Sins of Hagrid -- Subversive bigotry

[jenny_ravenclaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 33978

Elkins wrote, among other excellent comments about Hagrid:
 
>  Or his comment about the Malfoys having 
> > "bad blood" -- which really is _rich,_ you know, given the 
> > big-boned skeletons hiding in Hagrid's own family closet.>

and Christi responded with:
  
>  I'm not sure where this comment is made, so I cannot defend it 
> based on context. We do know that Lucius Malfoy was and is a DE, and 
> that Draco has been trying to Hagrid and Harry in trouble. Hagrid 
> may know things about the Malfoy line that we don't. It is wrong to 
> assume that no Malfoy could ever be good because of bloodline; 
> however Lucius and Draco can certainly be counted as enemies of 
> Hagrid, and viewing the whole family as bad is a natural, if flawed, 
> reaction.>

Flawed is the key word here.  Doesn't JKR make a big point about 
choice meaning everything and blood not meaning so much?  Shame on 
Hagrid for writing off the Malfoys in much the same way he has been 
written off so many times before.  We need to remember that Draco is 
still young; he is not so developed in his thinking or set in his 
views as his father is.  No one can make a blanket statement about how 
he will turn out.  

I teach 17-21 year olds in the Bronx and many of them have done 
terrible things.  However, that doesn't mean that they are terrible 
now and will be terrible for the rest of their lives.  With the right 
support and encouragement, any one of my students can turn his/her 
life around and make a great future.  Why can't Draco do the same?    

Elkins again: 
> > Or, for that matter, his assurance to Harry that he'll surely 
> > grow up to be a great wizard, because "with a mum an' dad 
> > like yours, what else would yeh be?"  

Christi's response: 
>  Given Hagrid's great regard for James and Lily this comment makes 
> sense, especially if there is a strong genetic component to magical 
> ability. Harry's parentage does not garantee he would be on the side 
> of good, but James and Lily's abilities could be an indication of 
> Harry's potential magical ability (and we know Squibs are rare). On 
> the other hand, expecting children to be talented because of their 
> parents ability can be unfair. Hagrid's reasoning may be flawed in 
> this regard, but he does seem to have come up with the correct 
> conclusion.>

I find Hagrid's comment quite dangerous, actually.  Once again, Hagrid 
is generalizing, especially as he does *not* know Harry very well at 
the time.  Parents have significant influence over their children's 
lives, even if the parents haven't been around, but children also 
can't turn to their parents as the final say in things: "Well, Dad was 
a great Quidditch player.  Guess I am too!"  Doesn't that sound silly?

There has been speculation about Draco getting away from under his 
father's coat tails.  At some point in his life Draco will have to be 
his own man because he, like Harry, is an individual, not a puppet 
controlled by his father.

I'm not saying this well at all.  What I mean is that I agree with 
Dumbledore when he says it is the choices we make that determine who 
we are.  We do not inherit everything that our parents are or were 
simply because they are or were our parents.

--jenny from ravenclaw, who isn't fond of Hagrid and doesn't think a 
smack on the head will do it ********************