Government Treatment of Werewolves (WAS Magic R&D / Wizard Wear / )

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 33785

Cindy wrote:

> << I can't imagine one could make a great deal of money off of such 
a
> potion, as the target market consists of werewolves who can't find 
paid
> work.>>
> 

Rita responded:

> Maybe MoM pays for Wolfsbane Potion, via the Werewolf Support 
Services
> office of the Beings Division of the Department for Regulation and
> Control of Magical Creatures (according to FANTASTIC BEASTS).

I'd be very surprised if these government agencies are actually 
supportive of werewolves.  We have the Werewolf Capture Unit, the 
Werewolf Registry, Werewolf Support Services, and the Werewolf Code 
of Conduct.  Canon is unclear, but I always assumed that these lovely 
agency names were cover for what is really going on:  state-sponsored 
harrassment of and discrimination against werewolves.  

Fudge's statement to Dumbledore that he "let him hire werewolves" 
suggests werewolves are not well regarded by MoM.  That statement, 
coupled with the general hostility toward werewolves, Lupin's shabby 
condition, and his inability to find work suggests that the 
government is not about to provide wolfsbane potion (or anything 
else) to werewolves.

Although my gut says that it is wrong for the government to treat 
werewolves badly (assuming that is what is going on), another part of 
me says that discrimination against werewolves ought to be just 
fine.  After all, every werewolf really is dangerous.  So we are left 
with the unusual situation in which a minority group (werewolves) is 
the subject of oppressive government conduct based on actual, 
verifiable dangerous traits (as opposed to oppression based on myth 
and prejudice, as we see in the real world).  Oppression of 
werewolves is also different from oppression of groups like convicted 
prisoners in the real world because werewolves are oppressed before 
they have injured anyone based on the risk that they will.  So is it 
wrong for the government to enforce policies hostile to werewolves to 
protect the wizarding and muggle populations?

Well, perhaps the government ought to adopt a policy of reasonable 
accommodation of werewolves.  That is what Dumbledore did when he 
hired Lupin.  But then again, even that policy may not be practical, 
because as Dumbledore discovered, you never know when a werewolf will 
forget to take his potion, miscalculate or otherwise behave 
irresponsibly and endanger everyone around him.  

I know there is an interesting discussion of philosophy and social 
policy in there somewhere.  

Cindy (going on record that prejudice, discrimination and oppression 
are bad, but thinking that the werewolf issues in canon might be 
complex)