The Statute of Secrecy

[Ken Hutchinson]

No: HPFGUIDX 159125

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboyminn at ...> wrote:
>
> > 
> > Ken:
> > 
> > I don't think we can say that for sure since we are 
> > never given the text of the statute. I agree that 
> > memory charms are unethical, I think they are as bad as
> > the unforgivable curses and should be numbered among 
> > them. It certainly is true that the statute is 
> > frequently used to justify the casual use of memory 
> > charms on Muggles and I agree that this is unethical.
> > ...
> >
> 
> bboyminn:
> 
> One small problem with your assumption and that is ethics
> are not absolute, they are subjective. 

Ken:

So you are saying that if I actually had the ability to erase your
memory and did so that it would not necessarily be unethical
of me? That it would be ok as long as *I* felt it was necessary??
I'm sorry but I just find that astounding. Really, *I* can decide
what you should and should not remember from your life? You
cannot be serious.

> Steve:

> I mean, don't you watch movies? What is the first thing
> they do when superior aliens land on the earth; they call
> out the Army, Navy, and Air Force and very quickly and 
> with little provocation attack the aliens ('The Day the
> Earth Stood Still'). 
> 
> Look at the uproar that was created over the Harry Potter
> books, can you imagine how 'up in arms' the Christian 
> Right would be if it turn out that Harry Potter was 
> history instead of fiction? Can you imagine how the Lex
> Luthor's of the world would be plotting and scheming to
> get control of the wizards so they could use them for
> their own greedy and nefarious ends? If it wasn't all 
> out literal war, it would certainly be all out social 
> and economic war. 
> 
> If you want a good example of how the world is likely to
> treat superior beings, read the continuation of the 
> 'Shadow' Series by Orson Scott Card, ...

Ken:

I read books much more often than I watch movies and there
is a reason for that. Books tend to be far more intelligent.
I've read dozens if not hundreds of SF stories that depict first
contact between humans and aliens. SF writers envision a 
wide range of possible responses. I do not accept that 
widespread panic would ensue if the WW were revealed to 
be factual. Human populations have faced real threats 
that were far worse without social breakdowns. The Black
Death was devestating, frightening, and completely real. 
The US development of nuclear weapons at the end of WWII
was an astounding development. Neither one caused 
massive panics like those seen in Hollywood movies.

I am a member of this much feared, much maligned, and
completely misunderstood Christian Right. Radio signals
from an alien culture, the sudden appearance of aliens 
in our midst, or the sudden revelation that Harry Potter
is real would not distrub me in the least. I have enough 
faith in the human race to believe that the rest of you 
could deal well with these events too.


> Steve:
 
> You can say the actions of Wizards are wrong, but I think
> it pales compared to the all out war and horrendous 
> persecution wizards would suffer if they revealed 
> themselves. 

Ken:

I think it far more likely that St. Mungo's would be deluged
with Muggles seeking treatement for diseases we cannot 
cure. I think it far more likely that Hogwarts woul be 
deluged with physicists wanting to study the relationship
between magic and the rest of physics. I think it far more
likely that energy companies would vie for the rights to 
the limitless, non-polluting energy source the WW taps
into. The WW seems to have the solutions for many of our
problems, isn't it extremely selfish of them to keep these
wonderful technologies from a world that needs them
so desperately?

Ken