JK Rowling is a lot of things. Some may say that she is the LeBron James of world building and licensing. Others may say she’s radically transphobic. Still others might say that she is a rags-to-riches inspirational philanthropic billionaire. I’m not here to debate any of that. Instead, I’m here to delve into the fact that, whether intentionally or not, her marquee franchise is a serious nod to gun rights. Yes, I’m serious. After you’re done sharpening your pitchforks, think of magic wands as firearms.
Procurement
Early on in the first film, Harry Potter is shopping for his school supplies, robe and most importantly, his wand. The Boy Who Lived was depicted trying out a variety of wands. Soon enough, young Potter plunked down his coins and then was able to walk out of the store with the wand of his choice. Noticeably absent was the need for a background check, the need to present a license, or a cooldown period. It’s almost as if the wizarding world understands the importance of a well-armed citizenry or something….
There are certainly bad actors in the Wizarding World. However, the Ministry of Magic does not use that as a reason to punish law-abiding witches and wizards by imposing restrictive laws regarding who can (and more importantly, can’t) obtain a wand. The Ministry realizes that the number of good guys with wands vastly outnumbers bad guys with wands and governs accordingly. It’s almost as if the wizarding world understands the importance of a well-armed citizenry or something….
Right to Conceal Carry
In the Harry Potter universe, the students are allowed to use their wands outside of school at the age of 16. This is referenced one time when Harry visits the Weasley home midway through the series. Fred and George Weasley have just earned the right to use their wands outside of school. Nevertheless, Mrs. Weasley cautions her twin sons on the importance of not getting carried away with their newfound right to carry. This is pivotal because it depicts that the act of conceal carry in the Harry Potter universe as being so deeply ingrained into their culture that mothers routinely lecture their children about it. Conceal carry is not merely a box to be checked or an academic exercise. It’s almost as if the wizarding world understands the importance of a well-armed citizenry or something….
It is implied that every competent witch and wizard over the age of 16 is carrying their wand with them at all times and in all locations. There is no need to restrict the carrying of wands inside of libraries, schools, mass transportation, or even inside the Ministry of Magic’s central building. Furthermore, there are no invasive pat-down searches, magic detectors (you know, instead of metal detectors), or questioning from authorities. It’s almost as if the wizarding world understands the importance of a well-armed citizenry or something….
Use of Force
Nobody is ever truly safe in this world, not even the youngest of students as shown in the first movie. A mountain troll escapes capture within the confines of the Hogwarts Castle. Soon Harry and Ron come face-to-face with the ominous threat long before any of the Hogwarts instructors arrive to the scene. However, the pair of 11-year-old wizards pull out their wands and prove to be capable of handling the threat by themselves.
After their justified use of self-defense, only then do the first responders arrive to the scene. Even in the Harry Potter universe, seconds matter when help is minutes away. This tracks pretty well with real life. Often times, armed civilians are more effective than authorities at dealing with calamities. It’s almost as if the wizarding world understands the importance of a well-armed citizenry or something….
Better yet, this scene also shows that Harry and Ron were not penalized for acting in self-defense when the first responders were absent. Landing into hot water or being publicly made an example of would only serve to discourage the use of defensive magic. There was no detention, threat of expulsion, frivolous lawsuit, or confiscation of their wands following the incident. It’s almost as if the wizarding world understands the importance of a well-armed citizenry or something….
Active Training
Better yet, not only were the pair of young students not penalized for their deed, later on in the film series, they receive active training on how to defend themselves more appropriately. Defense Against the Dark Arts is a mandatory part of the curriculum for all Hogwarts students. Second year students are even taught how to duel one another! This is an explicit admission that first responders cannot always be there to protect their citizens. Hence there is a baseline minimum standard of competency that the Ministry of Magic prefer their populace adheres to. It’s almost as if the wizarding world understands the importance of a well-armed citizenry or something….
Further on in the film series, there is a new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor named Dolores Umbridge. Underneath the pink veneer rested a sinister agenda. She is shown to be opposed to the practicalities of students using wands to defend themselves, even going so far as stating that a “theoretical knowledge shall suffice”. Thankfully, Umbridge’s tenure in this position is a markedly short one as she faced enormous backlash for her anti-wand policies. It’s almost as if the wizarding world understands the importance of a well-armed citizenry or something….
Shit Hits The Fan
Later in the film series, Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters invade the Hogwarts campus. By any reasonable wizard’s standards, shit had officially hit the fan. The Ministry of Magic couldn’t provide adequate protection for their populace. This is a glaring admission that the government cannot be relied upon to provide 100% of round-the-clock defensive needs. It’s almost as if the wizarding world understands the importance of a well-armed citizenry or something….
Not only that, the Ministry needed to enlist the help of their armed populace in order to help them fight off Voldemort’s army. The battle scenes at the end of the final film depict that any competent student willing to fight was present on the front lines against the Death Eaters. This isn’t a hypothetical either; Israel, Switzerland, Ukraine and countless other nations either have some sort of compulsory service or are willing to request the help of their trained population when needed. It’s almost as if the wizarding world understands the importance of a well-armed citizenry or something….
Contact your local elected official and demand Harry Potter rights today!
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