The Statute of Secrecy

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 159091

> > > Ken:
> > > The Statute of Secrecy is a tough, tough law to enforce and obey, I
> > > grant that. It does not *force* anyone to act unethically. Individual
> > > witches and wizards and the Ministry collectively *choose* 
> > convenience
> > > over ethics. I won't let them off the hook for that.   
> > 
> > a_svirn:
> > Although I agree with you on the question of forgeries I think that 
> > stature of secrecy does force one to act unethically. Because memory 
> > charms *are* unethical and it's impossible to maintain secrecy without 
> > them.
> >

Pippin:
The Statute of Secrecy  might as well be called the Muggle Manipulation Act, 
because that's what it requires. It just does. Attempting to influence people
for an ulterior motive *is* manipulation, pure and simple. Whether it's
ethically justified  would depend on whether the secrecy itself is justified,
IMO. 

In RL, European society began to persecute witches about the same time
it began to persecute Jews.  I don't think any wizard familiar with current
events  at the time Dumbledore invited Tom to Hogwarts could be 
persuaded  that wizardkind had made the wrong choice. The sad irony, 
of course, is that the wizards withdrew from the muggle world only to  
create a persecuting society of their own. 

I find all this effort put into ways Dumbledore could have come up
with an official document to show Mrs. Cole amusing. Would this
document give an address, phone number and contact person for
Hogwarts? If Mrs. Cole followed up on this information, as she 
should  if she is to show due diligence, would her questions be
answered truthfully? If not, then Dumbledore would be handing her
a document that he knows is not what it purports to be, and his
hands would be no cleaner than they were before. 

Nor does a_svirn's concern about misuse of the credential
seem to be addressed. Not only would this muggle-friendly
Hogwarts credential still be subject to abuse by wizards, it could 
be abused by unscrupulous Muggles as well!

Pippin