InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "SHUN the nonbeliever!!!"

Renewal Mod (resurrectio_mod) wrote in resurrectio_rpg,
@ 2008-09-30 00:38:00

hogwarts newsletter

A Voice of the Repressed

Change is inevitable, but is it always for the best? If I was referring to changes in food and new delicious ways to prepare old classics, then perhaps change is good, but when I am talking about new laws it is not. These laws are just another way to ostracize people as one Theodore Nott mentioned, "History repeats. Muggle-borns were ostracized; now it's Purebloods and Death Eater survivors." He hit the nail on the head with that one. It wasn't right during the war and it isn't right now. I thought the Ministry would have learnt from its mistakes but obviously it has not.

I, and many others, think the Ministry doesn't have 'Just Cause' to enter anyone's home. It would be the same as saying the Ravenclaws deserve to be searched for illegal potions because a previous student of Ravenclaw harboured one. We cannot just assume everyone is the same because we are not; there is no black or white, but a whole lot of gray. A few quotes supplied from Narcissa Malfoy and Theodore Nott describe this situation:
"The Ministry already conducted major raids of homes after the war's end. The random searches are unnecessary and a direct infringement on a family's life. If they had no cause to place a person into Azkaban and no reason to suspect new developments, they have no right to continue trespassing into homes."

"There's nothing in my home which has been proven over and over. I hate to say it, but it feels like a witch hunt the Ministry gets sick enjoyment over."
If the defense of the Ministry is that they have 'Just Cause' to do this, I believe they are sadly mistaken. As Amanda Brocklehurst stated, "I believe they create this 'Just Cause' so they can poke around and it won't be illegal for them to do it." I agree as they believe they have the right to do this and truly they do not. I must admit they do not have the same laws as those Muggle Governments we have studied in class, but we as human beings have rights. Privacy is something we deserve and have a claim on which they are not acknowledging. Some of the houses they have raided and the new taxes affect people who merely associated with a Death Eater due to family connections. Did the raids after war not suffice?

Whether they have the right to do this or not is not the real issue though it is the fact they are negatively affecting people's lives. We are trying to move on from the war and this is only a step back. Narcissa was quoted once more on how this has affected her home life:
"It's awful. I never know when an official will knock on my door. I can't go into town without being accosted by 'officials just doing their jobs' and news reporters. However, I truly hate how those simply attached to Death Eaters through either blood or marriages are being held accountable for crimes they are innocent of. Why should the innocent suffer? I can't even take a vacation without the Ministry's consent. Do I have a Mark on my arm? No."
The Ministry does not seem willing to forgive those who associated with Death Eaters, even when it wasn't their choice. One cannot disown a friend merely for their alignment, so why do the innocent have to suffer? Even the children of Death Eaters are affected. Theodore Nott may be at school, along with many other fellow students in similar situations, but he worries for the well being of his mother. Even at Hogwarts one can't escape these new laws.

People are complying with these new laws but it does not mean they are right. It is the choice between following these rules and landing in Azkaban. What would you choose if you had that option? I would comply much like many of the families are doing but it is leaving a bad taste in everyone's mouth. It makes people believe that this is only the beginning to what the Ministry could and will do. As Mrs. Malfoy stated, "There seem to be new laws cropping up every few months so I believe things will get much worse and rights will be violated even more." It is a sad state of affairs when this statement speaks nothing but volumes of truth.
The quality of life has drastically changed for those affected. "I hate leaving my home. I no longer like entertaining friends." This upsets me because one should feel comfortable leaving one's home and elated at having friends to entertain. However, when one is oppressed and watched there's little choice other than spending days at a home that is not even private anymore.

"Power has gone to someone's head." No truer words have been spoken. Someone, somewhere, has obtained a taste for power and does not want to give it up. The Ministry is out of control and it makes me question the Minister himself. Is this really the Minister's doing? Does he wish to repress those who fought for the 'wrong' side? Or is this just fear of the unknown? A war is not wanted, but this could start another. Battles have been started over Laws and if we have too many restrictions we will just push to break them. Repression is not the answer. We should be trying to put the world back together, but we are re-opening wounds that did not even have the chance to heal. We need to stitch our world back together because the more it separates, the bigger chance we have of Muggles once more finding out about us. If we get too caught up in the sides of a war that no longer plagues our world the easier it will be for other things to crumble that we once thought were solid.

Everyone needs choices and there needs to be changes. However, the Laws should be retracted and we should start rebuilding our community, not isolating key parts for mistakes that we should be forgiving.

By, Padma Patil

{This article was written by

lotuscolumn with tweaks by

resurrectio_mod}.