[doug*platypus]

I think that we need to keep in mind that neither the Easterlings nor the Southrons are evil men. They worship Sauron as a god, which is a heresy, as the only being that should be worshipped in Arda is Ilúvatar. They have been deluded by Sauron into fighting a war far from their own home for an ally who cares little for them apart from their use as weapons. Anyone who has heard of Gallipoli might be a little more sympathetic towards them.

At any rate, Sam seems to see the human aspect of the Southrons, and so does Tolkien himself (in Letters of Tolkien). The mere fact that they are fighting Gondor does not make their entire race evil. Similarly, Gondor although on the side of the almost faultless elves, is not composed strictly of good people. Look at Denethor. He would, by Tolkien's admission, have become a tyrant little better than Sauron had he won the war, with or without the Ring, and would have shown as little mercy to the Southrons or Easterlings as he would to the orcs - without justification.

Gondor, Harad, and other nations are political entities, just as France or Germany are. You cannot say that all Haradrim are evil anymore than you can say all North Koreans are. That kind of propaganda won't hold up these days, and nor would it to Tolkien at the time he wrote his books. The fact that all the dark-skinned people fight for Sauron is not enough to say that Tolkien was racist. There is no evidence whatsoever in The Silmarillion, The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings to indicate that he is.

Regarding your first post, Inderjit - what colour is brown? Are there no Caucasians who could be described as having a "brown hand"? There is such a thing as a tan, and I'm sure that as a gardener Sam had a lot of time to work on his, toiling away with his shirt off in front of Frodo's study window. He would not necessarily have to resemble a Fijian to end up with a brown hand. Ditto Bombadil.

I am, however, greatly interested in your description of the House of Bëor containing dark-skinned members with descent from Bor's people. I wasn't even aware that Morgoth's allies (and those who betrayed Maedhros) were dark-skinned. I though they were Caucasian, as I believed the other Edain to be. If you can post a quote on their complexions, I'd greatly appreciated. Personally, if I was ever to make The Silmarillion into a movie, I would make the Woodmen of Brethil look African-American, and it would be nice to know that this would not be completely out of order.