Racism at The Palace?

[John Wright]

12 hours ago, A fool and his money..... said:

. Being allowed to resign in the circumstance is incredibly lenient.

It’s a voluntary, unpaid, honorary, position. Apart from being allowed to resign, what else do you suggest.

[Declan]

37 minutes ago, John Wright said:

It’s a voluntary, unpaid, honorary, position. Apart from being allowed to resign, what else do you suggest.

Public vilification… oh wait that’s happening. 

[Max Power]

I think that there may be an element of an opportunistic set up here? 

Ngozi Fulani was dressed as an African, that to me invites curiosity and enquiring conversation. She is openly critical of the King and Queen in their treatment of Meghan Markle, accusing them of domestic abuse. She remembers the conversation word for word, a little too perfectly, and seemed to want to avoid talking about her heritage, despite her dress? 

Whatever, Lady Susan Hussey was clumsy but to say that asking people dressed as Africans what their origins are is not racist. I know somebody who won't be asked to tea again!

 

[The Phantom]

1 minute ago, Max Power said:

I think that there may be an element of an opportunistic set up here? 

Ngozi Fulani was dressed as an African, that to me invites curiosity and enquiring conversation. She is openly critical of the King and Queen in their treatment of Meghan Markle, accusing them of domestic abuse. She remembers the conversation word for word, a little too perfectly, and seemed to want to avoid talking about her heritage, despite her dress? 

Whatever, Lady Susan Hussey was clumsy but to say that asking people dressed as Africans what their origins are is not racist. I know somebody who won't be asked to tea again!

 

Exactly.  She's black, wearing tribal-esque outfit and is called Ngozi.   It is 100% acceptable and understandable to ask where in Africa she was from.  It's taking an interest in people and their heritage and making conversation.  Historically engaging in conversation with someone and asking them about themselves or their history was seen as taking an interest, compassionate and engaging. 

I've travelled all over Africa for business and pleasure.  I've got family and personal interests in its geography, people and history.  This is going to make meeting small talk and just general conversations with people really very awkward.  One of the most interesting nights I've ever had was a late night curry at a table set up in the middle of the pitch at the Mombasa Polo Club with various East Africans (Black, Indian and White) all chatting about our various heritages, religions, differences, similarities etc.  It was eye-opening and wouldn't have been half as interesting if I didn't ask questions. 

Jeez, I was in Heathrow a few months ago, a woman in a shop that was serving me had Tanzanian flag pin.  I noticed, asked her if that was where she was from and blasted her with some very rudimentary Swahili.  She was happy, I was happy, it was a fun little interaction. 

It's a posho/establishment witch hunt and a way for Ngozi to get her 5 minutes of fame. 

 

[Shake me up Judy]

Exactly. It was curiosity and small talk. Taking an interest; cultural engagement (Can we even call it that ?) etc. The sort of thing she's done for most of her life travelling to every part of the globe. Part of the job. This is just another BLM hijack of a white establishment figure.

[Max Power]

Also, the charity which Ngozi Fulani represents is a black only domestic abuse organisation, it doesn't sound very inclusive?

[manxman1980]

Once she says that she is British then why continue to push about "where are you really from?"

If the prompt for that is the clothing then ask specifically about the clothing. 

If you are interested in the persons family heritage then ask that question.

Personally, I will tell people I am Manx or British.  As I am white they would either be satisfied with that or ask where I was born or grew up.

They are not going to ask me "where I am really from".  It is once that question gets asked that it starts to become racist.  Essentially you can't be British because you are black or because you are wearing clothes that mark you out as different.

 

[wrighty]

The woman at the centre of all this, Ngozi Fulani, was on R4 this morning.  When she stated she was 'proud of her African heritage' I started to feel more that she'd used this whole event to get publicity for herself and her organisation.  She could have definitely handled it differently - a response to the old lady such as "I was born in London, but my parents came over from the West Indies in the 1960s" (or whatever) would have answered the not unreasonable but perhaps impolite question, and possibly ended the conversation.  Although if she is really so proud of her African heritage why not talk about it?

[John Wright]

6 minutes ago, wrighty said:

The woman at the centre of all this, Ngozi Fulani, was on R4 this morning.  When she stated she was 'proud of her African heritage' I started to feel more that she'd used this whole event to get publicity for herself and her organisation.  She could have definitely handled it differently - a response to the old lady such as "I was born in London, but my parents came over from the West Indies in the 1960s" (or whatever) would have answered the not unreasonable but perhaps impolite question, and possibly ended the conversation.  Although if she is really so proud of her African heritage why not talk about it?

I heard her interview twice. I’ve seen her on TV this morning. She wears her hair Ghanaian or Nigerian style, was wearing west African dress. She set out to proclaim and exhibit, proudly, her Afro Caribbean heritage.

Her professed aim of her charity being the important thing in this was, unfortunately belied by her repetition of the alleged conversation ( in different terms each time - it’s not recorded ) instead of telling us about the charity.

My view, for what it’s worth, and neither the Palace, nor the Sistah have asked, is unfortunate, insensitive, but not worthy of  the hours of media attention.

[The Phantom]

3 hours ago, The Phantom said:

Exactly.  She's black, wearing tribal-esque outfit and is called Ngozi.   It is 100% acceptable and understandable to ask where in Africa she was from.  It's taking an interest in people and their heritage and making conversation.  Historically engaging in conversation with someone and asking them about themselves or their history was seen as taking an interest, compassionate and engaging. 

I've travelled all over Africa for business and pleasure.  I've got family and personal interests in its geography, people and history.  This is going to make meeting small talk and just general conversations with people really very awkward.  One of the most interesting nights I've ever had was a late night curry at a table set up in the middle of the pitch at the Mombasa Polo Club with various East Africans (Black, Indian and White) all chatting about our various heritages, religions, differences, similarities etc.  It was eye-opening and wouldn't have been half as interesting if I didn't ask questions. 

Jeez, I was in Heathrow a few months ago, a woman in a shop that was serving me had Tanzanian flag pin.  I noticed, asked her if that was where she was from and blasted her with some very rudimentary Swahili.  She was happy, I was happy, it was a fun little interaction. 

It's a posho/establishment witch hunt and a way for Ngozi to get her 5 minutes of fame. 

 

Thinking about this further over lunch.  

I was once in a meeting in Nairobi, where a black Kenyan guy asked a black English guy what tribe he was from. 

 

[Apple]

3 hours ago, John Wright said:

My view, for what it’s worth, and neither the Palace, nor the Sistah have asked, is unfortunate, insensitive, but not worthy of  the hours of media attention.

Agreed.

Next !

[manxman1980]

3 hours ago, The Phantom said:

Thinking about this further over lunch.  

I was once in a meeting in Nairobi, where a black Kenyan guy asked a black English guy what tribe he was from. 

 

I dont see this as being an equivalent to be honest.

[The Phantom]

How about, you meet a pale ginger dude called Roddy McDougal and he's wearing a kilt. You ask him where in Scotland he's from. He's English and gets offended.

[Passing Time]

To me it sounds just like all the other "let's get offended on behalf of someone else" stories. Purely there to sell copies

[manxman1980]

1 hour ago, The Phantom said:

How about, you meet a pale ginger dude called Roddy McDougal and he's wearing a kilt. You ask him where in Scotland he's from. He's English and gets offended.

That's better.

Strangely enough I was talking to a guy recently with a very Welsh name who works near the England and Wales border.

He is most definitely English not Welsh and would be offended if I kept saying he must be Welsh after he told me he was English and born in Chester.