muggle baiting vs. muggle torture

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 155667

> Gerry wrote:
> > Hm, I don't think it has anything to do with the level of harm. I
> would expect Muggle-baiting is using magic maliciously on Muggles
> because they are Muggles. From the examples we get from canon
> (shrinking keys, Willy Widdershin's toilets) quote often not even
> specific Muggles but any Muggle will do. 
> > 
> > That is not what the twins did. Now I agree that it was wrong and
> that it caused a lot of panic. But it was not muggle-baiting. 
Because
> they did not do it to him because he was a Muggle. They would have
> done exactly the same if he were a wizard. 
> > 
> > So yes, it is wrong, just as wrong as beating him up would be. 
But
> no it is not muggle-baiting.
> 
> 
> Carol responds:
> Not to beat a dead horse, but why would the only motive for Muggle
> baiting have to be "because the person is a Muggle"?  

a_svirn:
Yes, that's what I don't understand too. Muggle-baiting means 
obviously `baiting muggles". That's what they did with Dudley – 
baited a Muggle. Whether they did it because they think muggles 
inferior or themselves superior is another issue altogether.