Yes, Ataniell, Pureblood Prejudice Is Racism.
ataniell93 has been saying for years that pureblood prejudice has nothing to do with racism. The latest statement of this comes from a thread on her LJ, from April 10. (This sort of rhetoric is typical. She's also written a long rant on the subject.)
I am a complete mutt, myself, but this shit just irritates me.
Stop using "racism" as a generic term for prejudice and bigotry of all sorts. If you are going to call pureblood anti-Muggle attitudes, or anti-mutant attitudes in the X-Men universe "racism", you might as well call homophobia, sexism, classism, fatphobia and ableism "racism" too. But you don't, do you?
So stop with the linguistic laziness. It makes you all look really stupid.
Just as stupid as Rowling herself, as a matter of fact. From the Time Magazine staff. "Essay: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling; A Good Scare," Time Magazine, October, 30, 2000
If you're choosing to write about evil, you really do have a moral obligation to show what that means. So you know what happened at the end of Book IV. I do think it's shocking, but it had to be. It is not a gratuitous act on my part. We really are talking about someone who is incredibly power hungry. Racist, really. And what do those kinds of people do? They treat human life so lightly. I wanted to be accurate in that sense. Bolding mine.
In fact, one fan has gone so far as to catalogue all the instances of JKR using the word 'racism' to describe pureblood prejudice.
God, that woman is sexist, sizeist AND linguistically lazy. How does she have any fans at all?
The key point (and the most respectable component) of ataniell93's argument is that Muggleborns are not a separate race from wizards. Therefore, pureblood bigotry can not be racism.
An interesting distinction there. Also a rape of the English language. ataniell93 is welcome to speak her newly invented language where she decides what all the words mean, of course. But why should the rest of us be lectured for sticking with the definition agreed to by most of the world's nation states through the UN?
From the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
Adopted and opened for signature and ratification by
General Assembly resolution 2106 (XX) of 21 December 1965
entry into force 4 January 1969, in accordance with Article 19
Part One, Article I: In this Convention, the term "racial discrimination" shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life. Bolding mine.
"Descent." The UN looks really, really stupid, huh?
Even within the books, pureblood prejudice is described as racism.
"Were - were your parents Death Eaters as well?" "No, no, but believe me, they thought Voldemort had the right idea, they were all for the purification of the wizarding race, getting rid of Muggle-borns and having pure-bloods in charge. They weren't alone, either, there were quite a few people, before Voldemort showed his true colors, who thought he had the right idea about things … they got cold feet when they saw what he was prepared to do to get power, though. But I bet my parents thought Regulus was a right little hero for joining up at first." - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Bolding mine.
But what does That Woman know? Or the Dead Dog, for that matter? If you use the canon terminology, you're just revealing your ignorance of the larger issues. One of the larger issues here is the racist behavior of the good guys towards Muggles.
There's no historical set of standards we CAN judge the WW by; it is shockingly Victorian or pre-Victorian in some respects (witness the whole White Man's Burden/Lady Bountiful attitude the "good" wizards take toward Muggles, Muggle-borns and Squibs) Bolding mine.
If it isn't racism because Muggles aren't a race, then how can this be true of the good wizards? Interesting brain teaser, that one. Here's another.
JKR may not be consciously aware that she's fat-phobic, even though she thinks she's not. It's like racism.
Of course it's like racism, everything is like racism, except blood-prejudice.
For dessert, ponder this quote from ataniell93 here.
Draco Malfoy shouting "Mudblood!" may *seem* like kneejerk racial nastiness, especially if you insist on equating this word to the "N-word". Especially since I doubt Draco understands everything I've outlined above about the probable concerns of his parents.
I do think "potential collaborator" is a better translation for "Mudblood" than "N*****" myself. But then, Draco was 11 when he called Hermione that the first time.
Pureblood prejudice has nothing to do with blood. Nothing at all.
But don't dare call ataniell93 a Death Eater apologist. She's just explaining the text for the linguistically lazy.
I am a complete mutt, myself, but this shit just irritates me.
Stop using "racism" as a generic term for prejudice and bigotry of all sorts. If you are going to call pureblood anti-Muggle attitudes, or anti-mutant attitudes in the X-Men universe "racism", you might as well call homophobia, sexism, classism, fatphobia and ableism "racism" too. But you don't, do you?
So stop with the linguistic laziness. It makes you all look really stupid.
Just as stupid as Rowling herself, as a matter of fact. From the Time Magazine staff. "Essay: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling; A Good Scare," Time Magazine, October, 30, 2000
If you're choosing to write about evil, you really do have a moral obligation to show what that means. So you know what happened at the end of Book IV. I do think it's shocking, but it had to be. It is not a gratuitous act on my part. We really are talking about someone who is incredibly power hungry. Racist, really. And what do those kinds of people do? They treat human life so lightly. I wanted to be accurate in that sense. Bolding mine.
In fact, one fan has gone so far as to catalogue all the instances of JKR using the word 'racism' to describe pureblood prejudice.
God, that woman is sexist, sizeist AND linguistically lazy. How does she have any fans at all?
The key point (and the most respectable component) of ataniell93's argument is that Muggleborns are not a separate race from wizards. Therefore, pureblood bigotry can not be racism.
An interesting distinction there. Also a rape of the English language. ataniell93 is welcome to speak her newly invented language where she decides what all the words mean, of course. But why should the rest of us be lectured for sticking with the definition agreed to by most of the world's nation states through the UN?
From the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
Adopted and opened for signature and ratification by
General Assembly resolution 2106 (XX) of 21 December 1965
entry into force 4 January 1969, in accordance with Article 19
Part One, Article I: In this Convention, the term "racial discrimination" shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life. Bolding mine.
"Descent." The UN looks really, really stupid, huh?
Even within the books, pureblood prejudice is described as racism.
"Were - were your parents Death Eaters as well?" "No, no, but believe me, they thought Voldemort had the right idea, they were all for the purification of the wizarding race, getting rid of Muggle-borns and having pure-bloods in charge. They weren't alone, either, there were quite a few people, before Voldemort showed his true colors, who thought he had the right idea about things … they got cold feet when they saw what he was prepared to do to get power, though. But I bet my parents thought Regulus was a right little hero for joining up at first." - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Bolding mine.
But what does That Woman know? Or the Dead Dog, for that matter? If you use the canon terminology, you're just revealing your ignorance of the larger issues. One of the larger issues here is the racist behavior of the good guys towards Muggles.
There's no historical set of standards we CAN judge the WW by; it is shockingly Victorian or pre-Victorian in some respects (witness the whole White Man's Burden/Lady Bountiful attitude the "good" wizards take toward Muggles, Muggle-borns and Squibs) Bolding mine.
If it isn't racism because Muggles aren't a race, then how can this be true of the good wizards? Interesting brain teaser, that one. Here's another.
JKR may not be consciously aware that she's fat-phobic, even though she thinks she's not. It's like racism.
Of course it's like racism, everything is like racism, except blood-prejudice.
For dessert, ponder this quote from ataniell93 here.
Draco Malfoy shouting "Mudblood!" may *seem* like kneejerk racial nastiness, especially if you insist on equating this word to the "N-word". Especially since I doubt Draco understands everything I've outlined above about the probable concerns of his parents.
I do think "potential collaborator" is a better translation for "Mudblood" than "N*****" myself. But then, Draco was 11 when he called Hermione that the first time.
Pureblood prejudice has nothing to do with blood. Nothing at all.
But don't dare call ataniell93 a Death Eater apologist. She's just explaining the text for the linguistically lazy.