Dating Muggleborns(was: Where does it say that Molly is a pureblood fanatic

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 125421


>>Naama: 
>From what we've seen, Molly's attitude towards Muggles is the 
prevalent, normal one in the WW (which we see in McGonagall's 
description of the Dursleys in the beginning of PS, for instance). 
It's kind of the premise of the books and the way *JKR* uses the 
term. Muggles are clueless, magic-less, afraid of the different. The 
divide between Muggles and wizards is unambigous and unproblematic.<

Betsy:
But that's exactly the problem.  If you think an entire race of 
people are "other" how would you look at their children?  Yes, 
Hermione is a witch, yes, she's a good little assimilator, barely 
visiting her parents over school breaks.  But she's been raised by 
Muggles.  Who knows what wierd and immoral things Muggles may teach 
their children?
 
>>Naama:
>The thing that JKR portrays as problematic is the attitude to 
Muggleborns. It may seem psychologically sound that if you look down 
on Muggles (as the entire WW does), you would look down on 
Muggleborns too. However, that is not the case in the Potterverse. 
Some do that and some don't. Those who do are both wrong and evil.<

Betsy:
I think you're reading the books in a much more black and white 
fashion then I am.  Because I would say that the overall attitude 
amongst the WW is that Muggleborns are not to be completely 
trusted.  Fudge is a good barometer for prevailing Wizarding views, 
and he distrusts Muggleborns.  He doesn't hate them, he doesn't 
think they should be destroyed (I don't think he's been portrayed as 
out and out evil, either) but he doesn't trust them.

>>Naama: 
>Basically what I've tried to say is that, yes, Molly shows the 
normal condescending attitude to Muggles, but that doesn't 
necessarily imply (in the Potterverse) that this "taints" her view 
of Muggleborns.<

Betsy:
But of course is does, and within the Potterverse.  Again, look at 
Fudge.  He condescendes to Muggles, and his view of Muggleborns are 
therefore tainted.  Rita Skeeter had already published lies about 
the Weasley family.  Why did Molly so quickly and easily believe her 
this time?  The only logical explination is that Hermione was raised 
by Muggles, and Molly *knows* that Muggles (and therefore their 
offspring) are somehow... different.

Molly isn't evil.  Or at least, I don't think JKR is trying to 
portray her as evil (I'd be very surprised if she turned out to be a 
closet Death Eater).  But there is a major problem in the WW, and at 
the heart of it is the views they have towards Muggles.  Nora and I 
had a conversation about this a while back (I think we were talking 
about Salazar Slytherin), and I think the conclusion reached was 
that there is something rotten in the WW, and it effects everyone.  
That even Molly is not touched by the taint goes to show how 
prevalent it is.

Betsy