Marrietta's betrayal -Higher Moral Authority

[huntergreen_3]

No: HPFGUIDX 110894

B_Boymn wrote:
>>A soldier is required by law to follow orders. His failure to do so 
can be very harshly punished even to the extent of the death penalty.
However, international law has established the each soldier must
answer to a higher more universal moral authority.

If a soldier is ordered by his superior to commit what he believes to
be a war crime or crimes against humanity, then he has both a moral
and legal obligation to refuse. If he does not refuse, he can later be
prosecuted for those war crimes or crimes against humanity. Of course,
Catch-22, if he does refuse, he can also be prosecuted for disobeying
orders and other assorted crimes.<<

HunterGreen:
But does this apply in this situation? Harry wasn't fighting against 
crimes against humanity or segregation, he was simply teaching other 
students hexes and curses. For many of the students this probably had 
more value with passing their OWLs than anything else, since the 
chances of any of them getting attacked by Voldemort or a DE in the 
near future are small. Its important for *Harry*, but he already 
knows them. Even the adults at the Order (Molly at least) were 
against the group. It may have been best for everyone if Harry had 
indeed disbanded the group (as much joy as it brought *him*, it did 
run the risk of getting a large chunk of students expelled and ended 
up being the reason that Dumbledore left the school).
This is not like him giving the quibbler an interview, which *was* 
fighting against the government. Or him standing up in class telling 
Umbridge that Cedric was indeed killed by Voldemort. 

>>So, a common and reasonable morality does take precedence over 
common law. Obeying the law is the 'easy' choice, just keep your head 
down, hope for the best, and do what you are told; the choice of
non-thinkers and non-doers. Those who think and do, make their choice
based on a deeper and more universal sense of right and wrong.<<

Well, Marietta didn't really take the easy way out. She was caught 
between a rock and a hard place. On one side was possible expulsion 
(and whatever her parents would do to her), and the other was 
betraying her friends. I think she made the choice based on *a lot* 
of thought (considering the amount of time between the first meeting 
and her betrayal), and based on her own morals. From her point of 
view the government wasn't corrupt, and Harry was telling lies and 
trying to cause trouble (its quite reasonable that she would believe 
that).