Witches and the Statutes of Secrecy was Re: a lot of Names, interrupted...

[ellecain]

No: HPFGUIDX 155022


> Ceridwen:
> Not really opposing, but offering an alternative.  Since the Salem 
> Witch Trials were near the end of the persecution, could the date have 
> been selected to convey the reason for the waning Muggle interest in 
> persecuting, rather than the other way around?  Remove the victims, and 
> there is no more need to persecute.  The WW closed in on itself 
> completely and divorced itself from the rest of human company, removing 
> the 'need' to find and kill witches.

Elyse: 
Although I like the idea, I still imagine that this would cause an
increase in the persecution! After all, now that all the magical
population has united, they would have strength in numbers. A unity,
perhaps, that they may have lacked before. And a Muggle who was
already in the persecution mindset would have more cause to become
paranoid. Of course this is just me imagining things....


> Ceridwen:
> Interesting, as I think Red Hen pointed out, that Enlightenment and 
> Industrialization followed this removal.  Someone mentioned the idea of 
> Muggles coming to the WW to solve Muggle problems. 
<snip>
  The seperation of the WW from the Muggle world encouraged 
> Muggles to do for themselves and to create different forms of 
> government and encourage greater interest in learning.

Elyse: 
Thats quite amusing to consider! Throughout the books we get these
wizarding impressions that Muggles are to be treated like children or
as people who cannot do anything for themselves.
Even Arthur's astounded statements of how its amazing that Muggles can
get by without magic are very funny when viewed in this light. If this
were true, I would think it hilarious that divorcing themselves from
the muggle world empowered the Muggles instead!

Just my two knuts...
Elyse