Motivations for Joining DEs (Was: Bullying)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 141205

Carol earlier <snipped by a-svirn>:
> >> Granted, a number of spells (notably "Obliviate!") are also
subject to abuse, but they also have other uses (the MoM protecting
itself from notice by Muggles or protecting Muggles from their own
traumatic memories). I'm not justifying the use of "Obliviate," which
I personally think is as much a violation of subjectivity as Imperio;
I'm just saying that there are excellent reasons why Imperio, like
Crucio, should never be used. 
> > 
a_svirn wrote:
> I am genuinely puzzled by this logic. If one spell that violates
one's personality has its uses, than why not employ another one? Or is
it just because it is mostly used on muggles? Then why not go ahead
and use the other three on them? Wait, I know why, it would be a
breach of the Stature of Secrecy. 
> 

Carol responds:
You snipped my reasons why Imperio should not be used, so I'll give
them again in short form. (Anyone who wants the full argument should
go upthread.)

1) A successful Imperio almost certainly requires the desire of one
person to dominate and another. (No such desire is needed to obliviate
a memory. The desire can be to help the person whose memory is
altered. His thoughts and behavior are not being controlled; he's only
forgetting something.)

2) Not only is the will to control others evil in itself in JKR's view
(and mine), this power can be terribly abused. As I stated earlier,
Mulciber used Imperio to "force countless people to do horrific
things." Draco uses it to turn Madam Rosmerta into an accessory to
(attempted) murder, and unknown DEs use in HBP it to make a
nine-year-old boy attempt to murder his grandparents.

For these reasons (desire to control and potential abuse), it is
punishable by a life term in Azkaban. I also think that the use of
Imperio is addictive and leads to the ruthless desire to dominate
others. Look what happened to the Crouches. (I could provide all sorts
of evidence for the harm done to both Crouches through the use of all
thre Unforgiveables, but particularly this one. Both of them ended up
as madmen.)

Sorry to repeat, but I think your question was answered by my previous
argument. Bad as Obliviate is, it's not a tool of terror and
domination like Imperio. It's used by the MoM to keep the WW separated
from the Muggle world (not to control or terrorize Muggles but to
protect the secrecy they feel is necessary). My point is not to defend
Obliviate, which, like almost any spell in the WW, can be used with
harmful intent. It's to explain why Imperio is Dark and evil in itself
and why it should not be taught at Hogwarts or used under any
circumstances. (A student is unlikely to become addicted to modifying
other people's memories, but as we see with the Crouches, it's very
tempting to go around controlling others, particularly if, like Barty
Sr., you desire power.)

I will concede, however, that Obliviate should not be part of the
Hogwarts curriculum because it, too, can be abused. But that fact does
not justify the use of the Imperius Curse.

Carol, with apologies for repeating snipped arguments