[HPforGrownups] Re: OOP: James( was:Two-way Mirror and other frustrations)

[Diana Williams]

No: HPFGUIDX 64248

From: "M.Clifford" <valkyrievixen at yahoo.com>
> In this memory we see only a lonely student Snape, and are compelled
> to have some sympathy for his cause. In all fairness, I do. Snape
> was minding his own business and James' most certainly caused him
> terribly, undeserved distress. However, trying hard to look at the
> practicable situation unfoggily, Snape was a target for *existing*.
> There is definite overtones of Severus personifies a thing that
> shouldn't exist, in that statement. Which is the crux of my
> argument. Childish and cruel a display as it were what I see in
> James is a righteousness, that is not becoming of his actions, but
> may be behind them.


Okay, so what you're saying is that there's something about Snape that rubs
James the wrong way, some sort of vibe that he gives off - whether it's
being a pureblood bigot or a Dark Arts lover - that has irritated James from
Day One.  Okay, I buy that as a reason why James would say that he attacked
Snape "because he exists".  He hates whatever vibe it is that Snape gives
off (probably Dark Arts because it's canon that James really hated the Dark
Arts).  HOWEVER, it doesn't explain the other people that Lily says he hexes
because they annoy him (unless James hexes anyone who gives off that
annoying Dark Arts vibe) and it is NO EXCUSE.  Substitute some other kind of
vibe for the Dark Arts one - say, a "gay" or a Jewish vibe - and it puts the
whole thing into a different perspective.  No one should be attacked because
they "seem" Dark or bigoted, anymore than they should be attacked because
they are gay or of an ethnic group.  If Snape was doing something Dark, was
harming someone, then James might be justified in taking action.  But
attacking him because James senses he's Dark or bigoted is no justification.
That's not righteous, that's narrow-minded and - in fact - bigoted in
return.

Diana W.