Magical notions of prejudice (was Chapter 27 Padfoot Returns)

[Kimberly]

No: HPFGUIDX 10710

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, Amanda Lewanski <editor at t...> wrote:

> 
> Remember Hagrid's background is genetic, and Lupin's problem is a
> disease. Contagious. Nasty. Incurable. Kind of like if you just 
found out
> your close friend had AIDS. It would wack you out a bit, even if you
> weren't in quite a bit of physical pain and simultaneously trying to
> assimilate a very, very bizarre situation.
> 

AIDS might not be a very good comparison even, because AIDS victims 
don't *also* have the periodic uncontollable, insane urge to 
either tear people to shreds or pass on their disease, the way a 
werewolf would (were he not taking the nifty potion, anyway).  

So if someone you believe to be a maniacal killer has just attacked 
you and dragged you off to a remote place, breaking  your leg in the 
process, and appears to be threatening to kill your best friend, and a 
person you thought you could trust comes along and appears to be 
allied with said person, and *then* you also find out that this person 
you trusted is what you've always been told is a dangerous monster...

It's not at all like saying 'get away from me, (insert racial slur)'. 
It's more like saying 'get away from me, boogeyman', or 'get away from 
me, serial killer' or something.

Maybe not nice, knowing what we know, but certainly understandable 
from his perspective.  I wouldn't count this one in the bigotry 
column.

kimberly