#topic: war

[just-positivity-stuff]

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[veritas-radio]

BROADCASTED 26 SEPTEMBER 1978. HOGSMEADE, SCOTLAND.

Good evening, listeners, this is your host Basil Aldertree here. Welcome to our program.

Many of you know that Tuesdays are reserved for roundtable discussions about current affairs. However, given recent events and broadcasts, we-- or rather, I-- have decided that it needs to change. So tonight, I’ll be taking to the airwaves by myself, to bring you my opinion on the current state of things, and the most recent developments taking place in the wizarding world right now. 

These past few weeks have been filled with miscarriages of justice, listeners. As a reporter, it is my job to try and remain objective and unbiased, but this is one of those times when I come to you not as a reporter, but as a member of the community that is lucky enough to be able to reach so many with my words. Many of you may have noticed that Rita Skeeter, who’s been a... let’s say personality here at the station for quite some time now, held her tongue for once when it came to discussing the current state of affairs. I’d like to take a moment to thank her for doing so, and for giving me this opportunity to address all of you tonight with a new and fresh take on what’s been going on, rather than repeating what we heard yesterday at you. Now, however, it’s time to get to the heart of it. 

Ratings keep going up for Minister Bagnold during her three and a half week term, which is a fact that does not cease to perplex and horrify me. Why are her ratings going up? So far, all she’s done is increase the number of dementors around London and Hogsmeade, and she’s praised for it. What sort of initiative does that show? What sort of impact does that make for the better? The answer is simple, listeners, and it does nothing. While I think dementors are an incredibly useful and effective resource in Azkaban, they don’t belong out here. There’s no one to keep them in line, or to keep them from attacking your everyday witch or wizard out on the street. All this does is make things more dangerous for all of us, which isn’t helping anyone. But somehow, listeners, this became a good thing. Dementors are not the solution. They’re part of a much larger problem, which is that our Ministry continues to take ineffective measures against real problems, and demand to be congratulated for it. This is not an action that should grant a pat on the back, it’s a problem. 

Let’s talk about what the Ministry is really doing, then. Realistically, to deal with the problems we’re facing. We have a curfew, we have more dementors, we have raids on suspected Death Eater safe houses which is, if we’re really stretching, an excuse to harass purebloods and purists under the guise of justice. The Ministry is being ineffectual, and it’s a problem. Not only are they not doing anything to take care of the problems we’re having, but they’re also contributing to it. This is not unification. This is floundering about and putting papers up over the windows so no one can see what’s happening on the inside. 

I can practically hear the frantic scratching of quills writing up complaint letters about this broadcast already, but I did not come on the air this evening to point out problems and offer no solutions. I’m not a politician, it’s true, and my background as a reporter doesn’t exactly give me a ton of credentials to be handing out advice of this scale. But I have a voice, and many of you, I imagine, are like me, looking for something to do and a purpose right now. So here are my suggestions and my thoughts on the matter and the situation-- 

Report dangerous or suspicious activity. There are DMLE employees regularly patrolling around Diagon Alley whose job is to handle things like this, so report it to them. And on that same thought, write to the Minister and the Ministry insisting that DMLE patrols-- and not dementors-- be placed in Hogsmeade as well. Students are there. Children are there. Why aren’t we trying to protect them at all?

Don’t travel places on your own. Day or night, no one should be wandering around by themselves. People are disappearing and getting hurt every single day, so why haven’t we learned by now that you shouldn’t be on your own?

Make yourself heard. I’m fortunate enough to be able to speak to all of you on the radio, but just because you can’t do that, doesn’t mean that you don’t have a voice. Protest, speak out, make your presence known through your words, which are far more powerful than actions can be. We’ve seen the damage that actions can be. We shouldn’t be passive, but take a moment and look around at what’s happening, listeners. We are reaching a generation that has known nothing but war their entire lives, known nothing but the violence and hatred and prejudice that we’ve been facing for years. Speak out against this, oppose it. And maybe we can drown out some of that hatred with a more powerful message. 

It’s never too late to make a change, listeners, and there’s never a voice that’s too quiet to make a difference. Until next time, this is Basil Aldertree, signing off. Goodnight, listeners. 

[just-positivity-stuff]

[just-positivity-stuff]

[just-positivity-stuff]

[veritas-radio]

i'm really worried things are going to just keep getting worse and worse at this point. is there anything i can do to make a difference in my community?

I think just being there for people as much as you can be is all we can do. I know it’s hard, but realistically, most of us aren’t fit to fight. Being there and supporting the ones that can seems like the next best thing to me. 

[veritas-radio]

what are the "big issues" for you guys that you think people should be focusing on?

Obviously, that’s fun, fashion, scandal, and what the world can be doing better. But don’t worry, darling. Rita’s got you covered. 

[chimeristry-blog]

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