"To JK Rowling, from Cho Chang"

[ravenstar84]

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I am going to spread this video like fiendfyre. Everything said in this poem sums up all the feelings I've had towards Cho Chang for the past decade that I couldn't/was too lazy to put into words. I almost got teary eyed at the end.

Comments

[summeriris]

No I did not claim that your claims about racism was 'just' an American standpoint. I said your support of Ronsard's poem and her poem itself was ignoring the fact that the book was British and that Rowling did not write it with American sensibilities first and foremost in her mind. That like a lot of Americans you were iginoring the Britishness of the books and the fact Cho's character despite the casting in the film could really have been from any ethnic background. I pointed out that Cedric at no point is defined as being automatically Caucasion, and that was ignored. I find that offensive. That you can read a work and not notice that it isn't set in your country, and that the characters are not automatically slotted in to the required minorities to please your sensibilties,

I cannot tel you how much I am dissapointed in your smugness and condesension. And yes you are coming across very much as if you have been elected the spokesperson for all Asians. It's as if you think racism and bigotry starts and stops with a white skin and you can point this out to your satisfaction but you take umbrage when pointed out that you yourself can cause offence..

[ravenstar84]

Then can you explain to me why I have encountered Asians from the UK, Australia, and even France that have voiced the same concerns as Rostad? You claim this is about American sensibilities, when it isn't just Americans saying these things. Are they ignoring the Britishness of the books too?

[summeriris]

No country is perfect when it comes to discrimination. Not even Asian countries, not even France. That doesn't mean the vast majority of the population of any country is bigotted. I don't believe in condemning a country because some of it people hold beliefs that I find reprensible and stop trying to offload your discrimination onto other countries. You caused my offence, you and Ms Ronsard! I don't know how Australia and France treats their citizens first hand. You don't know first hand either. Everybody has complaints, you just seem to be selective as to what complaints you listen to, and what Asians you listen to.

And this has degraded into an argument, which I didn't want. I wanted to present amother point of view. One that you didn't and don't want to hear. All you want to hear is how wonderfully discerning Ms Ronsard poem was. Well while Ms ronsard may know abut the discrimination she has encountered she doesn't speak for every Asian, everywhere. She has admitted that, perhap's you should to. I'm leaving now. I can only take so much of what you are spouting.

[ravenstar84]

Look, I wouldn't have dragged it on this long if I wasn't so baffled by this conversation. It's not even an issue of you and me disagreeing. You've continuously misconstrued all the points I've said to you and projected on to me what you think I'm saying. I've had to ignore points you've made about the books because I'm too busy trying to re-explain what I'm actually saying, which for some reason you still think I'm saying something different. And in your last reply, you don't seem to want to take in to consideration that discussions about race within the Harry Potter world have taken place amongst quite a few of us from around the world in the last few years.

I don't know. I've had conversations with you about racism and other tough topics before and we've never had this problem, disagreement or not.You've never complained about my smugness or arrogance when I used to argue with people you disagreed with you. And I've calmed down a lot over the years.

And I'm done as well. Because frankly, I'm still lost.

[summeriris]

You are right. This 'disagreement' is going round in circles and it's decending into acrimony, which I did not want. I am walking away now to calm down and let my feelings settle.