To writer JK Rowling, author of “Harry Potter”, and the actress Emma watson, interpreter of Hermione Granger in the same saga, were involved in controversy this week. Both were accused of anti-Semitism and disregard for the Jewish population.
It all started on Monday (3), when Watson republished an image from the political art collective Bad Activist on his Instagram page. In the post, a photo of Palestinian flags at a demonstration is overlaid by the sign “Solidarity is a verb” (“Solidarity is a verb”).
The actress’s publication, in turn, was reposted by Danny Danon, former Minister of Science of Israel. On his Twitter, the politician mocks the position with an allusion to the universe of Harry Potter: “10 points for Gryffindor for being anti-Semitic, Emma Watson”.
Israel’s current ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, also said: “If magic worked in real life, it would be used to eliminate bad guys like Hamas (a terrorist organization that operates in the Middle East).”
10 points from Gryffindor for being an antisemite.@EmmaWatson pic.twitter.com/Qaqkx36JSg
– Ambassador Danny Danon | Danny Danon (@dannydanon) January 3, 2022
Social networks were divided by the controversy. Jewish authorities reinforced the accusations, while NGOs and humanitarian institutions congratulated the effort to bring attention to the conflict and the plight of the Palestinian people.
Watson’s original post has already reached over 100,000 comments. In the caption, the actress published a quote from English activist Sara Ahmed: “Solidarity does not presuppose that our struggles are the same, that our pain is the same, that our hopes are for a single future.”
Watson is known for her social and political engagement. In 2014, she was appointed UN Women’s Ambassador of Goodwill, and in 2019 she participated in the G7 meeting as a consultant for women’s policies.
The subject gained even more attention this Wednesday (5), when criticisms of JK Rowling made by journalist and comedian Jon Stewart were recovered. In his podcast, “The Problem With Jon Stewart”, the former presenter of The Daily Show reinforces accusations of anti-Semitism made to the writer, due to the representation of the banking goblins of Gringotts, in the “Harry Potter” saga.
The goblins, responsible for the financial institution of the wizarding world, are represented with long noses, sharp teeth and orthodox hairstyles – characteristics that refer to old caricatures of the Jewish people, as well as the stereotype of greedy bankers.
“I don’t believe that, in a universe of magic, she threw Jews there to run an underground bank,” criticizes Stewart. He even recalls early 20th-century anti-Semitic European literature that helped fuel Nazi ideology: “I’m going to show you a cartoon of The Protocol of the Elders of Zion. You take a look and say, ‘Look, it’s from Harry Potter ‘”.
Gringotts’ elves have come under scrutiny since their first cinematographic appearance in 2001, but there is a growing wave of revisions to the problematic representations in the work.
Rowling had already faced a lot of criticism over the past two years for her positions considered transphobic. The author’s militancy against gender self-determination, as well as her opposition to policies such as access to women’s toilets for trans people, draws criticism.
His defense of actor Johnny Depp (accused of assaulting ex-wife Amber Heard), star of Rowling’s “Fantastic Beasts” franchise, was also the target of protests.
New controversies involving Rowling and Watson arise when “Harry Potter” returns to the discussion, with the release of “Return to Hogwarts”, a documentary about the series, released by HBO Max on January 1st. The special commemorates the 20th anniversary of the release of the franchise’s first film, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”
Reference: CNN Brasil
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
