The Lady Hussey racism thing

[Tiiiiiiiiiiired]

I am really conflicted about this.

If went to live in Japan (I did live there for 3 years several years ago) I would be expected to be asked about where I'm from because I don't look Japanese (and in fact I was asked many times! I didn't mind at all, it was my choice to be in Japan and I knew I didn't look japanese). If I chose to stay in that country and have children, I'd expect my children would be asked the same, and their children and that although they would be Japanese by birth, I would hope they would be happy to talk about their heritage and where they are from and not mind being asked why they don't look Japanese and what the history is. I wouldnt think it racist and wouldn't want such questions to be stopped because we only learn from others, and about others, by talking and feeling safe to ask questions.

So why in the UK does everyone have to be sooo careful with what they say? This woman has a non English name, was wearing some non western clothing, as was asked about her heritage. Why is this abuse?

We need to stop being so sensitive and allow dialogue.

What other angle are you looking for?

We are definitely on the same wavelength!

I love this. Multiple witnesses, including white witnesses, describe the behaviour and conversation and their shock at the behaviour and its still not enough.

How many witnesses does it take then? If there is camera footage I guess we then need footage from other angles, a forensic review to check tampering etc.

I'm also fascinated by the number of racists chucking out ageist comments with abandon rather than admit to racism.

Wow rape victims had better not come to you for support. Ngozi Fulani said it happened and everything else has been confirmed by witnesses. Why would that bit be a lie?

I'm honestly quite shocked by this thread. Naive I know.

I have this conversation all the time.
Where are you from? (Name the part of London i grew up in).
No but where are you really from?
Explain both parents and I were born here.
Yes but your grandparents, where were they from? Etc. etc. etc.

I think it is a polite way of asking why I look a bit foreign.

But I genuinely have never thought the intention behind this questioning has EVER been because the other person thinks I am not British. I think people are interested in ancestry and find it a good conversation starter.

I am usually asked this by people who also have ancestry that is not British/ European but have also been asked it by white people.

I may be wrong (and therefore obviously racist!) but would assume that a woman raised in Kilburn to parents called Gladstone and Mildred was not given the name Ngozi. I would therefore assume that, along with her style of dress and the purpose of her charity, she is fiercely proud of her African heritage and would be open to discussing it.

I am not saying that old white people who work closely with the Royal Family are not racist. I assume quite a few are. But I am not sure I am fully convinced about this story.

Isn't she 83? 83 year olds can be tactless. She probably didn't realize that the correct way to ask a question like this nowadays is to ask what their heritage is, or simply wait for them to offer the information themselves. My grandmother would have done the same thing and she was sharp as a tack.

I really hope that the royal family issues an apology of some sort though. Just ana cknowledgement that they don't condone what she did.

On another note, this couldn'thave happened at a better time for Harry and Meghan. They must be pissing themselves with excitement.

He's great!

I don't know about Prince Phillip sorry.

Ok, let’s say she didn’t ask the correct way the first time. How do you explain the other SIX times she hounded Ms Fulani for an answer?

I'm starting to get seriously freaked out by the amount of people commenting without having a basic grasp of what happened and what has happened since.🤯🤯🤯

I may be wrong (and therefore obviously racist!) but would assume that a woman raised in Kilburn to parents called Gladstone and Mildred was not given the name Ngozi.

I am baffled why you would think Ngozi isn’t the name her parents gave her. Why on earth would you assume it wouldn’t be? Why wouldn’t her parents themselves be proud of and interested in their African heritage and bestow that on their children?

Well if the spectator runs to her defense it probably means that this clearly was a racist incident. They like racism.

A billion other people will have said this, but ... you were asked where you were from, and you said 'not Japan'. Then, one assumes, there was a bit of interest in where exactly. Fine. The woman at the centre of the Lady Hussey thing was asked, and replied first with the name of organisation, then 'Hackney' (or wherever), then 'Britain', then had to explain her family history. It is not the same as your case. She was from Britain, born here, always here, but still had to go through the interrogation. And that will have happened many, many times to her. She must be sick of it, and she is right to call it out. If the people who are at these events in an official capacity don't have the sensitivity and plain common sense to make straightforward, non-confrontational conversation, they shouldn't be there.

