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I'll start with the truth. I'm a Canadian. Does that mean I don't have a right to participate in a debate regarding American values? No, because I believe I have an accurate representation of said values. I say yes to the question of whether or not the harry Potter books have perverted modern American values. Note that I say modern values, as these are not synonymous with the values upheld and honoured by the founding fathers many years ago.

The first is family values. The USA currently has a 50% divorce rate, which splits half of American families apart. Families are spending more and more time apart from each other. Children are learning from their peers, instead of their parents. Families have become almost a thing of convenience, rather than a special group of people, bonded by blood, and between whom ties cannot be stronger. Does this sound like a family positive set of values?
So we've determined that one of America's values is that families are not important. The Harry Potter books are quite contrary to those ideals. The entire plot line resolves around the fortified bonds between family members. Not only the principal one between Harry and Lily Potter, but those of the minor characters. We see Molly Weasley's care for her children, and that they grow up to be some of the best people one could ask of their children. We can therefore conclude that since strong family ties are enforced throughout J.K. Rowling's series, they are definitely a perversion of American values.

The second theme central to this debate is friendship. When someone asks an American adolescent how many friends they have, they may answer as high as 500! However, are these people that know, love and care for these so-called friends' ? No. They are the friends that one has on mySpace, facebook, MSN, or whatever other online social networking they prefer. An online friendship does not give you the intimate, personal connection delivered by a real friendship does. When you're graduating high school, are all these people going to enjoy it with you? What about when you're starting university? Even worse, are these online buddies going to be there through the tough times, when you need the love and support of your closest companions. We can therefore discern that a major American value is one which does not value actual friendship, but a sham of connections that mean next to nothing.
In the Potter books, friendship is demonstrated as one of the only ways that the three principal characters can succeed through their trials, but escape with their lives. Note that Harry doesn't text message with Ron, nor are Fred and George constantly on AIM with each other. They are out there, experienced the joys that true, face to face friendship can bring. So what is more important, your 300 mySpace friends, or the real friends you can have?

Through the basis of establishing American values, and contrasting them with the positive values of Harry Potter, we have provided a definite yes to the question of whether or not Harry Potter has perverted American values.

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