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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Jon Stewart sticking the knife in to JKR over "Jewish" goblins

330 replies

WandaWomblesaurus73 · 05/01/2022 10:58

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10368289/Jon-Stewart-accuses-JK-Rowling-anti-Semitism-Harry-Potter.html

Ffs

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6
Deadringer · 05/01/2022 16:35

@ScreamingMeMe

People do know that goblins are ancient folklore characters and JK Rowling didn't invent them, the way they look or their greed for gold, right? Right...?
Facts are horrid things
picklemewalnuts · 05/01/2022 16:37

"I mean the whole series of books is little more than an upper class English public school fantasy where (almost exclusively) white elites preside over the 'lesser' races and classes."

Isn't that addressed by Hermione's radical SPEW society, and the disgust at the 'mudblood' insults?

Surely she describes a world where bigotry exists, some of her characters perpetuate it and others challenge it. That doesn't make her bigoted.

picklemewalnuts · 05/01/2022 16:38

That's responding to @barleybadminton , by the way.

Omicrone · 05/01/2022 16:38

I think the film makers share culpability but Rowling had creative control over the films which are also the source of a great deal of her vast wealth.

They are the source of a great deal of her vast wealth because they were so popular, including amongst the people who are now giving her a massive kicking because, boo fucking hoo, she said something unrelated that upset them.

That money didn't fall out of the sky and into her bank account you know.

KittenKong · 05/01/2022 16:40

When I was a kid I loved the Scottish folk law stories (your granny always had some bogey man/woman who would take you away if you were naughty or didn’t listen). Some were goblin-like little creatures, some scary old ladies, some beautiful nymph like creatures, sea horses, etc. there go way back too. She lived in Edinburgh (very touristy) so must’ve been aware of these magical creatures.

AryaStarkWolf · 05/01/2022 16:42

@Abhannmor

Because he was a thick Paddy? But JK didn't write him that way. Where does it end....
Luna is also an Irish character and imo one of the best in the series, no Irish stereotypes at all. Also plenty of the English characters were a bit thick, it's so silly, JK Rowling comes across as such a caring person, these allegations against her are pretty bizarre and a complete character assassination
Deadringer · 05/01/2022 16:48

I am not a super fan by any means, but i have fond memories of reading the books because my dc loved them. I read and reread them many times, and never in my wildest dreams did i connect the goblins with jewish people. A connection simply never entered my mind, or my dcs, or anyone i know. I think its weird quite frankly, and very nasty to draw a comparison between the two. As for the goblins being bankers, it makes perfect sense, they are obsessed with gold, and as they have their own magic, wizards can't use spells to rob the bank. They are children's books about magical creatures for goodness sake, not some sort of social or political propaganda.

Mollyollydolly · 05/01/2022 16:59

There is a very good thread on this here. Nothing I disagree with and I should think JK Rowling probably wouldn't disagree with it either. But then nuance isn't allowed is it.
twitter.com/DivaAugusta1/status/1478738001253797891

Sidehustle99 · 05/01/2022 17:01

@WandaWomblesaurus73

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10368289/Jon-Stewart-accuses-JK-Rowling-anti-Semitism-Harry-Potter.html

Ffs

It is the mail after all 😏
Sidehustle99 · 05/01/2022 17:02

@WandaWomblesaurus73

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10368289/Jon-Stewart-accuses-JK-Rowling-anti-Semitism-Harry-Potter.html

Ffs

It is the mail after all 😏
SolasAnla · 05/01/2022 17:13

@JellySaurus

So what you are pointing out is the current available works of Dickens are the reworked version and therefore have had any alleged antisemitism removed about 130 years ago.

No, not removed. Toned down. Read Oliver Twist - it is still shocking.

Who am I support to be booing at then?
PurgatoryOfPotholes · 05/01/2022 17:15

@barleybadminton

People who take issue with any of the above would do better directing their anger at the filmmakers. But then why would they do that, when it's way more fun getting to shit all over the woman they love to hate so much. Again.

