I have a suspicion that trouble with FA is about to flare up again

[fpb]

My older friends will remember the long war I had with a previous generation of FA moderators. Now I have lost my temper again, spectacularly and on their threads, and I suspect that it will make trouble.

I just read a chaptered fic (you will understand that I have no intention to increase the author's hit count, so we'll forget the name and title) which contains the following passage (behind lj-cut):
"Precisely," Caitlin smiled thinly. "And if it sounds horrible to you, think what a mage would think, coming from a community where you had magical privies that made the waste disappear, mud resistant robes, cures for most diseases known to the Muggles, a non-existent infant mortality rate, nice clean stone buildings for everyone, house elves that kept everything sanitary using magic and a standard of living not far off what you're both used to. I'm telling you, the phrase 'filthy Muggles' wasn't abuse back then, it was a fact. Of course the mages of the day felt they were superior - why wouldn't they? The poorest mage lived better than a Muggle king. Salazar was only different in that his attitudes were more extreme and professed more openly. He wasn't interested in saving Muggles from themselves, and he certainly didn't want their children around, with their insistence in only one god, and eternal damnation for those who didn't follow him, and that magic users not sanctioned by their High Priest in Rome were going straight to Hell. Actually can't say I entirely blame him on that score," she said with a grin.

Luella had to admit that being told that your magic was evil on a daily basis would probably annoy even the most patient of mages.

"But that doesn't mean being a Muggle-born makes you inferior!" she responded.

"Well, of course not," Caitlin replied. "Times have changed, and so have Muggles. Most love the idea of magic. That weird Middle Eastern crucifixion cult has lost its hold on their minds. And perhaps most importantly, they've discovered science, and it's given them power equal to ours in a way. No, Luella, in no way do I think Muggles are inferior. But back then, Salazar had some good points, and a lot of mages agreed with him, up until the point where he started secretly advocating the extermination of Muggle-borns, and the banning of mage-Muggle marriages, or at least severely restricting them to suitable candidates. That was when he crossed the line, and that's when war broke out, and Salazar got thrown out of Hogwarts. Battles were fought, alliances were made and broken, and a particularly nasty bloodfeud ensued that endures to this day. Salazar, I might add, lost, although his House stayed. Enough of them repented or stayed loyal to make it worthwhile keeping it. After all, Salazar Slytherin was still a Founder. But from then on, Slytherin House was seen as different, marked out by its past. At best, a house to be wary of, at worst the source of everything evil. Dark mages from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are overlooked or explained away as having had a traumatic past. Dark Slytherins have always been blown up into terrifying figures of absolute evil. Their Dark Mages are seen as one-offs, aberrations. Ours are seen as typical Slytherins. Until the 1970's, we Slytherins have always put up with the prejudice and just got on with our lives. We dealt with it by consoling ourselves that our house may be evil but at least we were the talented ones. That's why we're noted for our ambition: we start out automatically disadvantaged and work twice as hard to catch up. We've all got something to prove. We've been hated but we get by....

I found this not only offensive but a genuine instance of hate speech, including evident racist overtones (apparently being "middle eastern" is bad) and a loathsome misrepresentation of historical fact. I let the author know in the comments thread, and added a warning against this fic in the thread where I had originally found the link. Now it all depends on whether the moderators think this is, a), flaming, and, b), not justified by the evident and contemptible hate speech in the fic. Either way, I really do not think I intend to retract a single word.

Comments

[dragonrider7.livejournal.com]

Well, you're right, I have missed the prejudiced hatred, and in the interest of getting along, let's assume that it's actually in there somewhere. Please enlighten me on the howling ignorance because it's pretty clear I must be suffering from it, too, because I still don't get it.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

There is not one word in her whole account of history, including "and" and "the", that has any relationship with reality. And since I do not have the time to give you a three-year course in mediaeval history and culture, and I am pretty much certain that you would never listen anyway, stop wasting my time. It is near midnight in London where I live, and past time I knocked it off for the night.

