Racism in the WW and MW

[ericoppen]

No: HPFGUIDX 119227


One thing to keep in mind is that our modern notion that "racism" 
(however defined) is unBigBrotherwise unIngsocful 
doubledoubleplusungood (to borrow some Newspeak from _1984_) is very, 
very recent.  When my parents were young, the "N word" was standard 
speech in a lot of the US, and just before I was born, there was 
still deep enough suspicion of Catholics that JF Kennedy had to 
specifically promise not to be under the Pope's domination to win the 
US Presidency.  

The WW changes socially to match the MW, but much more slowly.  
Hence, it's not surprising that old suspicions of Muggle-born magic 
folk, as well as dodgier creatures like giants, is still very much 
the norm.  Attitudes like the Malfoys', or their analogues, would 
have been perfectly normal in Britain up till relatively very 
recently.  

Also---I do think that it needs pointing out that wizards' feelings 
toward Muggles are not quite analogous to racism.  Like it or not, by 
their standards Muggles are, at best, crippled.