Re: Which actually brings things back to Terri's post
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Or perhaps, these days, Muggleborns make up 25% of the *children*, but this hasn't been going on for long enough for Muggleborns to have much of a political presence in the WW. And if we want to accept that 25% (although it isn't stated in the books themselves), then perhaps some bigots are sensing the direction of demographic change, and are reacting to the potential consequences of the society.
Surely all of this matters?
Yes, it matters, and calling it out as racism only increases the emphasis on how much it matters. It doesn’t detract from these points to recognize blood prejudice as racism (it only adds to the depth of exploration), nor does it have to lessen the impact of the xenophobic (anti-immigrant) aspect.
I’d say the blood prejudiced bigots are definitely feeling like they don’t have all the privilege they once garnered from being pure-bloods and are in danger of losing even more privilege. This maps even better if one recognizes the racial aspect, because it points to how the pure-bloods are seeing any loss of blood privilege (think “Aryan privilege” when I say “blood privilege”) as a loss of something that should rightfully be theirs by birth. It adds another layer to their bigoted sense of entitlement to recognize the racism inherent in their blood prejudice.
In any case, I at least am not interested in arguing over whether or not this prejudice is bad, because I know that it is. I don't think anyone here disagrees with that, although technically I can't speak for anyone but myself.
I’m not saying that anyone here is saying that racism isn’t bad or any other kind of prejudice isn’t bad. I actually tend to think that everyone here knows that prejudice is a very bad thing. I would be very surprised if they didn’t.
I find myself wondering why there is a resistance to labeling blood prejudice racism when it has blood right in the title and blood is a feature tied directly to and only to heritage, though. Blood purity can only be obtained by heritage. If you aren’t born with what is considered “pure-blood” you can’t get it. You can try to pass for a pure-blood, in that case, but that’s it. Furthermore, if you want to pass as a pure-blood you are going to have to lie about the blood you have inherited. Regardless of any xenophobic aspect of blood prejudice (and there is some overlap), it is also racist prejudice by definition due to the fact that blood is solely obtained by inheritance. A person can usually choose whether they immigrate or not, but you can’t choose your blood. You’re stuck with it. No matter where a pure-blood, half-blood, or Muggle-born goes, they have the blood that they have, for better or for worse. That adds another important level to blood prejudice and it doesn’t negate the xenophobic (anti-immigration) aspect.
Surely all of this matters?
Yes, it matters, and calling it out as racism only increases the emphasis on how much it matters. It doesn’t detract from these points to recognize blood prejudice as racism (it only adds to the depth of exploration), nor does it have to lessen the impact of the xenophobic (anti-immigrant) aspect.
I’d say the blood prejudiced bigots are definitely feeling like they don’t have all the privilege they once garnered from being pure-bloods and are in danger of losing even more privilege. This maps even better if one recognizes the racial aspect, because it points to how the pure-bloods are seeing any loss of blood privilege (think “Aryan privilege” when I say “blood privilege”) as a loss of something that should rightfully be theirs by birth. It adds another layer to their bigoted sense of entitlement to recognize the racism inherent in their blood prejudice.
In any case, I at least am not interested in arguing over whether or not this prejudice is bad, because I know that it is. I don't think anyone here disagrees with that, although technically I can't speak for anyone but myself.
I’m not saying that anyone here is saying that racism isn’t bad or any other kind of prejudice isn’t bad. I actually tend to think that everyone here knows that prejudice is a very bad thing. I would be very surprised if they didn’t.
I find myself wondering why there is a resistance to labeling blood prejudice racism when it has blood right in the title and blood is a feature tied directly to and only to heritage, though. Blood purity can only be obtained by heritage. If you aren’t born with what is considered “pure-blood” you can’t get it. You can try to pass for a pure-blood, in that case, but that’s it. Furthermore, if you want to pass as a pure-blood you are going to have to lie about the blood you have inherited. Regardless of any xenophobic aspect of blood prejudice (and there is some overlap), it is also racist prejudice by definition due to the fact that blood is solely obtained by inheritance. A person can usually choose whether they immigrate or not, but you can’t choose your blood. You’re stuck with it. No matter where a pure-blood, half-blood, or Muggle-born goes, they have the blood that they have, for better or for worse. That adds another important level to blood prejudice and it doesn’t negate the xenophobic (anti-immigration) aspect.