(not to mention the wizard-equivalent of a racist)
I personally (and again, this is just my personal viewpoint) consider Draco's views to be more comparative to the Palestine vs. Isreal conflict, ect. than KKK style racial prejudice... if only because racial prejudice is thrust upon some innocent group who holds no threat whatsoever... while it can be argued that Muggles are a threat to wizard kind -- as they would likely persecute them if wizards attempted to live an open life.
Not that Draco and the Death Eaters aren't narrow minded threats to the general peace, and Voldemort isn't all sorts of wrong -- means like that do NOT justify the ends, innocents shouldn't have to die for your cause, there has to be another way, ect.
Muggles and wizards are opposing cultural and political forces, and an extremist group on either side can commit evil deeds.
And this. um. explains why I can write Draco, while knowing he's rather lacking in empathy for a large group of others. I don't think he's *right*, and in the real world I'd avoid him like the plague, but I also don't feel the instinctual disgust that racism brings from me.
And since it's all a fictional conflict, I can detach myself. Like I can detach myself from the reality that vampires kill tons of humans, and still enjoy and care about vampire characters in movies, books, and television.
(no subject)
Date: 2003-01-25 01:23 pm (UTC)I personally (and again, this is just my personal viewpoint) consider Draco's views to be more comparative to the Palestine vs. Isreal conflict, ect. than KKK style racial prejudice... if only because racial prejudice is thrust upon some innocent group who holds no threat whatsoever... while it can be argued that Muggles are a threat to wizard kind -- as they would likely persecute them if wizards attempted to live an open life.
Not that Draco and the Death Eaters aren't narrow minded threats to the general peace, and Voldemort isn't all sorts of wrong -- means like that do NOT justify the ends, innocents shouldn't have to die for your cause, there has to be another way, ect.
Muggles and wizards are opposing cultural and political forces, and an extremist group on either side can commit evil deeds.
And this. um. explains why I can write Draco, while knowing he's rather lacking in empathy for a large group of others. I don't think he's *right*, and in the real world I'd avoid him like the plague, but I also don't feel the instinctual disgust that racism brings from me.
And since it's all a fictional conflict, I can detach myself. Like I can detach myself from the reality that vampires kill tons of humans, and still enjoy and care about vampire characters in movies, books, and television.