Taking offence (was: Herminones rude comment)

[B Arrowsmith]

No: HPFGUIDX 74730

Much muttering on the message board about racism, insults etc. together 
with indications of rising blood pressures.

This might be contentious to some, but I've never been afraid of being 
on the receiving end of insults, so away we go.

To lay the basic ground rules - racism is a no-no. A big no-no.  All 
agreed? Splendid!

I  had to read quite a  few of the posts associated with 'Hermiones 
Rude Comment' before I realised that there were a number of members who 
were being deadly serious in equating calling a Centaur a horse with 
racism. Personally, I'd grade this as a dismissive put-down rather than 
a racist comment - on a par with calling Trelawney a silly old bat or 
calling the French cheese eating surrender monkeys. There *is* a 
difference.

In my opinion a racist insult is only a racist insult if it is intended 
as such. Otherwise it should be classed as ignorance, insensitivity or 
rank bad manners. Of course, there are those poor unfortunates who 
desperately seek signs of racism to denounce in order to enhance their 
own Politically Correct  credentials. They must have very sad lives, 
constantly searching for things to take offence to.

Similarly, when Hermione says to  Harry "He's a werewolf!" This is no 
more than an accurate description of a potentially dangerous situation. 
What is she supposed to say - " Harry, he's a lunar modulated 
lythocanthropist of the lupine persuasion!"? Be realistic!

On one of my many contracts in places  hot and uncomfortable, there was 
one with the usual mixed bag of nationalities that included Americans 
and Indians. There were a couple of Americans that almost became 
psychotic. The word "Indian" was forbidden; it must be "Native 
American". But that doesn't describe someone from Calcutta on the Bay 
of Bengal. They just could not say the word, it had been brainwashed 
out of them. They became so upset, uncomfortable and confused that the 
Indians began to suspect that they were being insulted in a way they 
didn't understand and started refusing to work with them because of 
American racism!

Being too sensitive can be as damaging as not being sensitive enough.

And to those who say that I don't understand - yes I  do. Many times 
I've been insulted because of my race and my religion, sometimes both 
together, and from people who knew exactly what they were doing. But 
these were deliberate and calculated. Very different to searching for 
insults to satisfy your own personal philosophy.

JKR did not expect this series of books to  be the international 
success that it is. She thought that she might manage to sell a few 
thousand to supplement her income as a teacher. It is unreasonable to 
expect that she has planned a morally uplifting tract that takes into 
consideration the delicate sensitivities of every possible reader in 
the whole wide world or to guard against every possible interpretation, 
intended or not, that any hair-triggered polemicist may make. If that 
is your delight, then you belong with the Ultra Fundamentalists who 
also are trying to damage her.

Go outside what is thought of as the Western Democracies or their 
holiday haunts and you'd better be prepared. Every racial and religious 
epithet possible will be thrown at you and everyone else. (Equal 
opportunity insults.) Complain and you are Western Imperialist scum who 
want to take over their country.  Happy travels!

Meantime, when JKR has characters insult each other, fine. It adds to 
the spice and the humour. But I don't think it reasonable to read too 
much into it.

Kneasy