From: mbs@zycor.lgc.com (Matt Shostak)
Subject: Re: Racism Survives!
Organization: Landmark/Zycor   Austin, Texas
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 14:03:04 GMT

In article <1992Dec15.002356@IASTATE.EDU> cffitzge@IASTATE.EDU (Charles F Fitzgerald) writes:
>bil@ockforum.uoknor.edu writes
>>This whole issue of racism has become tedious. 
>
>No one is forcing you to read it.
>
>>It's as if those
>>complaining about it have no other means of identifying themselves,
>>that their race (or that of those they claim to defend) is the only
>>distinctive feature they can use to ennoble themselves.
>
>No, they are pointing out the presence of racism in the works of
>Tolkien because it worries them.  These books are read by many
>different people of different ages, some very impressionable. What
>do these books teach?  This is an important and non-trivial
>question, the answer to which is of note to many of us.
>
>>What arrogance to judge another generation by our "standards"! Tolkien
>>lived in and understood a world very different from ours, he was a
>>product of his Age, just as we are of ours. What was "Scientific" fact
>>to him or his contemporaries, my seem questionable in some regards,
>>not because the facts have changed, but rather because we choose to
>>interpret them differently. 
>
>Though it is true that we should not judge the past by our
>standards, it is not true that we should blindly accept something
>simply because it was written in a different time.  We must 
>examine the texts that come down to us from our fore-fathers and
>recognise the short comings within them, so that we might be
>better for their mistakes.
>
>This is not to say that we should alter the works of past authors
>because they do not fit with our current societal values.  To use
>words often found in this thread, that would be a "black evil."
>We do have a responsiblity, however, to recognise the implicit
>prejudices inherent in the books of the past and try to change our
>views independent from the ideals promoted in those books.
>
>>The whole issue is nothing but
>>interpretation, and it is an absolute certainty that our
>>interpretations will bw judged in their turn by future dillitantes and
>>pseudo-scholars.
>
>The issue is not simply interpretation.  Much of the prejudice
>that has been mentioned does actually exist in Tolkien's works.
>Future generations may or may not recognise the prejudice, but it
>will remain there, none the less.
>
>For my part, I have always loved Tolkien's writings.  He is,
>by far, my favourite writer.  It hurts me to think that he
>may have been in the least bit prejudiced or sexist.  I have
>to admit, however, that there is truth to much of what has
>been written about his prejudice.  I must admit that the 
>message of a woman's place being in the home is fairly
>obvious if one looks for it.  I may not like this conclusion,
>but it remains the case.  I may not like the idea that the
>light skinned races are all portrayed as fundamentally better
>than everyone else, but they are so portrayed.  Closing my
>eyes to the problem will not make it go away.
>
>I think it is a important to discuss this issue because it is
>only through dialogue that we come to understand our fellow
>man.  People will use Tolkien's works to justify causes that
>are contrary to what I feel is the true message of his works
>because he is the child of a different age.  It is only through
>open discussion that we will be able to create a defense against
>such people and expose the error of their ways.
>
>--
>Charles F. Fitzgerald | '....Life's but a walking shadow,
>Iowa State University | a poor player, that struts, and frets
>cffitzge@iastate.edu  | his hour upon the stage,
>                      | and then is heard from no more....'
>                      | _MacBeth_, by W. Shakespeare.

Actually, as someone else pointed out, you could find many instances in
LOTR that suggest just the opposite, i.e. racial equality, understanding,
etc.  You will find what you look for.


-- 
Matthew B. Shostak              Landmark/Zycor
mbs@zycor.lgc.com               (512) 292-2357
"So you think you are strong because you can survive the soft cushions.
 Well, we shall see." -- Cardinal Ximinez
Newsgroups: alt.fan.tolkien