[Dragaera] Does house discrimination=racism?

[Scott]

I'd agree that "racism" between Houses doesn't fall under what we'd
ordinarily consider "racism" to mean in our world. (Paresh might disagree,
though.) You might say that racisim occurs among the citizens of the Empire
when they believe the stereotype of a House is all that there is to it and
forget that the individuals are people with their own skills, abilities, and
beliefs. There are enough examples of courageous Tekla, for instance, that
it could be considered racist to dismiss all Tekla as useless cowards,
despite the fact that Tekla ARE timid by nature as a general rule. The
waters are muddied even further when social class gets mixed in with House.
Tekla are dismissed as much because of their peasant status as because of
their innate natures. Jhegalla are primarily merchants, a social class which
is considered lower than bandits on the ladder of "honorable" professions.
(The bandit is at least honest about robbing you blind.) After awhile, you
can start getting confused about just what you're being discrminating
about...

Discrimination against Easterners is clearly racism, but unlike our world,
Easterners and Dragaerans are truly separate species. We generally accept
racism to mean "discrimination and/or hatred based upon cultural, religious
or cosmetic differences". A Muslim, a bushman, and a WASP are all still men.
You get past racist beliefs when you look past the differences to the
commonality.

What do you do when the other race is truly someone that you have nothing in
common with? Is it unwarranted racism  for a Dragaeran to refuse to
acknowledge that a Serioli or a Cat-centaur is his equal or is deserving of
the same rights, priveleges, and considerations as himself simply because
they are both sentient beings? Especially in a semi-feudal state like the
Dragaeran Empire where discrimination between Houses is considered the
normal state of affairs?

I'd be curious to see what Morollan and company think of the Greenaireans
and Elde Islanders in this regard.