Hexing in the WW was :Re: Which Harry Potter character

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 185999

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" <dumbledore11214 at ...> 
wrote:
>
> > Kemper now:
> > Hey Potioncat, I'm unclear as to your meaning.  Are you saying that
> > it's culturally accepted in the WW to hex people who annoy you? 
> 
> Alla:
> 
> Not Potioncat, not going answer for her, but really want to change the 
> name of the thread now so I will say that absolutely it is much more 
> culturally accepted in WW to decide the argument with the wand than in 
> the Muggle world. Muggles do not have wands, while wands are pretty 
> much extension of who the wizards are, yes?
> 
> I would say that to me it means they would use them even in the 
> arguments, sometimes rightly, sometimes wrongly, but often when people 
> who do not have wands and magic (us, muggles) will think it is not 
> acceptable to.
> 
> Kemper:
> > If so, then I believe Umbridge would have been hexed more than a few
> > times by her peers... especially from Snape. We don't see the good
> > adults hexing because they don't like what someone has said.  It seems
> > if that was acceptable we would have seen it in OP twixt Snape and 
> Sirius.
> 
> Alla:
> 
> I had seen adults doing stuff with the wand when they did not like what 
> was said, yes. I do not remember that Sirius or Remus for example 
> attacked Snape in the Shrieking Shack, Sirius just begged him to listen.
> 
> Snape used his wand in response. No, I know it is not quite the same 
> thing, however, I do not think had the similar argument taking place in 
> the muggle world the use of the weapon would have been acceptable.
>
Montavilla47:

I think it would depend on what the weapon was.  It's true that Snape
uses his wand on Lupin and it appears to be in an irritated response
to Lupin's words.  However, Lupin was a danger.  He hadn't taken his
potion and he was shortly to turn into a werewolf.  Snape's use of his
wand can be seen as a prudent precautionary move that causes no
injury to Lupin, but keeps him from harming others.  

So, it would somewhat akin (in Muggle terms) to using restraints on
someone who is not an immediate threat, but could become one.  Police
routinely do this, cuffing suspects whether or not they are brandishing
weapons.  Whether or not the suspect is annoying them at the moment 
is immaterial.

He doesn't use his wand on Sirius, but he warns SIrius that he will, given
any provocation.  

In OotP, both Sirius and Snape pull their wands in response to insults 
from the other--but this is seen (by Harry and by the reaction of the
adults who come into the kitchen) as a disgraceful display--much
like Lucius and Arthur coming to blows in the book store in CoS.  

It's funny, but ever since someone made that comparison of a wand
to a gun, I can't stop thinking that Hogwarts would be the NRA's 
ultimate fantasy.  

Imagine a school where all the kids are issued a gun at age 11 and 
then taught to use their weapon responsibly!  It's the great 
equalizer.  As long as Ginny can point and shoot, she's at no
disadvantage against Crabbe or Goyle.