Hermione's Hypocrisy?(long)

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 129222


> > 
> > > Betsy:
> > > But don't you see that as a Muggleborn Hermione faces some of 
the 
> > > exact same prejudices?  And that Lupin and Hagrid are hurt by 
> > > prejudice and react to that prejudice in the exact same way 
> > Hermione  would?  
> > 
> > a_svirn:
> > 
> > Nope, I don't see that. Hermione is universally admired. 
> 
> 
> Pippin:
> Um, no.  Remember the way Lucius reacted to Hermione's
> parents in CoS? Remember Rita Skeeter's article in GoF, and the 
hate 
> mail telling Hermione to go back where she came from? Remember 
> the bubotuber pus?
> 
> You may not think much of Draco's quartet, but
> their opinions come from home, and Lucius is (or was) a very 
> influential wizard. There are evidently a lot of people who agree
> with  him, though they might not be willing to say it where Albus 
> Dumbledore can hear them. 

a_svirn:

Well, there is no denying that the bad guys of the Potterverse don't 
like Muggle-borns. However, there are the good guys who do. And they 
are greater in number. Remember how the whole Hupplepuff house 
guarded Finch-Felly from Harry? How indignant everyone in the 
Gryffindor team was when Draco called Hermione "Mudblood"? 
Since you've brought up bubouber pus incident, you may as well 
recall *why* Hermione was getting this kind of hate mail. It was 
because she was believed to toy with affections of the two "most 
eligible bachelors" of the WW. (And she did land the pure-blood 
Krum). So you see, her origins didn't upset her social life. Neither 
are her career choices affected. Even now she is a prefect and is 
tipped to be a headgirl.  Formally she can choose whatever career 
path she fancies. She can walk with her nose in the air and preach 
morals to her heart's content. 

Now werewolves, for instance, are pushed to the fringes of the WW. 
Even the good guys are wary around them. They are legally 
prosecuted. Remus would have never had a place in Hogwarts both as a 
student and as a teacher had his condition been known. 
While "mudblood" is an insult,  "werewolf" is a stigma.  While 
Hermione is choosing between the most prestigious wizarding 
professions Remus is struggling for survival. Not exactly the SAME 
prejudices. 

Pippin:
> 
>  Lupin, Maxime and Hagrid face the same allegation as Hermione: 
> they're outsiders so they must have loose morals. (Ugh!) Hermione
>  understands their needs because they happen to coincide
> with her own. But that doesn't always happen.

a_svirn:

As far as I recall the only one who ever accused Hermione in loose 
morals was Rita Skeeter. She also accused the half-blood Harry in 
being mentally afflicted, the pure-blood Dumbledore and Arthur 
Weasely in being senile and incompetent respectively. And no doubt 
many others in a variety of sins. She may egg on prejudices against 
the muggle-borns when it suits her purpose, but she is also not 
averse of playing on the public's distrust of the bureaucrats and 
the privileged. Then again, when it suits her she can call 
Hermione "stunningly pretty" and Harry a young hero. In a sense you 
may say she is above all prejudices. And were Hagrid and Maxime 
indeed accused in loose morals? Can't recall the occasion.  They are 
supposedly bloodthirsty and vicious – something Hermione has never 
been charged with.

Pippin:

<snip>:
> 
> > She doesn't predict that the centaurs' need to
> take revenge on wizardkind might outweigh their need to obey
> their laws. 

a_svirn:

You think Hermione's problem with the centaurs has something to do 
with her being Muggle-born? I think it's just another "empathy 
failure" on her part. The centaurs were (justly) incensed with her 
because she was blatantly trying to use them. 

a_svirn