Quesiton for Snapeophiles and -phobes RE Dumbledore, Snape, and Harry

[dzeytoun]

No: HPFGUIDX 114583


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> 
wrote:
> 
>> 
> Respect for the *position* of teacher is earned when one 
> accepts the position of pupil. 

But Hary didn't accept, did he?  He was sort of drafted into the 
situation.

Regardless of whether you think 
> Snape ought to have his job or not, as a teacher he has the right 
> to demand  that his pupils obey school rules, follow instructions, 
> answer questions civilly and pay attention in classHe has never 
> asked any more from Harry than this, and I fail to see how doing 
> any of those things would be harmful to Harry.

But he has asked more.  He has asked to be treated with a respect 
that he does not extend to Harry, even though it is his duty to do 
so, he has asked that Harry endure years of abuse.

> 
> 
> As for the idea that Voldemort's rule would be more benign than 
> Snape's, last I looked Voldemort was trying to kill Harry and 
> everybody else, and Snape and Dumbledore were trying to keep 
> Harry and everybody else alive. That entails some suffering on 
> Harry's part, as a treatment for cancer might require a child to be 
> treated with poisons and irradiated. 

Well, what has Voldemort done that we've actually SEEN?  He killed 
Harry's parents.  Bad, but they were his enemies.  He tried to kill 
Harry.  Bad, but that was self-preservation.  He brought himself back 
to life.  Can't fault him for that.  He tried to get his hands on the 
prophecy.  Self-preservation again.

Snape, meanwhile, has subjected Harry to five years of non-stop abuse.

Yes, in many ways, Snape is MUCH more evil than Voldemort.

Granted, we keep being TOLD that Voldemort is a great and powerful 
evil.  But we really haven't see that.  On the other hand, we keep 
being TOLD that Snape is a good guy.  But his evil is readily 
apparent.

On balance, if I had to choose which to send to the gallows on the 
basis of what I've actually SEEN, I would definitely give Voldie the 
pass and let Snape swing.