Scapegoating Slytherin (was:Punishing Draco (was:Re: Snape, Hagrid and Animals)

[Sydney]

No: HPFGUIDX 143988

 pippin wrote:

> I don't think JKR is saying that racism is worse than other kinds of
> elitism based on false criteria. I think she used it because  it's very 
> easy for us Western liberal types to recognize that it's false. 


Yes!  I think the Slytherins aren't bad because they're racist: 
they're racist because they're bad.  It's the sort of prejudice that
most of us-- most of us with the education to read books at least--
are comfortable knowing is wrong;  and most important it's the
UNACCEPTABLE prejudice.  Shadow-sides is where unacceptable feelings
are stuffed rather than being dealt with.  The other Houses have
prejudices of their own, including race-prejudice, but they don't
really have to confront them because they can say, 'oh, I can't be
racist, I'm not one of those Slytherins', even as they discriminate
against werewolves and play ugly tricks on Muggles.  Or how James and
Sirius could congratulate themselves on their purity of heart even as
they were beating up on Snape, because, hey, they're Gryffindors and
he's one of Them.  As Lily says, "You're just as bad as he is!", to
which James has the easy counter, "I'd never call you a.. a..". 
Because if Slytherins are racist it's impossible for a Gryffindor to
be a bully.  Or something.  Ah, projection!  You only need a brief
glance at the news to see how this hideous dynamic plays out every day.  

-- Sydney