The Overarching message (of the HP books)

[sigurd at eclipse.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 191658

Dear James

I assume what you mean by "mind raping" is the horrible treatment that Snape dishes out to Harry (and to all non-Slytherin on a slightly milder form on a day to day basis). I really don't consider this mind raping, though it is brutal.

Snape however has a madness to his method.

I can see that he must do this to preserve the illusion of his antipathy to the Potters to keep in good stead with Voldemort so he can be a more effective spy for Dumbledore, which, is his only saving grace in the whole series, otherwise he's pretty much an awful person who should be sent to the wall. But THAT is a mere pose and while necessary to "mentally rape" as you say, little Harry for seven years, while perhaps a "cruel and harsh necessity" does not make it any easier to bear for Harry or any others he inflicts himself upon. The pain is no less real to them on a day to day basis regardless of the arguably laudable necessity. One must also remember that such sort of brutalization is EXACTLY the sort of conduct that would appeal to the infantile and sociopathic mentality of Voldemort. Voldemort is in spite of his age and knowledge a Wizarding World counterpart of Dudley Dursley- a bully who becomes cringing and despicable when he himself is bullied and hence feels that is the only approach to inter-personal relationships.

But that's really the problem which many seem to ignore isn't it?

No one, NO ONE, in all of Slytherin or Voldemort's organization (be it the entirety of Slytherin or some part thereof) is a virgin. They ALL know exactly what type of world Voldemort will promulgate if he should ever get into power, and it is clearly foreshadowed by the Slytherin reign of terror under Umbrage et all. Therefore they are, in point of fact, Voldemort's willing executioners.  That is, all of them spineless bullies to whom the "management skills of Voldemort" both appeal and have effect. That is they can only be kept "in line" (sort of) by terror and they themselves echo it in their relationship to others. To their masters they are fawning and cringing, and to others they are brutal and bestial.  It is easy to observe such creatures- just check out any schoolyard and you will find the bullies, where- like Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, they usually run around in three's.

Usually this can be rectified by various means. In my case when I was a wee lad and a fat kid with glasses who wore funny clothes it was through the agency of a nice hickory baseball bat applied to the testicles of the "Goyle" the jaw of "Draco" and the knee of the crabbe "Crabbe." A cogent reminder that playing the bullying card can often lead to the bullied practicing "escalatio" against the bully.

But the real problem becomes when the bullying becomes "school-sponsored." That is when the persons and institutions which have total power allow, abet, and even encourage the bullying. This has been found to be a factor in most of the recent horrific school shootings, the most notorious of which is Columbine, where the shooters were regularly bullied and harassed by the jocks in the school who contributed notoriety and fame because of their athletic achievements (great money raisers and promoters from the school and whose arrogant and bullying behaviour was ignored, made excuse for and at times encouarged by the school itself. That is when the bullied loses all hope of salvation or redress and often "goes postal." In Harry Potter an additional indictment against Snape and a condemnation of his methods is that he, in every sense of the word, at every turn of the screw, at ever instance, sponsors, encourages, and approves the brutality of Malfoy and his cadre, and gives the impression that anyone but Slytherin, and Harry and his friends are pariahs to which anything can be done, and nothing can be complained against. McGonagall on the other hand is scrupulously fair-handed by comparison and punishes Gryffindor and her own house almost as often as she upholds them.

The lesson is learned by the kiddies. If you have power, all that you wish to do to your fellow student can be done without consideration of right, justice, humanity or any mitigating emotion or consideration, and that all is fair in love and war.

It makes the muggle world far more preferable to the Wizarding World.

The Muggle world has this quote....

"God created mankind in  his own image.
Mr. Colt made 'em all equal."

I'm with you James. We don't need "new definitions" of humanity or terrorism or any of that. The old ones are good enough. Like pornography we know evil when we see it, and anyone trying to "get a new definition" is trying to redefine it and sell you a bill of goods.



Otto