Bigotry or NOT? Re: CHAPDISC:HBP19,Elf Tails

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 157572

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Magpie" <belviso at ...> wrote:
> Magpie:
> I know that "Squib" is used as a straight, descriptive term.
> I wasn't claiming that it was a slur in itself.  I thought 
> I made it clear that it was the way Hagrid was described as 
> pulling it out in this context, to put Filch in his place, that 
> sounded very much like the reason to bring out a slur. <snip>

Mike:
So it's not the term "Squib" per se that caused you to call it 
bigotry, it was in the context of putting Filch "in his place". You 
don't see Hagrid as responding in kind to Filch's comment of "And 
what difference does that make?". Does that mean that it wouldn't 
matter what derogatory term Hagrid used, as long as it was used 
to "put him in his place" it would constitute bigotry? Is that what 
you're saying, or did I misinterpret again?


> Magpie:
> I did not claim that the term Squib in itself was exclusively a  
> derogatory term.  Saying "Filch is a Squib" is not derogatory.  I  
> said that what Hagrid was described as doing in the post above-- 
> asserting dominance by identifying Filch as a Squib-was bigotry.

Mike:
So after Filch obnoxiously displays his disrespect for Hagrid's 
position as a teacher, Hagrid isn't supposed to respond that he was 
a "ruddy teacher", or just wasn't supposed to add that "sneakin' 
Squib" part? The fact that Hagrid *is* in a position of authority in 
the school, above Filch's position presumably, means that he 
shouldn't react when Filch acts like that means *nothing*. 

In your opinion, Hagrid was "asserting dominance" not correcting a 
slur against himself. And using the term "Squib" while "asserting 
dominance" makes it bigotry. So all I have to do is agree with your 
position that Hagrid was maliciously "putting him in his place" 
and "asserting dominance" with a derogatory term to agree that 
Hagrid was being bigoted.

Well, I don't.

Filch needed to be put in his place in as much as Filch was 
disregarding Hagrid's position as a teacher. And calling this 
asserting dominance is grossly exagerating Hagrid's intent to 
respond in kind. Besides which, you are overlooking that fact that 
Filch was wrong. He started the confrontation under a false pretext 
and escalated it with a demeaning response towards Hagrid.

Hagrid doesn't like Filch personally. He made that clear in the 
first book. It has nothing to do with Filch being a Squib, and 
everything to do with the way Filch has treated Hagrid. And this 
scene shows that Filch hasn't changed his approach to Hagrid one 
bit. Reading bigotry into Hagrid's response is gratuitous and 
unresponsive to the situation at hand.


> 
> Magpie:
> And I'm afraid I stand by my original discomfort at the fact that  
> for a series that gets so often credited at being sensitive to  
> prejudice I so often hear it's never prejudiced unless the person 
> is acting purely on hatred of another group.

Mike:
Where is the individual prejudice in this series, I don't see it? If 
your example is this exchange between Hagrid and Filch, I understand 
why I don't see it. This was pure animosity between two individuals 
and there was no prejudging going on at all. Nor was there bigotry. 
To wave the prejudice flag you need much, much more than superficial 
name calling else you are doing a disservice to a true condition of 
malicious prejudice.