muggle baiting vs. muggle torture

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 155215


> Alla:
> 
> But where do you see it lurking in the books? IMO there is **no** 
> other indication given in canon, other than punish Dudley for his 
> bullying ways.
> 
> I mean, I understand the debate whether twins have any right to do 
it 
> in the first place, but I absolutely don't understand the argument 
> that they have **any** other reason than to punish Dudley for 
being a 
> bully.

Magpie:
That is their reason, but Arthur still says it's Muggle-baiting and 
I agree.  They also state they're trying out their products as well 
and we know they love practical joking.  They seem to feel Dudley 
has made himself a candidate for a try-out in ways a random Muggle 
might not have because he's a bully.

Alla:> 
> I mean, I argued in the past that I don't get Twins as DE 
comparison 
> at all, but I would totally understand it ( disagree but 
understand) 
> if I could see one of the two things happening in canon:
> 
> 1. Dursleys were treating Harry well OR
> 
> 2. Twins indicated in one way or another that they dislike Muggles 
( 
> I am not sure, but I don't remember that happening either)

Magpie:
I don't see much point in arguing that the Twins are Death Eaters 
because they obviously aren't. My post was saying that I recognize 
that the Dursleys mistreat Harry and that the Twins don't ever seem 
to dislike Muggles the way a DE does.  My reaction to this scene 
doesn't depend on that.  As a Muggle I don't think it's okay that 
they would only torment me with Magic if they disapproved of 
something I did.

Alla:> 
> 
> What I **am** trying to figure out is where in canon we can see 
that 
> Twins have **any** other reason to do that to Dudley other than to 
> punish him.
> 
> Is this argument based on Arthur dissaproval?

Magpie:
I don't see where anyone is making the argument that the Twins have 
any other reason to do that to Dudley except to punish him (and the 
reasons I stated above, that they like practical jokes and wanted to 
test their products). My point is I don't think the fact that they 
want to punish Dudley makes it not Muggle-baiting.  

-m