S. P. E. W.

Muggle literature has opened my eyes to a severe shortcoming of my favorite charitable organization, The Society for the Protection of Elvish Welfare. (of which I am naturally founder and president). However, after learning more about the disadvantaged in Muggle society, I passionately believe I should push the committee for a name change to the Society for the Protection of Everyone's Welfare.

Although Muggle society does not battle prejudice based on species, and no population of Muggle society is still systematically and cruelly enslaved, society still prefers some groups to others. Despite vast progress for equal rights for all, many groups still lack equal perception. I mean that, as eloquently exposed by Malcolm Gladwell in Blink, a person who firmly believes in fair treatment for a group may have an unconcious prejudice against them. This can create discrimination that the person hardly knows he practices. You probably don't believe that you harbor any unconcious prejudices. I challenge all of you to go to https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/ and learn about yourself. I horrified myself by discovering I have a strong unconcious preference for whites over blacks. Furthermore, I urge you to broaden your experiences and your perceptions to treat the underlying cause of much of today's prejudice--your own subconcious. And please consider paying 10 sickles to become a member of S. P. E. W.!

Moreover, I am currently reading an evocative tale of abuse, corruption, murder, promiscuity, rape and hatred and the effects they have on people. I am on page 355 of Stieg Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. The sinfulness in this fictional representation of modern Swedish society is repulsive and horrific, yet the impact on the various characters is gripping. Although I have naturally grown attached to the main character, Mikael Blomkvist, the enigma that is Lisabeth Salander is more fascinating. I cannot imagine a girl less like me than the introverted, tattooed, pierced, gothic, altogether terrifying, prodigy. Although we share the same intellectual level, she never applied herself in school or in any normal job. She mistrusts rules, laws, and law enforcement, and takes the law into her own hands. I, who would almost rather be killed than expelled, cannot fathom her blatant disregard for any sort of rule or order. Nevertheless, I have the greatest empathy for her. Unloved, with a traumatic childhood and a mother suffering from mental illness, she is abused both as a child and an adult. She endures the most horrific rape. Her story makes me want to cry. At this point in the story, about halfway through, I think her story will finally converge with Blomkvist's, and I sincerely hope her future is much brighter than her past. I also can't wait to see the conclusion of the gripping murder mystery that both Blomkvist and Salander are attempting to solve.

Well, it's time for the annual S. P. E. W. membership drive, and I hope to double membership this year. Only 10 sickles of dues! Also, check out the related Muggle project, http://thehpalliance.org/, an inspiring charity created by Muggles who believe they are emulating the lives of their favorite "fictional" characters. They believe those characters would love their work, and I must attest that they do.