muggle baiting vs. muggle torture

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 155714

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > So would you be okay with the white teenagers using their status 
> > as more powerful whites to scare the less powerful black child, 
> > if the white teenagers explained that the black child is        
> > a "great bullying git"?
> > <snip>

> >>Felix:
> Besides the fact that personally believe (as I've said before) that
> the twins honestly don't mean 'harm' as we're seeing it to anyone,
> and rather believe that everyone else is enjoying the joke as much 
> as they would have if the joke had been on them, I believe the
> comparison is slightly unjustified.
> All the exapmles you gave, although fairly well constructed, are
> blown out of proportion. If a white child burned a cross in the   
> yard of a black child to scare him (even if the intent had no     
> racial motivation) the specific method the white child had then   
> used was chosen because it was known as a previous method of      
> inspiring fear to black people (by people who DO do it with race  
> in mind) and the white child would then know that the fear would   
> stem from the burning cross being interpreted by the black child  
> and his family as a race-motivated crime.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Not if the white children were as sheltered as we are expected to 
believe the twins are.  Then they'd have no *idea* that cross-
burning is a method used by the Klan.  They'd have no idea that the 
black family of that time period had no hope of recourse.  The only 
thing they'd know is that they didn't like that black child (he's a 
bully) and that (for some odd reason) cross-burning would scare 
him.  Just as the twins knew (or hoped) that magic (for some odd 
reason) would scare Dudley.

If the parents of those white children were against racism and were 
worth their salt, they would make clear to their children that even 
though their *motives* were pure, their *actions* were inexcusable.  
And probably give the children some punishment and then make them 
apologize.

My analogies were being used to show the *power* difference.  The 
twins used something against which Dudley (and his parents) had no 
defence.  That's what makes their actions wrong.  No matter the 
motive.

> >>Felix:
> If the twins had, in scaring Dudley, used a method that utilized   
> the very fact that they were wizards (full costume, wands out     
> making a show of it becuase they knew Dudley was afraid of        
> wizards, as the white kid would have known he black one was afraid 
> of the racist movement of the time) then it would have been        
> comparable.

Betsy Hp:
How is your toungue growing so large is no longer fits in your mouth 
and actually inhibits your breathing *not* an act of magic?

> >>Felix:
> As it is, it's simply a prank played on another person. (Not       
> saying I condone it, just that it's being taken slightly out of    
> proportion)

Betsy Hp:
No it is not.  It is a *magic* prank played against a *Muggle*.  And 
that is what makes all the difference.  It's the powerful using 
their power to prank the weak.  

> >>Felix:
> And anyway, the twins didn't know that the Dursleys were going to
> refuse all magical help, simply out of their own prejudice against
> wizards...

Betsy Hp:
Or, based on the screaming and hysterical crying, the Dursleys 
weren't able to differentiate between "helpful" wizards 
and "threatening" wizards.  Just as that black family wouldn't know 
which sheriff might listen to their complaint.  Again: power against 
weakness.

Betsy Hp