Wizards regarding Muggles (was:Re: TBAY: Kirstini's big Theorising Adventure)

[laylalast]

No: HPFGUIDX 78731

 B Arrowsmith wrote:
<snip> This  one caused me to raise one eyebrow - slowly. I've no 
> problem with the premise of the blurring of moral  boundaries 
dividing  
> good from bad with a symphony of greys taking over from moral 
> certainties. What did surprise me was that Kirstini considered it 
to be 
> a fairly recent phenomenon. I think it's  been there from Book 1, 
chap. 
> 1.
> It just wasn't restricted to individuals.
<snip> 
>It also goes much further than any of the individuals that we have 
> enjoyed dissecting and theorising about. The whole concept of WW 
and 
> Muggledom is an exercise  in double standards and dubious tenets.
> 
> Consider, what is DD's first action? To drop a WW cuckoo into a 
Muggle 
> nest. It doesn't matter that it's unwelcome, inconvenient or 
> unreasonable, the WW has its agenda and Muggles are there to be 
used  
> and abused.
> 
> The unwritten thread that winds its way unbroken through the books 
is  
> that Muggles are the unconsidered  lumpen proletariat, with no say, 
no 
> worthwhile opinion and are to be abused, patronised or laughed at 
as  
> is appropriate. The need to enact  a Muggle  Protection Act should 
tell 
> you all you need to know. The WW sees itself as an elite, a 
patronising 
> elite, a possibly dangerous elite, who regard  Muggle laws or norms 
as 
> totally irrelevant to their lives or behaviour even though they 
live 
> within the society of Muggles. <snips a large but well said part>

I have also been disturbed by the fact that Muggles are considered 
as.. well, something Wizards have to put up with, but have nothing to 
offer wizards in return. 

The remark made by Hagrid made in PS/SS (pg 51, UK pb edition) as to 
why wizards want to be left alone: '...everyone'd be wantin' magical 
solutons to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone'.
Considering the problems the WW has (Voldemort, bigotry, bureaucracy, 
to name a few) they could perhaps learn from the Muggles? For 
example, as someone with a legal background I'm especially disgusted 
with the WW legal system which allows someone who has made the law, 
be a member of the jury who decides in specific circumstances and who 
is also the persecutor (Fudge in Harry's hearing in OOtP). I'm not so 
sure about the specifics of the legal system in the UK, but in 
Western Europe (I'm from the Netherlands) and the US, there are three 
separate authorities who deal with the law (in simple words:the 
makers, the persecutors and the judges). Really something the WW 
could learn from Muggles?!

But what really frightens me most is that during Voldemort's first 
reign of terror a lot of Muggles were killed as well 
("Mugglesport"?). And then ofcourse that, hum, incident in GOF, 
during the WC of Quidditch. A taste of what is to come? Now Voldemort 
is really back and how will Muggles be protected? No mention in the 
Daily Prophet article (OOtP, pg 745 UK pb edition) that the Prime 
Minister has been informed, has he? Only elementary home and personal 
defence for wizards is being issued. I don't like that at all. Gives 
me the feeling (which I rather not entertain) that the Muggles were 
right after all to prosecute wizards in the past (No, I don't even 
want to start thinking that).

> 
> Humph! I hope the tone eventually changes for the better.
> 
> Kneasy

I agree, but I have very, very little hope.

Laylalast (aka Lilian)