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

[los-york.livejournal.com]

I feel that house-elves should have the choice to be free. We can't free them all at once because some of them don't have to knowledge of how the real world works. And also some of them are actually treated with respect in their homes. If the elf wants to stay at the home for a short period, maybe there should be a contract/bond between the master & the elf of how long they should stay in the household. And the elf would get the choice how long they want to stay. To promote this to the public, if they treat their elf with kindness and respect, the elf might like the home and could stay longer.

Olivia//Gryffindor

[prongsy.livejournal.com]

But, even if they're NOT treated with respect, like I imagine many of the other elves at Malfoy manner weren't, then how would they even know to aim for respect? Abused children continue the cycle of abuse because they know of nothing else. Sure, they're "free" of the abuser when they reach maturity, but they then turn around and abuse their children and/or seek abusive relationships. Very few are strong enough to break the cycle like Dobby did. They might want to stay because they don't know any better and that's where education is key!

Beth | Gryffindor