That's a bit cryptic. What has happened since that we might need to know? Are the people who see racism right or the ones that don't?

@Squeezita

She was asking about heritage but didn't know how to phrase it. Was probably confused as to why she kept getting the answer Hackney. I'm not denying that it is racism, but more racial ignorance than maliciousness. I know a lot of older people who would have behaved in a similar way. In their day, it would have been an acceptable way to ask the question. There comes a time when everyone stops moving with the times.

Like I've said, it is not ok and I do think that the royal family should issue an apology

You’re saying Ngozi deliberately wore clothing that would be interpreted as African. Even though the rest of us just see a dress and t-shirt.

To be fair to the previous poster, Ngozi Fulani wasn't intending to wear 'just a dress' -

“When I’m going to certain places, I’m very proud of my culture and my background, so I will wear something authentic..."

“I had on a red, gold and green headband, a cowrie shell necklace and the ankh (an ancient Egyptian symbol meaning “life” that some Black people, and Rastafarians, wear in recognition of its sanctity). I think that’s what drew Lady Hussey because there were so many people in the place."

“Any time I go to these spaces, I must bring my history with me; I walk with my ancestors without apology. And that was what, I think, was under attack.”

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/royal-race-row-ngozi-fulani-b2236890.html

Ngozi was clearly not wearing 'just a dress' in subsequent interviews, although I agree that Lady Hussey comments were tactless at best;

www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/ngozi-fulani-says-buckingham-palace-28626206

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-63810468

Im talking about posters not knowing who was there/what the function was about /how many people witnessed it. Or what BP have said. But have come on here to state that what happened was definitely not racist.🤯🤯🤯

Same here. I don’t simply assume by looks that someone is lying to me about where they’re from nor do I think it is a question to even ask. Why it is seemingly a necessary thing to question to a complete stranger in most cases barring need of help or emergency?

How many witnesses does it take then? If there is camera footage I guess we then need footage from other angles, a forensic review to check tampering etc

Most certainly. If someone who has been 60 years on her role had to resign under the pressure of the mob, absolutely footage and a number of impartial witnesses under oath is the minimum that would be required

She’s a professional diplomat used to hosting and in events like these with people from different backgrounds and interests. It’s her job.

Lady SH resigned because she embarrassed the RF with her disgraceful, racist behaviour.

Lady Hussey's comments

As I have said I think in future people will be styling question along the line of "have you travelled far?

This will soon be racist also, as if you have assumed the person has travelled far and not live at the Palace you must be racist.

According to some recent developments in the USA, maths is racist, daylight saving is racist... you get the idea

Better not to engage and leave them to it

It is racism - the old dear has not been in a closet for the last 83 years has she? She must have been to more than a handful of these charity type events, she must have encountered black people (british or otherwise) before at these type of socials, it's likely she is more cultured and worldly than the average 83 year old through her background and occupation. You're telling me that she couldn't have worked out for herself the likely heritage of Ms Fulani - name, dress, ethnicity, accent etc. Even through etiquette training - if you don't know, say nothing, better to stay silently guessing than to cause someone discomfort or offence.

I'm white, british and have a foreign name through marriage - very amusing to see fellow brits dying for me to explain where my name is from but does get boring after a while and I don't see why I should bother appeasing someones curiosity/lack of cultural exposure.

Interesting that you refer to the palace as a "mob".

Hussey herself has not even contested the statements.

You really sound desperate. A white aristocrat must be assumed to be in the right, even though they don't challenge teh claim, even though multiple separate individuals support the claim.

Interesting world view of equality you have. You do realise that many of the guests there would have been meeting for the first time? They didn't all go there to execute a cunning plan to catch out the old white woman.