Snape's abuse (Re: Would an "O" for Harry vindicate Snape?)

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 131714

 
> Tonks:
> I think you are missing my point, and perhaps I am not being 
clear.  
> When I hear the phrase "so and so must EARN my respect" that 
> translates to me as:  "I can be rude and treat them in a 
> disrespectful manner because I don't like them".  Which happens way 
> too often in this day and age by young people toward older people 
or 
> those in positions of authority. IMO we have become a rude and 
crude 
> society and I don't do not think that it is right.  Children are to 
> learn to treat their teachers and elders with respect.  Not just 
> when they *like* them.  This is an old fashion idea, but a good one.
> 
> This has, as I said in my previous post, nothing to do with social 
> change. If a child is being mistreated they should tell someone.  
> But they do not have the right to be rude and crude to a teacher or 
> anyone else just to show off or because they don't happen to like 
> that person for whatever reason.  If you live in the U.S. you know 
> what I am talking about if you look around and see the 
disrespectful 
> manner in which teens and some who are a bit older treat other 
> people. And it is IMO because they can get away with anything in 
> school.  The whole *question authority* thing has gone too far the 
> other way. 

Finwitch:

To me this idea is horror, because there are adults who seriously 
mistreat and even abuse children - and I believe that such are more 
than ready to take full advantage of this sort of 'showing respect' 
to adults to make the children co-operate with them. What are the 
poor kids to do? How can a "yes, sir"- child refuse when an adult 
wants to give them drugs, alcohol, food items the child is (severely) 
allergic to or candy to a diabetic child... and takes offence at a 
refusal?

If children are not allowed to say no to adults, they may well die 
because of it... not what you mean, I suppose, but I understand that 
children will, most likely, fail at telling the difference because of 
those adults who don't respect the civil rights of children.

As for the question authority - adolescents are *supposed* to do 
that - to become independent adults. Besides, if the teen's in 
a "disobey you for the sake of disobedience"-mode any smart adult 
would then tell them to do the opposite of what they want done...

As for Harry vs. Snape - well, as I see it, Snape is acting like a 
bullying adolescent not like a responsible adult. If adults want that 
respect they must act like responsible adults - and that's what I 
mean by earning respect.

And yes, I do expect adults to behave first - adults have no right 
whatsoever to insult children (as Snape is regularly doing to Harry 
and Neville for no reason). They ought to show good example...

Finwitch