Dumbledore's Army = House Elves

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 82881

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, jazmyn <jazmyn at p...> wrote:
> 
> 
> Scott Santangelo wrote:
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Dumbledore's Army will turn out to be a loyal group of Hogwart's 
> > house elves. I suspect they may receive some sort of "uniform" 
> > (ie:clothes!) in recognition of their new status as (free) (ie: 
> > they are "asked" to stay/work/be paid vs. "enslavement"). 
> > 


> Jazmyn replies:
> 
> One problem with this. The elves don't WANT to be freed. ...edited...
> 
> Jazmyn


bboy_mn:

First point; I do think elves will rally to fight against Voldemort,
and further suspect they may set up a network of Elf spies.

Second point regarding Elf freedom; elves do, in a sense, want
freedom, but not freedom from service. They want and deserve freedom
from oppression. 

House Elves and/or Brownies exist in mythology with one and only one
purpose to serve those that they choose to serve, and to be of service
is the pinnacle of house elf's existance. House elves enter into their
service willingly, and they do so with a sense of honor, commitment,
and benevolence that has centuries of tradition and history. In doing
so they ask nothing in return but the opportunity to serve. 

Two key aspects of house elf service; they volunarily choose to serve
and while they ask nothing in return, there is a reasonable
expectation that the wizards they serve will enter into the agreement
with the same level of honor, commitment, and benevolence that the
elves do. However, while the elf is bound by his honor to live up to
his commitment, sadly wizards do not enter with the same sense of honor. 

Instead, wizards take advantage of the elf's good faith and exploit it
to their advantage. In the face of the wizard's less than honorable
actions, an elf is faced with betraying his commitment, betraying his
ancestors, betraying his honor, and betraying the very essense of his
existance, or staying with a less than honorable wizard. Their deep
sense of loyalty and honor, and centuries of conditioning by wizards
will not allow them to turn away for this commitment.

What elves want, although they don't know it in an articulate way yet,
and what Hermione should be working toward, is not freeing the elves
from service, but getting the wizard world to recognize elves as
sentient beings with the same rights, priviledges, and protections
under the law that wizards have. She should fight for laws that
protect elves from abuse and mistreatment, and laws that guarantee a
degree of commitment and loyalty from wizards. Commitments and
loyalies in the form of care in their old age, providing for the basic
life necessities of elves, and treating elves with dignity and a sense
of gratitude.

Of course, that's just my opinion.

bboy_mn