There were a couple of spots during Harry last night where the fear-inducing behaviors of the Ministry of Magic and the Inquisitor were chillingly reminiscent of the behaviors of this country’s current leadership.
Escalating threats of ever more dire punishments for rule breaking lined the walls almost to the ceiling – and you know how high the ceilings are at Hogwarts. The newspaper and high officials spent much time and energy casting doubts and aspersions on the true leaders, Potter and Dumbledore, who are both branded liars.
In the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, students were told to copy and memorize material from a primer on the subject, and were not allowed to practice actual magical work. The practiced sweet reasonableness of the Inquisitor reminded me of several DC denizens.
Taking the cake for denial reversed, however, was Minister Fudge proclaiming ‘He’s back!’ when the evidence was seen by too many to continue denying.
Of course, come to think of it, I’d love to see our current (til 1/20/09) leader proclaim, with that same look on his face, ‘The surge isn’t working.’ We’ve known it all along, as did all those brave folk at Hogwarts School of Magic and Wizardry.