I think the film makers share culpability but Rowling had creative control over the films which are also the source of a great deal of her vast wealth. It's inconceivable that if she had objected to the way the goblins were portrayed on the grounds of antisemitism the producers would have ignored her. And she has made no public criticism since, despite the controversy dating back over 15 years.

Glad you've realised this is a film issue now!

Interesting you've moved on to castigating JK for... not seeing the filmmakers' adaptation of her creatures as having any relation to Jewish people. What can I say. Clearly she doesn't hang out with enough anti-semites.

ScreamingMeMe · 05/01/2022 17:20

It is the mail after all

It's been on loads of news sites today.

AryaStarkWolf · 05/01/2022 17:21

Interesting you've moved on to castigating JK for... not seeing the filmmakers' adaptation of her creatures as having any relation to Jewish people. What can I say. Clearly she doesn't hang out with enough anti-semites.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that most people just saw..........Goblins when they watched the films.....

EishetChayil · 05/01/2022 17:24

As a Jew, I find it pretty offensive when anti-Semitism is used to slander people.

SantaClawsServiette · 05/01/2022 17:24

@TheIncredibleBookEatingManchot

I wonder what people accusing JKR of anti-Semitism think of her agent, Neil Blair, who is Jewish.

He has tweeted that she is definitely not anti-Semitic.

So if a Jewish person who presumably knows her well and has worked with her for years doesn't think she's anti-Semitic then why not take his word for it?

I don't think it actually matters to people. Same with saying it about Emma Watson.

The logic of id pol and political whiteness is that everyone is racist, antisemitic, whatever. It doesn't matter if you also stand against those things, or "have Jewish friends" or anything. If what you say or write or do can be linked in any way, even only in terms of an accidental resemblance, to a particular form of oppression, than you are promoting a racist system and the only only way to be morally ok is to wholesale repudiate it and make a show of toeing the line, particularly calling out other people engaging in wrongthink.

JKR is a particular target not just because of her views on trans issues but because she does not respect that whole system, therefore calling it's moral dominance and power into question. She is, in the truest sense, not politically correct.

JellySaurus · 05/01/2022 17:26

Who am I support to be booing at then?

Voldemort?

EishetChayil · 05/01/2022 17:28

@ClaudiaWankleman

The antisemitic goblin stereotype was first brought up in the mid noughties in the New York Times. Way before this.

Some of us have long noticed that the name Cho Chang doesn't really make sense either.

These aren't 'made-up' accusations to bolster anti-trans claims and to dismiss them as such is inappropriate.

What's wrong with Cho Chang? Chang is the Mandarin Chinese surname 张 and Cho is the name 秋.
JellySaurus · 05/01/2022 17:29

@EishetChayil

As a Jew, I find it pretty offensive when anti-Semitism is used to slander people.
Quite.

But then, only the most oppressed people are allowed to define their oppression. And we know who the most oppressed people are in this narrative.

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 05/01/2022 17:30

Luna is also an Irish character and imo one of the best in the series, no Irish stereotypes at all.

That would be because the character was actually from Devon.

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 05/01/2022 17:31

Depends if you're talking about the books or the films though I suppose.

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 05/01/2022 17:32

@JellySaurus

Who am I support to be booing at then?

Voldemort?

Grin
donquixotedelamancha · 05/01/2022 17:36

What's wrong with Cho Chang? Chang is the Mandarin Chinese surname 张 and Cho is the name 秋.

Chang is a Korean first name and you don't generally get see that surname translated as Chang from Chinese in the US (because many US Chinese are from Taiwan); so a lot of 3rd gen Korean American students decided JKR was Kish mixing up a Korean first name and got offended.

twelly · 05/01/2022 17:37

J K Rowling has written imaginative books which have been loved by children and adults - its fiction. I will continue to read, watch and support her writings - I think people have nothing better than to moan and find fault

PurgatoryOfPotholes · 05/01/2022 17:39

Quote from twitter

Wait a minute, JK Rowling is left out of the movie reunion because ‘she only wrote the books’ but she is simultaneously to blame for how goblins were depicted in the movie? 🤔

twitter.com/firewomon/status/1478735886544248836?t=GGFC7HxzMInhOodlcsj59g&s=19

Grin

That covers it neatly

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