two adults to behave like children in a schoolyard brawl.
