The boy who lived again, and again, and again

Harry Potter hysteria went up this past week, with ridiculous numbers of "pot"heads rushing to theaters to see the first part of the final chapter of the epic saga. I too was part of the rush to see the beginning of the end for "the boy who lived," and was not disappointed. Incredible effects, brilliant cinematography and a good plot line made for a great movie.

One thing I noticed while watching however, was the simplicity of the plot. Harry Potter is, at its most basic, a simple story of racism. Instead of the color of one's skin being the symbol for prejudice, the ability to use magic is instead. Voldemort (or rather, he who shall not be named) is simply a glorified white supremacist, a Nazi, a KKK member. All while missing his nose.

Voldemort develops a following of those who do not believe the "other" group is worthy of equal rights. They form an exclusive group to work together to terrorize the non-believers, and to make the lives miserable of all who do not agree with or act like them.

Harry is an exact representation of a freedom fighter. He, the underdog, the one who should have been dead before he even got started, is the only one who can vanquish the evil of prejudice. He, the young man, holds all the power. He is, of course, depicted as bold, brave, fearless, and most of all modest, all while standing up against great danger and fear to defend what he thinks is right.

J.K. Rowling is very talented at crafting a story. She didn't, however, make up the idea. In fact, she wasn't even born when the idea was first used. People have been being killed and tortured for their differences since before anyone can remember, and J.K. Rowling is simply talented enough to write about it and make an excruciating amount of money from it.

Everyone who has bought into the HP phenomenon now has a social obligation. Yeah, that's right. Rowling tricked you. Now that she has you addicted, you have the obligation to be the next Harry Potter. No, race isn't as big of an issue today, although some races are just as abused. This connects much more to the obligation to stand up. Stand up against those who seek to destroy the dreams and hopes of others. Stand up for those who may have no idea that they are oppressed, but simply know that they are suffering. You don't need to wave a wand to create magic. Magic can appear in our daily actions, our weekly behavior, and our yearly commitment to doing what is right to benefit the community as a whole.

It may sound as though this is a giant tangent from the Harry Potter topic that was going on earlier. It really isn't. The story, as creative as it is, boils down simply to even the most famous book of our generation contains the same ideas that have been plaguing us for centuries, and it is our job, as this current movement to fix them.

May we have strength as we do so.