Ron, Hermione and the Elves was Re: SHIP: Harry and Hermione

[quigonginger]

No: HPFGUIDX 92425

Pippin wrote: (re: SPEW)
> > She's (Hermione) been trying for two books now to convince him 
(Ron) that 
> > they would get used to freedom if they had it. Muggle thinking, 
of 
> > course.  

To which greatelderone responded:
> Which in the five books is proving to be more advanced than the 
> wizard's unless slavery, institutionalized torture, lack of due 
> process and legalized discrimination is your cup of tea. :)

(snipping some excellent stuff)
now Ginger:

Good points, both.  I think a lot of the contention between those who 
think the elves should be allowed to go on as they are and those who 
want them freed is the difference in the perception of elfish 
feelings.  

Those who want them to remain as they are see them as happy to be 
enslaved, with canon proving how badly they can take it if they're 
not.  (Dobby being the odd duck in the equation)  They see them as 
being fundamentally different from humans.  JKR herself says they 
have powers wizards don't, and don't have powers that wizards have. 
(World book day chat) 

Those who want them freed see them as being human in nature.  There 
really isn't any analogy in the human world that mirrors this.  Human 
slavery has been condemned, and for good reason.  Deep down, 
regardless of upbringing, race, gender or any other factor, we are 
all humans.  We in the US have it in our constitution that liberty is 
an inalienable right.  

But these are elves.  Do they think like we do?  Feel the way we do?  
It would be wrong of us to look down on them and say that they 
are "lesser" beings, but is it also wrong to force our own values on 
them?  That kind of implies that our values are of greater 
importance, or at least that we see ourselves as more enlightened.

History argues for both sides:  both against the attrocities of 
slavery and against the forcing of "enlightened" thought 
on "primatives".  Both have reached unhappy conclusions.  

What we need is elfin input.  Unless we understand how they are so 
darn happy working for no pay, no choice of apparel, no freedom, no 
recognition, sparse living quarters, and with a devotion that only 
they seem to understand, SPEW is about as senseless as Protestents 
starting a "Free the Nuns" movement.

There's got to be more to this whole thing, and only the elves (and 
JKR) know what it is.

Ginger, who thinks we should meet the elves half way and give freedom 
only to those who want it.