Palace racism row

[Cousin Jack]

Well was it racist?

Or just an old biddy being old fashioned and clumsy with words?

Or someone else making a mountain out of a molehill?

[Yorick]

B

[Mr. Dazzle]

Well was it racist?

Or just an old biddy being old fashioned and clumsy with words?

Or someone else making a mountain out of a molehill?

Clumsy with words for sure. Probably more than a bit clumsy with understanding too. I mean, come on, "where are you really from?"...that's more than a bit 1951 innit?

But if you're "on the clock" at a reception I think a different standard should apply.

[Horse]

Filly wondered whether it was a bit of dementia popping up and reverting her behaviour to her 1950s. That might also explain the repetition and repetition and ...

[Count Steer]

Well was it racist?

Or just an old biddy being old fashioned and clumsy with words?

Or someone else making a mountain out of a molehill?

Clumsy with words for sure. Probably more than a bit clumsy with understanding too. I mean, come on, "where are you really from?"...that's more than a bit 1951 innit?

But if you're "on the clock" at a reception I think a different standard should apply.

If you want to revisit 1951, just go 'below stairs' at Buck House. (A close relative had to visit as part of a job...they have their own Postmaster - as does the Houses of Parliament). Behind the scenes it's positively medieval, never mind 50's

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Daft old bat says something she shouldn't story, she should never have been allowed to go to the event as a representative of the Royal Family, but it's hardly shocking when an old woman has a few drinks and says something she shouldn't, but I do think the woman who was spoken to (I can't be arsed to look her name up) was right to bring attention to it, maybe the Royal Family will be more careful who it sends to functions in the future.

[Cousin Jack]

My take is B and C

Daft old biddy who should have retired, and someone unkown who really wanted to become well know, perhaps for the right reasons.

[DefTrap]

I imagine it's the sort of thing my dear old mum could possibly fall into. I think you need to have a little bit of sympathy for older generations because the landscape of 'reasonable language' changes quickly for them, and they don't often really give a shit. They are of a generation where these sorts of questions could be legitimately asked and it's only relatively recently that the UK has become sensitive to it. I think my mum would be justifiably piqued that something has changed and nobody bothered to tell her.

Or they could be just be massive racists. And this is probably the key - how do you stop the easy laziness of racism if you don't jump on it?
Or the offended could be some sort of equality warrior. From the little I've read on it, it does sound like she went to the Palace fully expecting to be offended by whitey.

But mainly I think folk in their 80s need to be cut some slack, and younger folk shouldn't leap on opportunities to 'call them out'. There's better examples of folk being cnuts without finding ones with whom you can sympathise.

[Yorick]

I'm not so sure blame is so important here.
I think (hope) some good will come of this. Folk will see it's not acceptable today.

[Potter]

If it's not acceptable then why do some Americans call themselves African Americans? They've never been anywhere near Africa, neither have their parents, or probably even grandparents, but they still insist on calling themselves African Americans.

So asking where she's really from is just a clumsy way of asking where her family originated from - I ask that often when I meet British people with Indian or Pakistani heritage because I've spent a lot of time there and I enjoy talking about those places. I also lived in the Caribbean for a few years and met a lady recently whose family was from St Vincent, so we had a conversation about that too.

[Supermofo]

If it's not acceptable then why do some Americans call themselves African Americans? They've never been anywhere near Africa, neither have their parents, or probably even grandparents, but they still insist on calling themselves African Americans.

Or the "I'm Irish" bit that so many Americans love

[DefTrap]

I know a (white) guy brought up in the West Indies - he has the broadest West Indian accent you've ever heard. Because we (well maybe just me) are so unused to that combination it sounds comical, and for the first few minutes of meeting him I just assumed he 'was being funny' with the accents ands would stop. Did I ask him 'where he was really from'? Can't remember - maybe - I think he was very used to it though. It's no more different than the fairly commonplace (now) combination of asian faces with broad Glaswegian accents, but I think most of us in the UK have got used to that now.

[Potter]

Or the "I'm Irish" bit that so many Americans love

Yeah they'll claim heritage when it suits.
It's not a black or white thing, it's a people thing.

The old dear was obviously asking about family heritage and it was clumsy but I don't think it was necessarily racist.

[Yambo]

So asking where she's really from is just a clumsy way of asking where her family originated from . . .

^^^^^

Yeah, it's no more than that. Of course, if you want to make a big deal of something like that then it was a great opportunity.

I'm always being asked where I'm from. I'm clearly European but my surname is almost certainly of German origin or possibly Dutch and curiosity takes over. It doesn't offend me but then I'm not easily offended or feel I need to make a big deal out of everyday things.

[Potter]

I know a (white) guy brought up in the West Indies - he has the broadest West Indian accent you've ever heard. Because we (well maybe just me) are so unused to that combination it sounds comical, and for the first few minutes of meeting him I just assumed he 'was being funny' with the accents ands would stop. Did I ask him 'where he was really from'? Can't remember - maybe - I think he was very used to it though. It's no more different than the fairly commonplace (now) combination of asian faces with broad Glaswegian accents, but I think most of us in the UK have got used to that now.

I used to put on a Jamaican accent when I worked in Jamaica because I was tired of locals assuming I was a tourist and asking where I was from and then trying to sell me some tourist tat, so as soon as they said hello and ask me where I was from I'd say "Linstead" in the best Jamaican accent I could, they'd always be surprised and ask if I meant Linstead Jamaica and I'd say "Yeah man", again in my best Jamaica accent and then walk on

[Felix]

So asking where she's really from is just a clumsy way of asking where her family originated from -

That was my take on it when the story hit the news.

[Mussels]

The Pope was far more racist a few days ago when he said non-ethnic Russians were more savage than the ethnic ones, nobody seems to have noticed that.

[DefTrap]

I'm always being asked where I'm from. I'm clearly European but my surname is almost certainly of German origin or possibly Dutch and curiosity takes over. It doesn't offend me but then I'm not easily offended or feel I need to make a big deal out of everyday things.

When I was younger, everyone assumed I was Dutch (because I'm massive).
And now I'm older, and gone cemetery blonde, everyone assumes I'm Danish.
The rassist wonkers.

[Count Steer]

Or the "I'm Irish" bit that so many Americans love

Yeah they'll claim heritage when it suits.
It's not a black or white thing, it's a people thing.

The old dear was obviously asking about family heritage and it was clumsy but I don't think it was necessarily racist.

When people from a certain sector of society ask ''And where are your family from?' They usually mean 'Which slice of England/the empire do your family own?/which humungous pile is your family seat?'. She probably thought the woman's family owned Barbados.

TBH if dotty old 'society women' are going to work anywhere, Buck House is probably the best bet.

[Mr. Dazzle]

'fing is, when Buck House hosts a reception it's not just someone having their mates around - it's "the institutions" hosting an event. So like I said, I think a different standard should apply.

Old giffers not keeping up with the times? Yeah OK. But old giffers not keeping up with the times, then being used to represent 'stuff'....less OK IMO. Which is why giving her the boot is the right course of action IMO.