S.P.E.W. Term XVII, Activity #2: The Logistics of Freeing House-Elves

[mandyloo.livejournal.com]

By popular demand, I bring you our next activity- a discussion!

Activity: The Logistics of Freeing House-Elves
Dates: Now until 11:59 pm July 12, MST (5:59 am July 13, UTC)
Points: 10 points for first comment, additional comments 2 points each, up to 30 points. Points for bonus items if you have them.
Details: Hermione was adamant about winning better working conditions, fair wages, and time off for House-Elves. But it takes more than wanting something to make it happen. How would you convince a house-elf that they needed to be free? How would you convince the Ministry that their freedom was necessary?

Initial comments (for 10 points) must be at least 4 sentences long. Additional comments should be at least 2 sentences.

Ideas for talking points:
~ What exactly should we change for House-elves?
~ How would you go about talking to this with the house-elves?
~ How would you bring this up with the Ministry?
~ How would you promote this with the general public?
~ Feel free to reply to others' initial comments when making your later comments. But please be polite! No bashing other people's ideas, but you don't have to agree with them either.

~ Sign each comment with your Name/House! Failure to do so means no points for you!

~ Remember, you must be on the roster to get points, so be sure to sign up before the activity ends!

kilobites , silvertigerx - you will each get +5 bonus points for suggesting this activity, if you participate! :)

Comments

[kilobites.livejournal.com]

I don't think that House Elf freedom can begin with a person telling the House Elves that they know what's best for them. While I appreciate Hermione's efforts, I also think there is an element of elitism, there. She is making assumptions, and doing so aggressively. Honestly, with the mindset the House Elves have at the present time, making aggressive overtures towards trying to free them and assuming that that's what they want is not going to be effective. The most important thing in order to assure House Elf freedom would be to attempt to slowly change their mindset. It's not going to be something that can happen in days, or weeks, or even months.

It would probably take several years to even begin to change the paradigm and the mindset, and I don't think that things will be truly changed for quite some time. It may take decades before there is sufficient support for House Elf rights so that they can really be free. The interest has to be perpetuated by the House Elves, too. It can't just be a human thing inflicted upon them because humans believe they know what is right.

I think it's important to figure out what their motivations are. I know that a lot of people would argue for wages for them, but perhaps money is not the thing that is driving them or would be enough of an impetus to want freedom. Find out what they want, and try to help them achieve that through seeking their freedom.

Tasha//Gryffindor

[los-york.livejournal.com]

I really like your idea. For the elves, it would take a very long time for them to freedom because they are very stubborn and seriously have that mindset of the outside world. And in the end, it's their own to be free or not.

Olivia//Gryffindor