Slytherin Ideology, in context

[ohneill_2001]

No: HPFGUIDX 100229

This isn't a howler; I understand your points.  I have to 
respectfully disagree on a few counts, however...

"Eric Oppen" <technomad at i...> wrote:
> reasons, forex.  The prejudice might be against those _raised 
> outside the WW_...which would include one Harry James Potter, 
> as well as our Hermione.


The thing is, that's *not* what the prejudice is.  The canon is quite 
clear that Slytherins' disdain is based on blood, not upbringing.  Is 
there an example in the text of any type of slur being directed at 
Harry (or another Muggle-raised Wizard) based on where they were 
raised, and not based on blood?

I don't necessarily agree that discrimination based on upbringing is 
any more legitimate, in any event.  True, muggle-raised wizards have 
some adapting to do when they arrive in the WW.  The same thing 
happens in real life, when a person moves to a place that is 
culturally different from where he/she grew up.  They arrive in their 
new homes, and they do their best to adapt.  Some adapt better than 
others, and those that adapt poorly will have problems in their new 
home.  That doesn't justify bigotry, however, and not in the WW any 
more than in RL.

> If there ever comes a time when Wizard and Muggle values clash---can
> Hermione be trusted, even if the wizards are in the right?  She's 
> gone on with her house-elves'-rights campaign in the face of repeated
> evidence that the house elves, themselves, do not _want_ to be free.  
> I'd think seeing how crushed Winky was would have gotten through to 
> her, but our Hermione is not one to let a little thing like evidence 
> get in the way. *snip*

But why do you see that as a Muggle trait?  Do you think there aren't 
others in the Wizarding world who can be just as stubborn when they 
believe they are right about something?

> What if, for example, the majority of would-be Dark Overlord types 
> were Muggle-born?  (Heck, if you include "Muggle-raised" in this 
> category, that would definitely include one Thomas Marvolo Riddle, 
> aka Lord Voldemort, now wouldn't it?)

I find that to be unlikely.  If it were demonstrably true that Muggle-
raised children were more likely to turn to the dark side, then why 
would only one of the four houses have a problem with Muggle-borns? 
And furthermore, why would it be the Slytherin house that would have 
the problem; after all, Slytherin is undeniably the most "pro-dark 
side" of the four.  If Muggle-raised children were more likely to 
become dark, Slytherins would presumably want *more* of them, right?


> If I were living in the Wizard World, I'd be terribly handicapped---I
> couldn't ride a broom, summon the Knight Bus, use the Floo, get onto
> Platform 9 3/4, or even into Diagon Alley without someone there to 
> help me.
> Once the novelty and wonder had worn off, I'd probably start to 
> hate it.

All of this supports the idea that *Muggles* should probably not be 
living in the wizarding world.  It does not pertain to Muggle-born or 
Muggle-raised wizards, however.

--Cory