I'm new to the site and, prompted by the 4th year HoM class, I was wondering if there were threads, or if there had been any discussion, about the social and political implications of expanding the tournament to include Salem.  In the grand scheme of things, Salem is quite young and I imagine it sparks a great deal of debate among the standard wizarding community. 

Thoughts?

-Statari

We had a pretty big discussion about Salem when planning the school before the tournament, but there hasn't been too much about them being newcomers or the fact that the tournament is held with four schools (though this may have been before my time).

Recent roleplaying has suggested that the veteran competitors (Durmstrang and Beauxbatons) don't think much of Salem for being both a younger school and so "uncivilized" compared to their high culture. But I haven't seen a big outcry which could be interesting.

Hm, I don't remember if I personally had Ana getting any bad publicity for arranging Salem to be included, though I think I might have mentioned one of the other schools being reluctant, but it has been a while so I am not a hundred percent. I figured that since America seemed to have some presence in Hogwarts side of the pon (The SWIM group at the Quidditch match in the 4th book and what not), that the move would be, hopefully, seen as more progressive then bad.

At least, I believe that was Ana's intentions, since she was trying to get better press after the debacle with the Werewolf ban at Hogwarts. (As you are new, and I dunno what you have read up on, My character Analiza Snark was the previous headmistress who banned werewolves from the school and was the one who sought to have a TWT, before she went missing during the summer).

When Alisha says Ana, she's talking about Analiza Snark, the Headmistress of Hogwarts last year (2008-2009) who began to plan the Tournament, but disappeared (kidnapped) over the summer.  Snark had the full support of Persepolis Zephyr who was then the Chair of the Governors (and is now Minister of Magic).

I also didn't roleplay out any backlash to Salem joining, and have written that Persepolis was 110% behind Snark's Tournament and helped finalize the arrangements after she left.


But, I think there is room for some controversy.  I think Will/Heliotrope made a good point.  In-character, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang folks have hinted that they find Salem to be kind of crazy. 

I did read the staff meeting where Ana introduced the Tetrawizard Tournament, so I do have a small understanding of what happened.  I'd really like to see that explored more but, unfortunately Katy is Muggleborn and doesn't have much an opinion on the matter.

I am all for there becoming some tension perhaps? Since we didn't do much in the beginning, and it is a bit late now, we could always have people start to feel upset. Perhaps Salem is doing better than expected and people start to feel like they are 'ruining reputations' since I am sure many thought they would be comic relief rather than actual competitors.

Or we could have that there were people upset by it but they were not, at the time, in any seat of power to do much about it. It could always be remedied X3

Would it be fun, do you think, if something came up about Salem's overall eligibility to be in the Tournament?  And perhaps there was a very real threat of them all being sent home without supper? 

Of course, they wouldn't actually end up getting kicked out of Hogwarts, but it might be a fun to play with.  Perhaps the students didn't have the same dragon pox immunizations St. Mungo's recommends to the Department of International Magical Cooperation that they be sent home.  Or quarantined. 

Or perhaps, some old Purist jerk turns up some old documentation from ye olden times about how Americans were banned from competing and there's a call to remove them from the Tournament.  Perhaps, yes, motivated by Durmstrang or Beauxbatons interest in cutting out the competition. 

Just some ideas to cause tension. 

Of course, they wouldn't actually end up getting kicked out of Hogwarts, but it might be a fun to play with.  Perhaps the students didn't have the same dragon pox immunizations St. Mungo's recommends to the Department of International Magical Cooperation that they be sent home.  Or quarantined. 

I really, really like this idea.

It has a legitimate, factual foundation that anyone with a grudge against Salem could use to start calling for their extraction from the tournament. Not to mention all the sneers that might come of it once word got around and they were quarantined (i.e. "those filthy Americans", "we'll catch something from them", etc).

To keep Salemites from actually being sent home, Healers could come up from London maybe, to assess the situation and confirm that there isn't any real threat of a dragon pox outbreak starting up?

I'd be happy to throw in Flynn if you guys need him. Though he'd probably have the attitude of, "There's nothing going on here. Stop wasting my time."

That sounds like a great, plausible excuse that traditionalists would use to question Salem's inclusion.

Ha, it's kind of funny that we haven't actually heard from any Salem-ites!

Well, Will's got a Swimmer -- a second-task Champion for that matter. And I'd be in. I'm always up for a little extra conflict to spice things up.

Ella's totally available for drama since she's so different, even from the other SWIMmies. I'm up for anything

I mean, Kayla's up for whatever too.

Oh!  Well super!  How shall we start?

Does anyone have a character or NPC with the gumption to begin this inquery?  Perhaps they would write to the Prophet, or demand a meeting with so-and-so. 

From there, perhaps there could be an internal Ministry or Hogwarts staff thread?  And then an announcement could be posted at the school, (maybe all scary like the old Educational Decrees?)

Ha like, FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, SALEM STUDENTS ARE SUSPENDED FROM TOURNAMENT PARTICIPATION!

And then shortly after that, Salem can be confined to quarters for a day or so? We can clear it up quickly with the Healers to come in and do the check-up. 



How else could characters be involved?  Letters of support for Salem? A rally or dramatic student led vigil for their return? Angry staff?