Just wanted to give you all a heads up -- we've got approval from the Minister to go forth. In the meantime, please make sure to continue to be polite and rise above the jabs made by Purist Week, and that Muggleborn Week is about promoting knowledge and understanding and acceptance for all, not the superiority of a minority. Thank you all for all the help and suggestions you've already put in.

Just to let you all know, Minister Flint has approved next week for Muggleborn Week. Wanted to be sure you were all aware though before word spreads to the newspapers and through other gossip. And yes Moody, we've got security up the wazoo on standby.

[Dorcas's official layout that was given to Minister Flint is dictated here, stressing in particular that the week is celebrating wizarding culture as a whole and showing how muggle and magical ideas have always blended to create wizarding society, and that anyone who would like to participate is welcome and encouraged to do so. It's about love and acceptance despite differences rather than perpetuating the idea that one group is better than the other, and is attempting to introduce ideas and informations educationally to those who might not otherwise have an opportunity to learn about them.]

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, fellow Muggleborns and those with parents in the same boat. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Dorcas Meadowes -- cursebreaker, former Head Girl, and member of a group of talented witches and wizards who are probably feeling pretty jilted by a portion of our pureblooded brethren right now. This Purist Week that Lucius Malfoy was going on about last night (and that I know is being announced through the mainstream media either today or tomorrow thanks to a leak from my good friend Doris) is nothing short of exclusionary and bigoted.

Last night I tried to take a step back, to see things from their point of view, and to a point I could understand it. Celebrating one's culture is important, as long as it's a celebration of culture in a way that doesn't divide people further apart. In turbulent times such as these, I can see why it would be helpful to show that not all purebloods are purists, and not all purists are Death Eaters. And if it was just a means of helping the wizarding populous celebrate the past of magical society, that would be fine and dandy. I would celebrate alongside them.

However, the message that Purist Week totes carries a definitive air of "us versus them," from the play where the only non-pureblood characters are called "angry muggles" and "the mean muggleborn" to a group of people showing off the splendors that come not necessarily from being born pureblood, but from being born into wealth, and inviting those not so lucky into their homes for a purpose that seems like nothing more but bragging about being rich.

Now, please don't get me wrong here. I believe there is a lot of merit in some of the contributions that many people who consider themselves "purists" have made, from their donations to hospitals to their support of charities for children. However, this week is not their best plan ever, not because the idea in and of itself is a bad one, but because the way it is progressing only seems like a slap in the face to those who they claim to be reaching out to with one hand while patting themselves on the back with the other.

And so I propose that, given that the Ministry was willing to support and officially deem next week Purist Week, that we ask them to sanction the week following, December 13-17, as Muggleborn Week. It seems that within wizarding society there is a lot of confusion and miscommunication as far as muggleborns go, and the way that our upbringings in the muggle world fuse with our adult lives within the wizarding. However. I do not want this to turn into a way to lash out at the purists, or humiliate them in the generic way they might attempt to within their own celebrations. We will walk the higher ground. This will be a week of good will and learning, and ideally as a way to bring people together. Instead of focusing on hardships and negativity, this will promote successes and contributes and love for all wizards, whether they were born with knowledge of their magical capabilities or only made aware upon their eleventh birthday.

Some ideas to get things started, and then I would love to hear any suggestions or comments or concerns that any of you may have. It was my thought that perhaps one of the days can focus on things that both muggleborns and muggles have contributed that have improved and positively effected wizarding society, and perhaps a muggle play that has has concepts and ideas that are upheld by all people, or one that was written by a muggle yet has been accepted as art by wizarding society as well. Also, maybe an exhibit on muggle sports, showing how they are enjoyed and ways that they aren't too different from Quidditch and other wizarding activities that are beloved by all (especially given so many seem to have Quidditch Fever at the moment.)

Again, I would love to hear any ideas that anyone else may have, but above all else I hope that we all remember that showing love to all people is the most important thing. People are much more willing to welcome change and accept new ideas if they are not tearing others down as they go.

I'll let you bring up the fashion show since that was all your genius.

DMLE types, if any of you hear anything about a situation down at Neckday's, that was me and Eddie and two death eater hoodlums having a go. We're alright, but if any of you happen to have some bone-regrowth potion on hand that you could owl over, that'd be real helpful. That place had some pretty intense wards up for a damn general store.

Captain's Log:
23/9/78

c 1800 hrs: Start of day w/ R.L. Think he's starting to get tetchy from the closed-in spaces. Dolphy's kind of a close talker but if you startle him, oh boy.
c 2100 hrs: Has a whole trunk full of hats?
c 2130 hrs: He punched through the igloo wall. Think he & the wife had a journal fight, he's been scribbling a lot. Staying vigilant.


24/9/78
c 630 hrs: Back from breaking. All was well except nearly being chain-smoked out of the tomb.
c 1100 hrs: Either he snores or there's a mountain lion outside.
c 1900 hrs: Has a whole trunk full of hats? Is he my Aunt Mildrid?
c 2030 hrs: Being forced into poker game. Gotta admit, sort of disappointed by the lack of Evil Purist radiating.


25/9/78
c 800 hrs: Dedalus, can you send me a portkey for 12 minutes pre-Meeting tonight? Figured out an excuse to get back for voting. Maybe store it in a ladystuff box, then if Dolphy gets to the owl first, there won't be any confusion as to who things're getting delivered to.

Good morning, gumshoes.

I'm thinking we can set something up where everybody spends some time explaining certain techniques in front of everybody, because God knows even the best of us can use a refresher every now & again. Everybody's got work, & everybody's got family, & we're not all on the same schedules, but I think this way we can figure out a time for everybody to get a lesson or seven in revolving around an Order meeting, & then we'll establish a core group of people that refer to if they want/need some extra help in an area.

What I want to know is what you all think you'd be especially comfortable at working with & teaching to everybody. Emmeline, I know you said you're good with Defensive tactics, & Edgar, you're the opposite & know all about dragons & dueling, so that's great. Alice, I think Concealment/Disguise/Surveillance is all you, unless someone else wants to fight you for it. Moody, you're on here because Frank volunteered you to show us all how to stay the hell away from killing curses, & I can't think of a better person that I'd want to learn that from, so unless you're vehemently opposed, I'd love to hear what you have to say. & I know you said you had some other things to pass on, so you can have the floor to have at it. Frank, Gideon, anything in particular you want to try your hand at? Also this is all just suggestion; if anyone's super passionate about anything, speak up. I'm just trying to get this organized.

I think we've got a good, well rounded group here, so I think there's some brilliant potential here to cover some magnificent stuff, & to make sure we're all prepared and in the know if/when it comes down to needing to know. & if anybody puts up much of a fuss or gives anybody lip while you're trying to help them out, my boot'll be going so far up their arse that they'll be sneezing shoelaces for weeks.