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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that if the only black adult in your family says they have experienced racism...

999 replies

Overcastcloudy · 11/03/2021 14:14

... it's counterproductive to send a white man out to say, We're very much not racist?

That just is never going to end well. Ask Ian Murray how it worked out for him.

I couldn't care much either way about the Royal Family. Just baffled at the headline of William saying this.

OP posts:
Shoppingwithmother · 11/03/2021 14:18

They didn’t send him out to say that though did they?

He was at an engagement and the press shouted questions at him, which he briefly answered as he walked past.

Should he have said nothing?

FuckyouBrennan · 11/03/2021 14:19

Oh ffs. Meghan could claim to be a rabbit and people would believe it.
William wasn’t sent out to say that.

TwilightSkies · 11/03/2021 14:21

Meghan could claim to be a rabbit and people would believe it.

Do you think she hasn’t experienced racism from the royal family? Why would she lie?

Plexie · 11/03/2021 14:21

Well as there aren't any other black members of the family to speak up, I guess the choice was say that or say nothing.

I don't see the parallel with the Ian Murray (Society of Editors) situation. At least we can examine newspaper contents and judge whether they were outwardly racist and/or likely to have been motivated by racism. I don't think there are any statements issued by the Royal Family which have said anything negative about Meghan. Private conversations are another matter but we're not privy to them.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 11/03/2021 14:22

Did you see the Media Mugging?

That ain't what happened and probably ain't what he said, from behind a mask, from a few metres away, walking quite quickly, with other people around also muttering and waving their hands.

The best thing for all of them would be to be left alone to work it through for themselves.

Frogartist · 11/03/2021 14:22

I am not sure what you think he should have said. Should someone say that he is a racist even though he doesn't think he is one?

Topmum66 · 11/03/2021 14:22

He does have a right to defend his family.

MM didn’t specify what the crime was or who it was so the whole family is being doubted and blamed. If an individual did say it, are the whole family to be blamed?

Pandamumium · 11/03/2021 14:22

So, as she’s the only black person in the family, who will be able to say it?

homebird46 · 11/03/2021 14:23

Everything about the way this has been handled is so appalling.

That horrible sexist and racist gaslighting statement issued on behalf of the Queen by PR people who clearly don’t have a fucking clue how to manage a crisis.

Now this.

It’s going to cost the Royals the Commonwealth, and about time too.

Clarinsmum · 11/03/2021 14:23

He was ‘doorstepped’ at an event by a journo, he couldn't not respond. Context is everything with this issue. Read Sir Kenneth Olisa’s comments on this. When it comes to racism and equality the UK is not the USA. There’s a great series on the 14th amendment on Netflix at the moment which provides some further context about the differences between the USA and the UK on issues of race, identity, human right etc etc.

PicsInRed · 11/03/2021 14:23

@Overcastcloudy

... it's counterproductive to send a white man out to say, We're very much not racist?

That just is never going to end well. Ask Ian Murray how it worked out for him.

I couldn't care much either way about the Royal Family. Just baffled at the headline of William saying this.

Weeelll... he would say that his own comments weren't racist, wouldn't he?

Turkeys don't vote for Christmas.

Original poster
Overcastcloudy · 11/03/2021 14:24

Should he have said nothing?

There's a lot of blue sky between saying nothing and doing the cringe-worthy 'We are not racist' statement.

OP posts:
FullofCurryandparatha · 11/03/2021 14:25

He really shouldn't have said that the RF as a whole is not racist, when we know for a fact that elements within it are.

FuckyouBrennan · 11/03/2021 14:25

This reply has been deleted

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homebird46 · 11/03/2021 14:26

Which member is the racist?

Prince Philip has form. Princess Michael has form (remember the brooch?) Hell even Prince Harry has form. They’re clearly a racist family. The question should be who isn’t racist?

FuckyouBrennan · 11/03/2021 14:26

Cringe worthy how?

PicsInRed · 11/03/2021 14:26

@Clarinsmum

He was ‘doorstepped’ at an event by a journo, he couldn't not respond. Context is everything with this issue. Read Sir Kenneth Olisa’s comments on this. When it comes to racism and equality the UK is not the USA. There’s a great series on the 14th amendment on Netflix at the moment which provides some further context about the differences between the USA and the UK on issues of race, identity, human right etc etc.
David Olugosa, Samuel Jackson and Afua Hirsch have also done some brilliant historical doco work, go have a look and see how jolly japes the British slave effort really was.

Spoiler, it was nasty

Mintjulia · 11/03/2021 14:26

@twilightskies. 'why would she lie?

That's pretty naive.

For the same reason she appeared on Oprah despite wanting to 'escape the public gaze'. Because it gains her attention. Because the more conflict or discussion she can create, the better. It sells. Because it increases her value for her up-coming contracts.

I'm not saying she did. But there are a few reasons why she might.

Avenueofcherryblossom · 11/03/2021 14:26

If there is only one mixed race person in a family by definition only white family members can respond.

Are you arguing that only a white woman should respond or that nobody can reply to the allegations because they are all white?

FuckyouBrennan · 11/03/2021 14:27

As cringe worthy as sitting on television stating “your truth” that can actually be proven to be lies? I think not.

SnoozyBoozy · 11/03/2021 14:27

@FuckyouBrennan

Oh ffs. Meghan could claim to be a rabbit and people would believe it. William wasn’t sent out to say that.
In the same vein, it doesn't matter what Meghan says it does, some people won't believe her regardless.

In fairness to William, a reporter shouted at him (while he was at a school) 'is your family racist?' What was he supposed to say? I don't think he went out of his way to have that conversation, and he appeared to shut it down pretty quickly.

homebird46 · 11/03/2021 14:27

I don’t think Meghan’s personality has any bearing on racism within the Royal family.

Shoppingwithmother · 11/03/2021 14:27

OP - Have you actually watched it or just as you say been “baffled by the headline?”

It was not a statement “we are not racist.”

The journalist said to him “is the royal family a racist family?”

What the fuck is he supposed to say?

Clarinsmum · 11/03/2021 14:30

It’s going to cost the Royals the Commonwealth, and about time too. What does this comment even mean? Do you understand what the Commonwealth is and why the Empire was dismantled after WW2? The lack of education around all these issues is staggering. What does freedom mean? What does democracy mean? What does Habeas corpus mean? What does it mean to be British? How to we compare with regard to legal equality in context with the rest of the globe. I think you’d be surprised.

Topmum66 · 11/03/2021 14:31

Her personality has everything to do with it.

A woman with any sense or decency wouldn’t have handled it as she has and her motive is clear.

She needs to call out the person and handle it properly. Instead she invited a media frenzy attack on the RF casting them all as racist as she fully knows people are gullible and afraid of appearing to defend racism by saying the RF aren’t racist.