So there was a bit of a heated discussion recently on the topic of “anti-white” or “reverse” racism and we (some of the mods) figured we would clarify some rules for this community:
- “White people” is a very vague term. Having low expectations of people in the imperial core is understandable for someone in the Global South, but it’s better to be specific. Saying “I’m racist against white people” when you mean “I don’t trust the average person in <insert imperialist country>” is going to cause misunderstandings
- People who were racist in the past are not necessarily racist in the present. Many of us were liberals before becoming Marxists, and there’s a significant overlap between liberals and racists
- No matter your ethnicity, don’t use terms like “subhuman” or “orc” to describe yourself and your group; it may make others uncomfortable
- Don’t call for violence (particularly against ethnic groups, but it’s best to avoid it in general so the instance doesn’t get in trouble)
- Stick to Lemmygrad’s rules of good-faith discussion
that’s all, folks
It’s a shame they’re trying to turn “orc” into a slur. We have a more diverse world of fantasy beyond Tolkein these days. Orcs can and should be cool! There’s plenty of stories that have built the “orc” concept into a proud culture and heritage, and even beyond that, the “noble humans conquering the primitive/cruel orcs” trope is a paper-thin metaphor for western culture being imposed on an indigenous, or at least foreign, population that didn’t ask for it.
I’d love to see the targets of the slur try to capture and use it for their own consumption. (Compare the rehabilitation of “Queer”). Let’s see some nifty fanart of orcs riding around in tanks. Hell, the Warhammer 40K crowd has already done most of the work!