OOP: James( was:Two-way Mirror and other frustrations)

[freddie mac]

No: HPFGUIDX 64272

Ok, I've got a few questions about this ...

> > --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "M.Clifford" 
> > <valkyrievixen at y...> wrote:

<Lotsa snippage>

Valky wrote:
> What is, obviously, primarily in James mind at the time
[of bullying Severus]
> is impressing <snip> 
> Lily Evans that he is powerful. 
and <snip>
> [James thinks] she will see him as a person who does 
> not tolerate someone who displays poor character by
> dabbling in evil arts.

I say: Given James and Sirius' actions, what makes them a
good judge of character?  IIRC, their reasons for singling
Severus out were for the simple fact that he existed.  If
he hadn't had an interest in/reputation for dark arts, they
woudl have found another excuse. His nose, perhaps, or his
hair?  

Valky also wrote:
<snip> Frankly, I have faith in James <snip>
> stopping ... the moment Snape was 
> revealed as misunderstood ... not prefering dark evil 
> magic. 
and <snip>
> I suspect his [Severus'] reverence of the black arts was 
> prevalent enough to label him safely as a person 
> displaying an evil character.


I say: Interest in a subject does not make a person evil,
and what gives James the right to make those judgements? In
the real world, interest in the occult does not make a
person evil, nor does interest in medicine make a person
good (numerous examples of medical research that can only
be
described as evil).

Valky also wrote:
> Basically, I am saying that James displayed himself a
> fool by attempting to teach someone who was in love with 
> evil that good was essentially stronger and better.
<snip>
> 


I say: I fail to see *how* James was attempting to
teach "someone who was in love with evil that good was
essentially stronger and better" by tormeting Severus for
years.  Please give me examples that show how James
attempted to do this.  IMHO, humiliation and relentless
bullying is NOT an effective teaching tool about the nature
of good vs evil.

I do agree that James saving Severus from "the prank"
showed James' intrinsic good nature (and was quite possibly
a turning point for James, but not for Sirius), but I also
see why Severus would not have seen that for himself.  Why
should one incident change his perception of a person who
has relentlessly humiliated and bullied him for years?

Freddie 
(who cannot understand how bullying can ever be construed
as "good")