Snape and the Longbottoms

[btk6y]

No: HPFGUIDX 33967


I could not disagree more with your post... not necessarily the 
content, but the underlying tone inherent in it.  This argument has 
at its basis a fundamental difference in philosophy- where do we want 
to live on the continuum between freedom on one end and 
stability/safety on the other?  What annoys me is that people who 
champion civil liberties seem to without fail give the benefit of the 
doubt to those that least deserve it, may that be Death Eaters, 
terrorists, what have you.  The people that are out there, fighting 
FOR YOUR SAFETY while you lie comfortably in your bed, however, are 
subject to incredible scrutiny and mistrust.  You say about Moody:

> I know that many people on this board really really *like*
> Moody, and that I'm probably making myself very unpopular 
> by saying this, but I simply must.  I don't like Moody.  
> I really don't care for him at all.  He strikes me as the 
> sort of person who would happily strip away all of my civil 
> liberties, given half the chance, and I consider such men a 
> serious threat to civilized society.  

Do you think you could be a better Auror?  Do you think that a Death 
Eater will see your compassion and decide to forgo the Dark Side?  
Nooo... what happens is that the Death Eaters take full advantage of 
that compassion (Malfoy, Macnair, Avery, Crabbe, Goyle, Karkaroff), 
live amongst you until the time is right, then reign terror again.  
Guess what happens to civilized society then.  Thank God the magical 
world had someone like Moody to catch Death Eaters, because if the 
Aurors ascribed to your philosophy, Voldemort would have taken over 
even faster than he did.  Now, it may surprise you to believe that I 
agree with the majority of the CONTENT of your post.  People who 
champion civil liberties DO serve a purpose because if a watchful eye 
were not kept on law enforcement, a "1984"-like world would soon 
develop, which is something that obviously no one wants.  What bugs 
me to no end is that while you are watching law enforcement, you 
refuse to give them the same benefit of the doubt that you do those 
who readily and willingly break the law to harm the public.  That 
priority is completely out of whack with reality and would never work 
in the real world.