Children & Racism-- Draco Thoughts

[fourfuries at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 25256

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., pbnesbit at m... wrote:
> Unfortunately, it's been my experience that [the belief that there 
is little hope of redemption for those who spout racist epthets is] 
true.  I work at a living history site, deal with slavery history, 
and the amount of racist comments (in 2001!)is astounding. Usually, 
it's people who were raised to think that way from childhood and they 
haven't gotten over it, or learned any differently.  Some people 
don't come out & say it--that would be Politically Incorrect, but you 
can see it in their body language. I'm also white, which may help.  
Thankfully, it *is* getting better.  I've only had a couple of people 
like that since I started my job as the weaver. (I was a guide--
volunteer-- before)
> 
> Peace & Plenty, 
> 
> Parker

I agree that it is getting better, and am very grateful to JKR for 
doing her part.  However, as an African American HP fan, I want to 
share with you all a word of caution.  A racist view learned from 
ones parents and spouted by rote does not make one irredeemable.  
Racist actions to the detriment of others, while far worse than the 
thoughts or words, do not make one irredeemable either.  It is racist 
beliefs that keep a person from growing in themselves that are the 
most damnable offenses, for it is the purpose of humanity to grow and 
learn.

Bigotry and racism, like Chauvinism, militant Nationalism, or 
religious zealotry, are acquired tastes.  They are not natural.  They 
are learned behaviors.  While their ostensible purpose is to protect 
the group identity of the persons holding the views in question, what 
they actually do is blind us to the wisdom and value of people 
different than ourselves.  How strange!  How is the group knowledge 
to increase if its base of learning is limited to such incestuous 
congress?

These ideologically limiting tools are primarily used to prevent 
young members of the group from indulging their natural curiousity 
about other people and accidentally straying from the "family".  This 
is great when it works. We teach our children right and wrong, hope 
they eat right, brush their teeth, and stay away from "those other 
people" because we do not want them to have the same troubles we 
ourselves have seen.  Patriotism, devout faith, liberal idealism are 
all closely related to nationalism, zealotry and facism, in terms of 
the way we pass our values to our young.  The problem comes when our 
survival depends on obtaining knowledge from a source obeyond our 
notion of what's "acceptable".

If our need to affirm our group's rightness, superiority, divinity 
etc., prevents us from hearing the wisdom of others, then our views 
are counter-productive to our growth and survival (Think of the 
Romans burning the libraries at Alexandria, because they did not 
understand the value of the Egyptians' knowledge).  Racism is stupid 
because it prevents the racist from gaining anything valuable from 
the experiences of the target group.

Harry is not perfect.  Mudbloods have their issues.  Neither Lee 
Jordan, nor Dean Thomas, nor Angelina Johnson have proven to be 
exceptional in any particular regard.  But they all have an advantage 
over Draco.  Their natural sense of wonder has not been perverted by 
small minded parents.  They all still have a chance to grow.

4FR
(forced to monitor racism, the way most people monitor the weather)