With just days until British citizens vote on whether they should leave the European Union, J.K. Rowling has not only sided with the Remainers (those who want to stay), but she’s also posted an essay to her site that explains her reasoning. Rowling is a crafter of fictional tales of triumph and intrigue, but when addressing the potential Brexit, facts take the place of fiction and misfortune may be the only outcome, according to the author.
But storytelling isn’t entirely absent from the essay. Rowling breaks down the problematic nature of perpetuated stories, while also calling attention to a story’s “villain” and the damage that character type is capable of committing. Rowling opens the piece with “I’m not an expert on much, but I do know how to create a monster.” The essay calls attention to both fictional villains like Lord Voldemort or Hannibal Lector and real life ones like (presumed) Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump.
Although she’s taken an explicit side on the matter of leaving the EU, Rowling still does not generalize the entire “leave” campaign. She recognizes that not all members are bigots or racist but, that this also does not mean a majority of it’s supporters are not.
Rowling writes,
Look towards the Republican Party in America and shudder. “Make America Great Again!” cries a man who is fascist in all but name. His stubby fingers are currently within horrifyingly close reach of America’s nuclear codes. He achieved this preeminence by proposing crude, unworkable solutions to complex threats. Terrorism ?”Ban all Muslims!” Immigration? “Build a wall!” He has the temperament of an unstable nightclub bouncer, jeers at violence when it breaks out at his rallies and wears his disdain for women and minorities with pride. God help America. God help us all.
The article may not be able to reach the entire region and definitely won’t sway every Leaver to become a Remainer, but here’s to trying.
Rowling is not the only celebrity to comment on Brexit, either. Earlier today we wrote about John Oliver’s comments on the referendum.