[HPforGrownups] Marietta and Hermione (was JKR's Messages ) (was Re: Hermione In Trouble?)

[charme]

No: HPFGUIDX 120922


<snip>

> Eggplant wrote:
> "I confess to being a bit confused, you don't seem shy about making
> moral judgments, like what a horrible terrible person Hermione is for
> not allowing Umbridge to torture Harry to death, but when I also make
> a moral judgment you object, and in capital letters too. "
>
> Del replies:
> Show me where I ever said that about Hermione.
> Hint : I never said such a thing.
> Second hint : the moral judgement I most often make is that nobody is
> perfect and that as a consequence we shouldn't hold anyone to a
> perfect standard.
> Third hint : I *am* shy about making moral judgements, in fact I might
> be one of the shiest people on this board when it comes to making
> moral judgements, so much so that I often grate on the nerves of other
> posters.
> Fourth hint : if I remember well, we started this discussion with you
> describing Marrietta as a deeply evil person and me arguing that she
> might have had very good and important excuses, circumstances and most
> importantly of all motives. Who was making the moral judgement there?

charme, reluctantly:

There's an old phrase which may suit here: "perception is 9/10th of the 
law." Interpretation of posts like these are individual to the reader, and 
what you mean to say and what actually comes through *about you* via your 
writing can be 2 entirely different things.

<snip>

> Eggplant wrote:
> "Are you really sure you want to pursue this line of argument, do you
> really want to try to make the case that the war in Iraq is not
> really a war because the silly politicians in Washington have not
> declare it so,"
>
> Del replies:
> President Bush has said he was sending the armies on a war. The
> American soldiers are all identified. There are images and reports
> about the war in Iraq. There are pictures of the enemy soldiers. So
> no, I wouldn't argue that there's no war in Iraq.
>
> But I do ask you : does the wizarding community know who are the
> fighters on either side? And where are the reports about the war?

charme:

For some odd reason I'm reminded of the police handing you a ticket when 
your vehicle registration expired and you didn't realize it, and lo and 
behold, it's your responsibility to *know* about it, not the state's. War 
always "starts" before actual physical confrontation is officially declared 
by the government - is ignorance of the situation or outright denial the 
responsibility of the government or of the individual?  (I don't know - I 
can see it both ways and make it personal responsibility in RL to inform 
myself as much as possible, so I wouldn't limit myself to just the Prophet 
if I was a wizard :)) Remember, Harry  and DD were portrayed as off their 
rockers, ridiculed, etc in The Daily Prophet. In DD's case, he is a wizard 
who was lauded for the defeat of a dark wizard some years back and was 
stripped of some of his *position* in the community. It'd make me wonder 
what the hell was going on, especially if I had a kid at Hogwarts who 
informed me at end of term a young man had been killed by LV's rebirth at 
the end of the Tri Wizard Tournament as DD had told the students. 
Interesting scenario, indeed.