"You have to understand; between the spike in Squib births, and the shift in power to the muggle-born... we were scared about losing our place in society; what the future would be with muggles in charge. It wasn't too long ago that we had the Burning Times where religious Muggles would come and snatch our babies away to kill them. Hermione, please don't oppose him outright; be a Slytherin and work from inside."