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There seems to be some question as to the validity of the new procedures being put into place. It seems quite clear. The Ministry and the School Governors are dealing with Terrorists… and before any of you sympathizers flood my journal with your complaints - yes, I mean you Weasley, try opening a book for a change. Terrorism is the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.
It would seem that they had chosen their tactics, thus that the Ministry (as well as the School Governors in our direct case) are simply reacting in ways needed to assure the public safety. Yet, I can't help but think of a rather interesting read by Mark Poster. He points out that "Terrorism is in good part an effect of government propaganda; it serves to deflect attention from governmental abuse toward a mostly imagined, highly dangerous outside enemy."
Should this be true, would it invalidate the fact that the Order of the Phoenix is a lot of terrorists intent upon creating chaos in order to intimidate and coerce both the government and the population into acceptance of their outmoded political and social objectives? I think not. While I am sure that the current administration uses these actions to their own gain, (I would think less of them if they didn't) the fact remains that the time for the Order of the Phoenix and their politics is long past. This is a battle already fought and, in their case, lost.
The end result of all of this… we are trapped here in this castle with additional restrictions on our actions, including the loss of a much anticipated trip to Hogsmeade. For me, the changes make little difference, but I am not such an egoist as to care only for myself. I wonder just how many of our personal restrictions are due to the many students walking these halls from families of questionable loyalties. Policy sifted the underserving blood from these halls long ago, but what of those with the blood of traitors running through their veins? Why should so many suffer because a few can't be trusted… perhaps a bit more cleaning is needed in order to truly insure peace and freedom.
For one of our number, yet another year of life has past. It is impossible to express how important these years of our life are, and yet we try to rush through them with much haste. Before long, we will look back and mourn the loss of each precious year that has slipped past. Yet, some muggle said it well when claiming that, "in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." I quite like that.
At any rate, your birthday is a special time to celebrate the gift of 'you' to the world. It was a lovely gift Mora, I am incredibly grateful.
| private |
To that end, I've already sent gifts to Angus & Beth. I do hope the appreciate my sense of humor. As to Mora, well her gift is at least unique in comparison. I know she will love them, I only hope she doesn't mind Beth letting me have her favorite boots to have the mold made. Mora was so brassed when she thought them lost. It was to good cause though. ( Elf Messenger to Morag MacDougal )
| hexed against authority figures |
As Seneca says, “Drunkenness is nothing but voluntary madness.”
| private |
Perhaps an aged bottle of scotch was not my best companion, though it seemed quite cozy at the time. I have hardly spoken to Mora beyond the owl she sent me. I am not surprised, though I have to wonder if his sudden renewed interest is sparked by her happiness with Arius. Not that I am sure he is any better for her. It is not my concern, no matter how much I wish it were.
| /private |
she left suddenly
leaving the scent of heather
clove and vanilla
So much talk of love in these journals of late, I felt the urge to pick up Plato's Phaedrus. Erôs... love. Plato's theory that a true love is one's "other half" lost during the soul's creation. A "ladder of love" by which the lover can ascend to direct cognitive contact with Beauty Itself. In the Phaedrus, Plato reveals erôs to be the great "divine madness" (a truer philosophy I've never found) through which the wings of the lover's soul may sprout, allowing the lover to take flight to all of the highest aspirations and achievements possible for humankind.
Don't all you lover's feel quite smug. Oh, but there is a catch!
In both of these dialogues, Plato clearly regards actual physical or sexual contact between lovers as degraded and wasteful forms of erotic expression. Because the true goal of erôs is real beauty and real beauty is the Form of Beauty, what Plato calls Beauty Itself, erôs finds its fulfillment only in Platonic philosophy. Unless it channels its power of love into “higher pursuits,” which culminate in the knowledge of the Form of Beauty, erôs is doomed to frustration.
So yes, all you lovers... enjoy your cheap and tawdry physical affection while you sadly squander the real power of love by limiting yourselves to the mere pleasures of physical beauty.
Anybody can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way - that is not within everybody's power and is not easy. by Aristotle( stephen cornfoot pour jouer à nature's nobility )
mischievous
frustrated
amused
indescribable