Question for Snape Bashers

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 101877


batchevra wrote :
> Snape is in a position of authority, and he abuses that authority 
> in that he bullies both Harry and Neville.

Del replies :
How do you know that he "abuses" his authority ? Yes he bullies Harry,
Neville, and countless others. But it doesn't seem to bother anyone in
authority over Snape. So to me it looks like Snape is *allowed* to act
that way if he feels like it. It's abuse in OUR eyes, but it doesn't
seem to be so in the WW's eyes. We must be careful not to apply our
own morals on another culture. (Alla is going to kill me for saying
that...)

Remember, in our own culture, just a few centuries ago, it was
accepted that some people had the right to mistreat, rape and kill
some other people if they felt like it.

And remember also that the WW is a world where some intelligent beings
are allowed to own and abuse some other intelligent beings. Hermione,
as a Muggle-born, has a huge problem with that. Coud it be that our
problem with Snape is some kind of reflection of Hermione's problem
with the House-Elves ?

Alla wrote :
> And again, if Snape WAS abused on a permanent basis, it is even 
> worse to me - victim , who turned bully. He knows exactly how it 
> feels and still does it to those who are weaker than them.

Del replies :
OI, Alla, I'm afraid you're missing something really important here !!
When abused people turn abusers, they are *still* VICTIMS of their abuse.
I wad sexually abused as a kid, and when I learned I was pregnant, I
was *terrified* : I was so scared of repeating it on my baby. I was
somehow sure I *would* do it, that I couldn't stop it, it was going to
happen. It was illogical, as I never felt pedophilic tendencies, but
it was very real nonetheless. Well, I studied the matter and was able
to put myself at peace after a while. But it's only recently that I
heard on TV, in a show where sexually abused kids who were now adults
were talking about how it still affected them, that *all* of them who
had children said they had had the same fear at one time or another,
and that they all had to get some help about it. *It's all part of the
abuse*. And the counselor on the set said that those feelings were
absolutely normal, but that they made the victims feel so ashamed that
many of them didn't dare asking for help. And it's usually among
*those* people, who don't get help, or who don't even realise they
need help, that you'll find new abusers.
So now, when I see an abuser who turns out to have been abused in
their childhood, I can't judge anymore. I can only cry for *both*
parties, because both parties are victims and both parties need help.
So if Snape was indeed abused as a kid (and I agree we don't know that
for sure), I can't judge him for abusing the kids now : the guy needs
*help*, and fast.

Alla wrote :
> I am also in agreement with Batchevra - if Snape is uncapable of 
> overcoming those effects of the abuse, let him hate those childrein 
> in private, but not take it out on them.

Del replies :
Why should we expect him to do that ?? Nobody is forbidding him from
doing it, and I suspect he gets some kind of twisted pleasure out of
it. So why ever should he restrain from doing it ??

Del