"Pathetic" Muggle-borns (Was: JKR messed up........ no.)

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 178503

Carol earlier:
> <snipped>
> > > But why would Muggle-borns educated at Hogwarts be reduced to
begging in the streets *(setting aside those whose relatives
> > > were being held hostage)*?
> 
> > > So why can't these Muggle-borns, as Del suggested, take refuge
in the Muggle world among their Muggle relatives, at least till the
danger passes, or even make a new life for themselves outside the WW?
Granted, a Hogwarts education isn't much help toward a Muggle career,
but they can read and write and do some sort of mathematical
calculations ("I can do maths and stuff," Muggle-raised Harry tells
Hagrid in SS/PS), and Hogwarts offers at least one Muggle-like course,
Astronomy.
> > > Are they really that helpless?
> 
Susan responded:
> 
> "My children!" he bellowed, pointing at her. His voice was cracked,
high-pitched; he sounded distraught. 'Where are my children? What has
he done with them? You know, YOU KNOW!'" p. 525. American
> Edition of DH.
> 
> I started to cry at that point in the book - probably because as a
mother I identified so strongly with that man.

Carol responds:

So did I. But I made a specific exception for Muggle-borns whose
children are being held hostage. I'm not sympathizing with the Death
Eaters here. I'm trying to figure out why those whose families aren't
in jeopardy don't just leave the WW.
> 
Susan:
> or Mrs. Cattermole about Maisie, Ellie and Alfred Catermole.
"They're frightened, they think I might not come home -- " "'Spare
us,'" spat Yaxley. "'The brats of Mudbloods do not stir our
sympathies.'" p. 259 DH
> 
> There are lots of reasons that some Muggleborns might not be able to
survive on the run or in the wilderness - just like the homeless--
what would they do with small children? Some are frail and elderly.
Some might be physically disabled. Some might have mental health
issues. They wouldn't have access to Gringotts....Someone like Mrs.
Cattermole was from a family which probably didn't have much money...

Carol again:

The Mugghe-borns we see begging in the streets are not identified as
physically or mentally disabled, IIRC.

And What would they do with the children? Take them along wherever
they went. It's certainly better than living with them in the streets.
Mrs. Cattermole, I expect, followed Harry's advice and side-along
Disapparated with her husband (who still had a wand) and their
children to some safe place. 

I thought about Gringotts, but I'm not so sure that they wouldn't be
able to get their money out before they left. The goblins don't seem
to care; they let Sirius Black have money from his vault, and he was a
wanted fugitive. Nor do the wizard guards seem to be DEs (though I
could be mistaken on that point). Hermione had a stash of money from
somewhere (a Muggle savings and loan?), but not everyone would have
Muggle money available, I concede. And we can't generalize about Mrs.
Cattermole without knowing her. Her husband had a job at the Ministry,
at least until the disruption that followed his wife's trial. He
probably had some money in Gringotts. But we just don't know.

Anyway, for the record, I was also moved by the scene in which the
poor man bellows at Bellatrix!Hermione, asking her what LV has done
with his children. It's obvious why *he* hasn't left the country. I
had mixed feelings about Ron's Stunning the poor man to keep their
cover, and nothing but contempt for Travers, with his reference to the
man as "it." Nor am I sympathizing with Yaxley and his callousness
toward Mrs. Cattermole's children. Obviously, the DEs are being cruel
and unfeeling and altogether evil. 

But my point is that their victims seem more helpless than we might
expect, given that they can Disapparate until before their wands are
taken. Some few can probably ride brooms, which, IIRC, doesn't require
a wand. It seems to me that the DEs and the Ministry have more power
than is realistic in this situation. The Muggle-borns don't have to
board an airplane to leave the country. Why not use their wands while
they have them to stuff a few necessities (magically reduced) into a
bag like Hermione's and Disapparate? And they don't need to live among
Muggles if they don't have any Muggle relatives (despite being
Muggle-borns). LV hasn't taken over France yet, and the Channel is
narrow enough in some places (Calais?) to Apparate over. If Hermione
has the resources to survive in hiding, why not other Muggle-borns?

Isn't it unrealistic of JKR to depict so many people helpless and
begging? If you (generic you, not Susan specifically) were a
Muggle-born in that position, would you really be so utterly without
resources that you had to beg in the streets?

Maybe Adam (Prep0strus) is right--these wizards are just too dependent
on their wands. But Ted Tonks and Dirk Cresswell had wands. Why did
they stay in England? Why not hide out in France or Germany or
Switzerland or beautiful, sunny Italy, all of which have Wizarding
communities? And if they're going to camp, why not conjure a tent and
put protective spells on it? If Hermione can do it, why can't they? It
seems to me that JKR sacrificed logic to plot in depicting the
Muggle-borns, particularly those two.

Carol, not attacking Muggle-borns (sheesh! I'm a Muggle myself!), just
trying to figure out why those who don't have family members held
hostage don't just leave the British WW rather than begging in the streets