Fear of Werewolves is Justified (was Defense of Hagrid, Hagrid's Teaching, Flobberworms, etc.)

[marinafrants]

No: HPFGUIDX 40376

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Amanda Geist" <editor at t...> wrote:
> Okay. I don't dislike Lupin; I like his character very much. That 
said...
> 
> He is a *werewolf.* In my eyes, that is considerably more than 
simply being
> "a member of a group targeted for bigotry." That is being a member 
of a
> group that is damned dangerous. Lycanthropy is incurable; it will 
cut you
> off from society, the only parallel I can think of as adequate is 
leprosy
> and how leprosy has been perceived. Devastating. Permanent. 
Painful. Final.
> 

That's not a bad parallel, given that leprosy is treatable with 
modern medication and not nearly as contagious as most people 
think.  

Lupin is perfectly safe the vast majority of the time, and the times 
that he's not safe can be accurately predicted and easily planned 
for.  Medication is available to control his symptoms.  There is no 
reason why he shouldn't be teaching.  In fact, the biggest danger 
comes from the secrecy imposed on him by anti-werewolf bigotry. The 
most sensible way to deal with Lupin's presence at Hogwarts would've 
been to announce to everyone at the start of the year that Professor 
Lupin is a werewolf.  Then the dates of the full moon could be 
publically posted every month so everyone would know to stay inside 
those nights (students are supposed to be in their dorms at night 
anyway).  Unfortunately, the WW's attitude toward werewolves made 
such action impossible.

Marina
rusalka at ix.netcom.com