[dragonrider7.livejournal.com]

I wasn't aware that there were any experts on magical history and culture other than JKR herself. Thank you for proving me wrong. Of COURSE it doesn't bear any relationship to reality, you half-wit, it's a fictional story inspired by a fictional story. It's FICTION.

I was asking in earnest, because I thought you might like to explain your point of view to someone who didn't understand. But if trying to communicate and research an unfamiliar position counts as "wasting your time" then I suggest you go buy some non-bunching panties and get back online when your head isn't so far up your own arse. Have a nice night.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Your first paragraph contradicts your second and shows why anyone with any sense would not waste time trying to teach you history. But since your disingenuousness cries to Zeus for vengeance, let me point out that the passage in question all too evidently uses JK Rowling's already sufficiently ignorant views of history (as I pointed out many times, her use of Binns as a figure of history sufficiently shows her ignorant contempt for the subject) to push an anti-Christian agenda that she herself would disown. What your friend wrote (and will she ever have the decency to speak for herself?) was about her view of real history, not of fiction.

[dragonrider7.livejournal.com]

And you need to learn to read a clock, it's not midnight for another hour.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

This is beyond belief. You sorry moron, where do you get the nerve to imagine that my time is at your disposal to refute any trash you might be pleased to bring up, at any time that suits you? If I said that I want to go to sleep, THAT MEANS THAT I WANT TO GO TO SLEEP. And if I hear one more ping from my computer and it turns out to be you, I will take pleasure in featuring you in a fic just as I see you.

[dragonrider7.livejournal.com]

Go to sleep and ignore the computer, then. Doesn't change the fact that being 10:55 is very far from "nearly midnight"

The reason I keep posting is because, despite your abusive dismissals of me, I am actually interested in what history you feel is being misrepresented. So you can keep on telling me that I'm wasting your time and that I'm an idiot and whatever else you like, because I'm interested in your view of history so I'm going to keep asking.

By the way if you ever do write a fic about me, please have the courtesy to link me to it later. I'd be flattered.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Oh, so you are "genuinely interested"? AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE MANNERS TO LET ME SLEEP AND WAIT A FEW FUCKING HOURS FOR YOUR ANSWERS, assuming I were willing to continue the discussion? Does it not occur to you that I have already given you enough time, that I might actually have other things to do, without having to exasperate me by unwarranted displays of sense of entitlement? Do my time and patience belong to you? Who gave you the right to assume you have the right either to have free access to me at any time you please or to seal my computer so I cannot get messages from my friends or family?

Great God in Heaven. And these people presume to criticize my behaviour.

[dragonrider7.livejournal.com]

I'm going to suggest something, and this may be a completely insane idea, but I'll just toss it out there...

Ignore your computer. Reply in the morning. The internet isn't going anywhere.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Anything rather than admit that you are in the wrong. The ordinary member of the species homo sapiens would by now have apologized, or at least shut up, but noooooo. That is too much like the little people for you. What can one do with arrogance like that? Well, of course, other than take a gun and shoot the thing down.

I do not ignore the computer because I have two aging parents who both live alone and a close relative with a serious disability that makes his health easily endangered. My family all use the internet as much as the phone, and I do not intend to be cut off from my people even in the middle of the night, just in case. I realize that someone like you might find this hard to understand, but I would rather be available to my family any time they might need me.

[dragonrider7.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for making this into a personal attack on me. But I'm just going to keep turning the other cheek and ignore your amusing death threats (Not to mention that I can almost guarantee I'm a better shot than you are). I'll also skip over your assurance that during an emergency, your family would rather email than telephone.

Seeing as you're up anyway, and it's still not midnight, how about we go back to my original question and you explain what history has been misrepresented? Every time you dodge the question I get more and more curious.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Your manners worsen by the post. Now you take it on yourself to discuss what my family should or should not do. In civilized society, that would have had you shown the door. What manner of barbarians have you grown among?

There is no point in pointing out that the "death threat" was an exasperated joke, because you knew it already, and your use of it is in bad faith.

And if you imagine that anyone can correct your frightful ignorance overnight, you simply do not realize how ignorant you are. Not to mention that I was not put on this earth to correct the opinions of everyone who talks rubbish about my subject - life's too short.