[HPforGrownups] Thoughts about Racism in HP

[Lady Macbeth]

No: HPFGUIDX 102255

bd-bear  wrote:
I was also thinking, and I'm not sure this is related to racism, if it is
still as necessary for the WW to hide itself. Since the WW branched out and
intermingled with Muggles, more non-magic folk should know about witchcraft
and wizardry. Although many Muggles are still kept in the dark, there are
the few here and there who know about the WW and approve. Take Lily's
parents. Petunia mentioned they were proud when she got her letter (making
me actually wonder if there is more going on there- -did they actually know
magic existed beforehand, and if so, was there actually a witch or wizard in
their family before Lily?). And Hermione's parents certainly seem supportive
of her. It's similar to how interracial couples have biracial children who
are then (hopefully) more tolerant of both races because they are part of
both. And people in their families who love and support them should also be
more open-minded just for having them in their lives. (This is certainly my
hope as my husband is black and I am white and I am hoping the increase in
interracial couples will over time create a greater awareness that we are
all just people, no matter the color of our skin. . . but I digress.) So
shouldn't there be Muggle families who have a witch or wizard in the family
and so they lose whatever prejudice or fears they have had? Shouldn't the
knowledge about the WW be spreading, however slowly, through the Muggle
world, since they are interbreeding?

Lady Macbeth replied:
While I am with you in HOPING that people should be able to overcome
intolerance, I'm not holding my breath too long.  From the perspective of a
modern witch who's only come out of the broom closet within the last year, I
can tell you that there is a very real and very pervasive distrust or even
hatred of magic among the general populace.  And, while there ARE many more
accepting people today, (such as the aforementioned Grangers and Evanses)
there are plenty left who could make life very miserable for the magical
minority. Remember Vernon's tantrum when he found out about the Ministry of
Magic and the very IDEA that they might be connected to muggle government?
And, because the Dursleys (and likely others like them) believe that a
magical lifestyle is one that a person can choose (and that by keeping Harry
in a closet under the stairs they would prevent that), I can very well see
pushes to eliminate that lifestyle if it were out in the open for anyone to
see.  Banning marriage for magical persons, anyone?  Heck, I've had people
voice doubts to my face that my own marriage will work because I'm pagan and
my husband is Christian.  "There's just too much difference there for it to
work," or so I'm told. (We've been married a year and a half now, lived
together for three years prior, and we're still going strong. :p )

Like I said, I would LOVE to believe that being married into and living
among the majority would change things for them and lead to more tolerance.
But, like I said, I'm not holding my breath too long - after all, MY parents
still don't know that I'm pagan OR bi OR support interracial/interreligious
marriages, because all I hear out of THEM on those topics is racism,
prejudice and hatred. :S

-Lady Macbeth




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]