I wonder how many people watched Harry Potter and thought, "Damn, people should listen to Umbridge, she's just trying to protect them!"
I'm going to guess zero.
She's the enemy, the antagonist, the villain who is more despised than the main one who literally cannot love. But what people hate about her, they accept from the government.
Umbridge tried indoctrinating the children, which the government is known for. Statists advocate for state-run schools, but in Harry Potter they want the government of the wizarding world to step out. It's obvious they are ruining it, and will never do as good a job running it as the professors and Headmaster have been. How can they? They are on the outside, they are hungry with power, and they care little for the students. The Ministry of Magic behaves like our politicians, and seek to control anything and everything.
Umbridge also begins creating regulations the moment she can. We watch as Filtch hammers plaques into the wall, and he never seems to stop. There's always more to regulate, more freedom to be taken. Watching it, the rules seem ridiculous. Hell, she prevents people from sitting close to one another. Forming Dumbledore's Army was definitely a violation.
More specifically, Umbridge wants to disarm the students. She tells them they do not need to use magic. She is the defense against the dark arts teacher, telling the students there is no need for self defense. The government will protect you! And even worse, she refuses to believe there is anything to be protected from, as she denies Voldemort's return. Imagine if everyone had done the same. Imagine if they submitted to the Ministry's authority and depended on them for protection. Sounds a lot like gun control, doesn't it?
Which leads me to my next point, Dumbledore's Army and The Order of the Phoenix would be considered domestic terrorists. Radicals. Conspiracy Theorists. All around danger to society.They are taking it upon themselves to protect everyone and fight for a much needed cause, but in doing so, they are breaking the laws. How is it these organizations are considered the heroes in this fictional story, but in the real world, they would easily be considered the opposite.
In reality, statists put their faith in Umbridge and the Ministry. They don't mind being disarmed, defenseless, and told what to believe. They prefer waiting around for the government to save them as opposed to relying on themselves or their fellow man. They accept, submit, and don't even see the need to put up a fight.
It's about time we stop being hypocrites and recognize who the real enemies are, and shift our values from government to freedom. Otherwise, the Umbridges of the world will continue to make their way to the top, and we will continue to suffer.
