Thread: Harry Potter and Ron Paul

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Harry Potter and Ron Paul

Last Friday, the rest of my family headed to the bookstore to eagerly await the release the 7th and final Harry Potter book. We bought two copies, so that between the three of us (wife, daughter, and myself), we wouldn't have to fight too much. The wife and daughter got first crack, and they both finished on Saturday. They showed great respect for me by not spilling the beans on what happened in the book. And if you don't want to know READ NO FURTHER, OR I WILL SPOIL IT FOR YOU!!!!!

So Sunday, I finally got my paws on the book. I'm a big Ron Paul fan, and a Republican/Libertarian. Prior to the release, I had found the following article. It starts with this:

"What would you think of a government that engaged in this list of tyrannical activities: tortured children for lying; designed its prison specifically to suck all life and hope out of the inmates; placed citizens in that prison without a hearing; ordered the death penalty without a trial; allowed the powerful, rich or famous to control policy; selectively prosecuted crimes (the powerful go unpunished and the unpopular face trumped-up charges); conducted criminal trials without defense counsel; used truth serum to force confessions; maintained constant surveillance over all citizens; offered no elections and no democratic lawmaking process; and controlled the press?"

Although I had certainly noticed the anti-government message in books 1-6, I hadn't really put the book together with libertarianism . I could not believe that the most popular series (adult or child) could have such a strong libertarian message. I made the bold prediction that Voldemort would take over the government (and I was right).

So Sunday, with great eagerness, I dived in to the final chapter. 10 hours of reading later, I was stunned and amazed that Rowling's message lined up so completely with my feelings, and with what I am hearing from Ron Paul.

It all starts with Vernon Dursley's statement on page 33: "Well, then, why can't they protect us? It seems to me that, as innocent victims, guilty of nothing more than harboring a marked man, we ought to qualify for government protection?" Harry laughed; He could not help himself. It was so very typical of his uncle to put his hopes in the establishment, even within this world that he despised and mistrusted." It reminds me of Dr Paul's statements that we made the tragic mistake of relying on the government to protect us, and the result was 9/11. If we had had more respect for the 2nd amendment, we could have avoided 9/11 (e.g. if pilots had been alllowed to carryweapons).

Later, the minister of magic and Harry confront each other (P 129-130). The minister has been holding items that were supposed to go to Harry, and Harry exclaims "So this is what you've been doing, Minister, shut up in your office, trying to break open a Snitch? People are dying - I was nearly one of them". The minister responds: " You go to far!". This reminds me of Dr Pauls confrontation with Giuliani. He called the government to task for their irresponsible foreign policy, while Americans have been attacked. And all Giuliani can do is shout back, as the minister does.

I also like how in the book, school attendence has become mandatory (P. 210), essentially dissallowing home-schooling. Meanwhile Ron Paul has pushed to make sure private and homeschooling rights are protected.

But the core theme of the entire series is summed up in P 717-720. Essentially, even the very altruisitic Dumbledore was at times corrupted by attraction to power. He turned down the ministry of magic several times because he had come to realize that he could not responsibly handle that power, because he would become corrupted by it (as Voldemort had). He then praises Harry for refusing to take power, and says that it is his true strenth. It reminded me of the speech I heard from Dr Paul at the Liberty Forum, where he stated that true strength was to not use power that should not be yours to begin with. That statement was lifted from the final chapter, of the final book of the most popular book series of the last decade. And the statement was made by Dr Paul before Rowling ever released the book.

Dr Paul and Harry Potter have a lot in common, and I am greatly impressed with both. JK Rowling has created a legacy that will live for decades to come. As Ron Paul would say: "Freedom is popular"
Labels: Harry Potter Ron Paul 2008

http://www.ronpaulhq.com/2007_07_01_arc ... 3550854643

Very interesting.



Head 'em up,move 'em out Rawhide!