HatingDH/Dementors/...Draco/.../KeepSlytherin House

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 177575

---  <catlady at ...> wrote:
>
> CathyD wrote in
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/177502>:
> 
> << Perhaps the disappointed should start a new e-mail 
> list so we can voice our own opinions without fear of
> someone rushing in to try to save us from ourselves.
> >>

> Catlady:
> 
> 'Disappointed' covers a lot of territory. Some people
> enjoyed the book despite being disappointed ...
> 
> Some people appear to be expressing an opinion that 
> the book is not merely not enjoyable to them, but 
> that it is downright evil. ...
> 

bboyminn:

Therein lies the real problems. In another group, I
frequently find myself defending the books 'Eragon/
Eldest' which I liked very much. Now I can handle 
people saying they don't like it. Not everybody likes
everything. But some people attack it with such venom
and vitriol that is seems unnaturally excessive, and
that is when I feel the need to step in and defend.

They same is true of this group and these books. When
people express such extreme opinions that the degree
and the tone have a creeping unnaturalness about them.
I have to question those opinions.

In addition, when some people hold opinion that are 
so counter to the obvious read of the story, I feel
uneasy. For example, to say that Harry is a beast 
and Draco is a downtrodden sweetie-pie, goes against
the obvious in the extreme. 

Now I can understand debating the counterpoint. To
try to show things from Draco's side, I can even do
that. Even I, a great Harry fan, can find and hold
sympathy and understanding for Draco and Slytherins.
But some opinions are so extreme as to be unfathomable,
at least my me.

So, certainly, if you are disappointed, then be
disappointed. That is a fair response. Certainly, debate
and discuss the positive aspects of negative characters.
But do try to keep it in perspective. Painting Slytherins
as poor put-upon saints and Gryffindor as oppressive
demons, in my opinion, is far out of perspective.

My point is, I don't think anyone has a problem with
negative or disappointed reactions, but when those
reaction reach an unfathomable extreme, then it becomes
...well... unfathomable.

> ...edited...
> 
> Katie wrote in
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/177507>:
> 
> << However, it's not really reasonable to welcome all
> those dark wizards into a school with normal people 
> and put them in a house that will only encourage those
> dark tendencies.  (snip) I don't understand why 
> Hogwarts just didn't get rid of Slytherin House after
> Salazar Slytherin split. >>

> Catlady:
> 
> I think that the wizards generally regard the 
> difference between Dark Magic and Light Magic the way
> Muggles regard the difference between Democrats and
> Republicans. ...
> 
> I admit there was no electorate when three Founders
> ran the school after Salazar split. I suppose they 
> believed they couldn't abolish Slytherin House for 
> some magical reason, ...
>

bboyminn:

I think people are over reacting to Slytherin House.
Being sorted there does not guarantee that you will
go on to be a Dark Wizard and live a life of crime. 
That's ridiculous in my opinion.

The Sorting Hat sees potential, and the potential to
be cunning and ambitious is not a negative thing. True
most 'bad people' tend to be cunning and ambitious, 
but not all cunning ambitious people are bad. We
assume most brave people are good, but we see from
Peter's unique brand of courage, that this is an
attribute that can manifest itself in negative ways.
I see this as true of all the Houses.

So, if we assume we keep the kids but lose the House,
how does that change anything? Those cunning ambitious
kids are still there, and they are likely to gravitate
together regardless of which House they are in. This
happens on every school campus in the world; birds of
a feather, flock together. 

So, my point is, I see no point in breaking a thousand
years of tradition because some people are determined
to assign universally negative attributes to a 
particular group of people. Slytherins have their 
problems, but it is up to them to fix the public's
perception of themselves. 

Also, I simply can't believe that /most/ Slytherins
don't go on to live perfectly normal lives. It is 
unreasonable to assume they all go off and become 
dark wizards and criminals. I suspect more likely
they become good businessmen and entrepreneur. 

Again, in my view, it takes a pretty extreme view
to think that Slytherin should be eliminated. 

Sorry, got to run.

Steve/bboyminn