[HPforGrownups] HP and the democratic equilibrium(Re: Umbridge, brooms and DEs)

[Derek Hiemforth]

No: HPFGUIDX 87136

Geoff Bannister wrote:
>I reiterate what I said previously. The Quidditch incident had 
>nothing to do with brooms. Umbridge applied a sanction ­ that of 
>banning ­ which was relevant to the affair. To then withdraw the 
>brooms had nothing to do with the incident; it was a spiteful attempt 
>to upset Harry.

Derek:
I totally agree.  It's not like Umbridge was confiscating something
that wasn't allowed at the school, or something that was being used
to disrupt classes, etc.  What she did is completely different.
Consider this:

A student at a real-world school is an outstanding violin player.
She's the first-chair in the school orchestra, and probably has the
talent to be a professional violin player if she chooses to be.  Her
parents have given her an expensive, master-crafted violin.

At some point, she breaks some rules and crosses the school's
administrator.  For her actions, she is kicked out of the school
orchestra.  Fine.  It's the school's right to determine who can
participate in extra-curricular activities.  However, the
administrator also somehow imagines he has the right to *take her
violin away!*

This is ridiculous.  No one would stand for this, IMO.  The violin
itself breaks no school rules, isn't the school's property, isn't
being used to disrupt classes, etc.  This isn't normal school
discipline, this is outright thievery.

And this is perfectly analogous to what Umbridge does to Harry, IMO.

- Derek