[HPforGrownups] Re: Hermione's rude comment

[Lady Macbeth]

No: HPFGUIDX 74649

Dawn Said:
>>> I think this is probably the most likely explaination, with the possible
lead in to something in the forthcoming storylines, but another thought came
to me from something said in another thread.

  It was suggested that Snape was a racist because of one word used when he
was being taunted as a teenager (seen in the pensieve), so perhaps JKR might
of been dropping a hint that not everything said by a teenage student to
another is to be taken as a sign that they are deeply tainted with racist
beliefs?<<<

Lady Macbeth:
I think this is VERY likely the large amount of it.  Children (and teens)
use words EVERY DAY that they don't truly grasp the meaning of, yet are
potentially derogatory.

I don't know if British slang follows American slang, so some of these may
only be known in context in the U.S., but off the top of my head I can think
of the following words used in local talk that people don't understand the
derogatory connotations to them:

jewed - to rip off, to bargain unfairly with - common vocabulary, but
technically an ethnic slur against Jews: derived from stereotyping of Jewish
business practices during the Middle Ages
gypped/gipped - to rip off, to deprive by fraud or swindle - common
vocabulary, but technically an ethnic slur against Gypsies: derived from
stereotyping of Gypsy habits in England and the early United States

How many times have you or someone you know looked at something lame or
stupid and referred to it as "gay" or "retarded"?

I won't go into the number of INTENTIONALLY offensive slurs used against
American Indians, blacks, Chinese, etc in this area that little kids pick up
without knowing the meaning.

It was brought to my attention a few days ago that kids have started using
the word "Nazi" to describe adults or teenagers whom they think are
dominating or overbearing.  (I -REALLY- need to keep up with youngsters'
talk better.  ^^; )  The parent in question settled the problem by sitting
her mouthy young man down in front of a tv playing Shindler's List, and he's
had a better respect for the word "Nazi" ever since, but I know MANY parents
who won't let anyone in their family under 17 watch that movie - so what's
to keep them from calling others Nazis, maybe even unintentionally offending
a former POW with it?

And JUST because they are a teenager, and theoretically SHOULD know what a
word means, doesn't mean they do.  I was 13 when I got in trouble for using
the word "slut" without knowing what it meant - and I know many of my
classmates who are VERY inept in historical knowledge.  I know plenty of
adults who don't know how the word "gypped" could be offensive to anyone, or
even where it originated.

Children are mocking birds and repeat what they hear without thinking.
Teenagers are rebellious and like the shock value of words they KNOW are
offensive, but don't know WHY they're offensive.  Neither indicates racism -
racism is a learned behavior, not an instinctual one.

-Lady Macbeth


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