On the other hand (was Re: Disliked Uncle Vernon)

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 93173

Siriusly Snapey Susan wrote :
> > You brought up that some would be sure to argue the Dursleys 
> > should abide by the prevailing code of British society.  I 
> > personally think they *should* be held to that code, yes,
 
Del answers :
> But nobody did it. Neither Muggle nor Wizard. Nobody cared. The 
> Dursleys are definitely not the only ones responsible for the way 
> Harry was treated. Harry's teachers, for example, should have 
> talked to the Child Welfare or whatever it's called in Britain. \
> But they didn't. Why do we expect the Dursleys to obey our moral 
> code, when nobody seems concerned that they don't ?
 
Susan:
I hesitated to reply to this because I suspect we might end up back 
with the "there are no absolute moral codes" business again, 
but....  

**If** school personnel suspected abuse--and if the laws in Britain 
are similar to those in the U.S., where I was a public school 
teacher--then yes, someone *should* have reported & investigated it. 
But I believe that the types of behavior the Dursleys exhibited 
towards Harry which I'd consider abusive are likely things about 
which school officials might be unaware.  WHO there would KNOW that 
Harry lived in & was sometimes locked into a cupboard under the 
stairs, for instance?  As best I can recall, the Dursleys' nasty 
actions weren't the types of behaviors which attracted attention of 
the outside world.  Appearances, you know.

And **regardless** of that, I do NOT believe that one party is 
absolved of guilt simply because another party or parties did not 
fulfill their moral or legal responsibilities. The fact that no one 
else stepped in doesn't mean that the Dursleys are relieved of any 
responsibility for their own moral or immoral behavior!  To me, 
arguing that is like saying, "Well, that store clerk didn't care 
when those three guys stole 10 cartons of cigarettes, so it's okay 
if I steal some, too."  

In this scenario of additional guilt, I think I'd side w/ Kneasy in 
blaming **DD** more than anyone else for a failure to step in.  If 
he knows as much as he seems to know about what's happening w/ 
Harry, then his inaction should be called into question.  Still, 
those Dursleys!!  Pippin may be right that they're stupid, but I 
still think they're immoral, too. :-)

Siriusly Snapey Susan