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

[clzair.livejournal.com]

I think that wanting to free house-elves is a good sentiment, but it's going to take a lot of work and a lot of change in the minds of the elves. I don't think it will be hard to eventually to convince humans that we can get along without them, but the elves are clearly not so keen on it.

Maybe freedom isn't exactly what elves need for the moment, but maybe they just need some sort of inner freedom within their enslavement. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I think house elves need to change things very slowly, and just need to understand things like not needing to punish themselves harshly for bad things, having the right to a comfortable living space and fair treatment in their home, and just having a healthy lifestyle. This would mean that the elf would still be "bound" to their family, but in a less demanding and all-intense way.

It would probably be important to set up some sort of house elf congregation, with elves like Dobby (though maybe less intense), and also elves like Kreacher and Winky. With a good representation, you would be able to get a fair view of how changes would go over in the elf community. This congregation could meet with humans and decide the best course of action for small time periods.

Claire//Hufflepuff

[los-york.livejournal.com]

I like your idea. Like if you change the way you treat them at home better, they won't have to worry about leaving them. Try and make them a part of the family.

Olivia//Gryffindor

[prongsy.livejournal.com]

I agree that it wouldn't be hard to convince humans to get along without them, however, I DO think it'd be hard for humans to ever view them as equals. Racism, sexism, religious intolerance, hetero-sexism, etc are still rampant and that's just human-human. I can't begin to fathom how long it'll take for any sense of equality between humans and elves. :(

Beth | Gryffindor