Newbie and some questions about Slytherins

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 92026

> Krissy:
> > > Ok, ok, I admit...I like the Slytherins. I feel kind of bad for
> > > them, because I don't know how many of them even have a freewill
> > > to decide how they behave and treat people.

> Siriusly Snapey Susan:
> > It may not be an
> > *easy* road to take to defy parents or tradition, but everyone
> > certainly has free will.  Isn't that just about the most major 
< < theme of the series to far, that it's more about our *choices* 
> > than anything else?

> Silmariel: 
> This is about choices? Well, a Griffindor chosed to Crucio another 
> human being and I'm not saying he's a bad rotten apple. Have a 
> Slytherin do it with identical motives and he'd be judged by 
> the 'unforgivable' law. Slytherins are excluded and in that 
> position is not no easy to choose. When gryffindor chose the 'good' 
> side, they are taking the easy path. After all, it is what we 
> expect from them.
> 
> If a Griffindor in Harry's year is affected by his family 
> prejudices, to ask that Slytherins, heavily prejudiced families, 
> suddenly choose, is kind of a miracle. 
<snip>
> But we don't have a clue of how the Slytherin house member's are. 
> We know only the side that Harry knows, and Harry is a greatly 
> prejudiced witness.


Susan:
First, do we know that when a Gryffindor chooses the "good side", 
it's only because it's "easy"?  It may be more "in their nature", but 
that doesn't mean it's easy all the time.  

Second, Harry certainly *is* a prejudiced witness, and I think that's 
why lots of us are anxious to get to know some Slytherins better 
somehow.  

Third, ANYONE who stereotypes is at fault, no matter what house 
he/she is in.  I don't doubt that there is a LOT of stereotyping 
going on, by the Gryffindors, the Slytherins, and even by staff 
members like Hagrid.  But I still don't see how this says an 
individual's actions aren't based upon free will and their own 
choices.  As I said originally, I'm not saying the road is *easy* but 
that it's **possible**.  This is also what DD said when he said one 
must choose what is right over what is EASY.  He didn't say "wrong", 
but "easy".  Interesting choice of words.  

I taught high school in an area which has had a long reputation for 
Ku Klux Klan activity & a generally pervasive racist attitude.  Some 
of the students I had in class came from families where all they'd 
heard was that Blacks were "niggers" or that we don't want "those 
people" around, taking "our" jobs.  Did that mean I was going to 
allow those kids to spout off their canned racist remarks in my 
classroom?  Hell, no!  Slytherins, Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, whomever--
stereotyping is a dangerous thing.  You don't get off the hook just 
because it's what your parents or grandparents thought.  It's not 
EASY, but choosing to listen & think as an individual is part of what 
education is all about.  The sorting hat raises this issue when it 
talks about the need to unite.  CHOOSING to raise a glass to Cedric 
or Harry is another example.  It's a harder choice for Slytherins, we 
assume, because of the pressures & stereotypes.  But even some 
Gryffindors [Seamus, anyone?] have to think long & hard about what & 
whom they believe in.

Not sure if this is addressing, exactly, what you were saying, 
Silmariel.  Sorry, if it's not.

Siriusly Snapey Susan