But Where Are You Really From?

[BoldonLad]

And yet you are unable to embrace the idea that a family with black skin could have been living in the UK for *many* generations.
https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/black-tudors/0/steps/224726#:~:text=Evidence has been found of,period (1485-1603).

Does the number of generations they have been living in UK erase their heritage then?.

It doesn't seem to work for Irish, Welsh, Scots living in England, even a great-grandfather qualifies them as being Irish/Welsh/Scots.

 

[BoldonLad]

The bloody-minded, condescending persistence of the questioning is what struck me - refusing to accept the answers given.


That doesn't make sense. What does 'their characteristics' mean other than in reference to the person in question?
And Fulani's accent is, as you'd expect, fairly classless educated English.

Which, in itself marks her out as "different", at least it does on the Tyneside Metro.

 

[icowden]

Does the number of generations they have been living in UK erase their heritage then?.

Obviously not. However as a white male, I don't think I have ever been asked about my heritage.
For some reason, non-whites look upon this question with suspicion. It's almost as if it's often used in a negative way when your skin isn't white...

 

[BoldonLad]

Obviously not. However as a white male, I don't think I have ever been asked about my heritage.
For some reason, non-whites look upon this question with suspicion. It's almost as if it's often used in a negative way when your skin isn't white...

Rather odd that. I have a white male, drinking Pal, speaks with a local accent, in conversation, he recently mentioned his mother's maiden name, which, sounded (possibly) French or Spanish, I asked, if her family originated from somewhere in Europe, does that make me a racist/nosey/curious/all three *

*delete as approriate

 

[icowden]

Rather odd that. I have a white male, drinking Pal, speaks with a local accent, in conversation, he recently mentioned his mother's maiden name, which, sounded (possibly) French or Spanish, I asked, if her family originated from somewhere in Europe, does that make me a racist/nosey/curious/all three *

No. In the first instance he partly initiated the discussion about his own heritage.
Secondly I don't think anyone has a problem with discussing heritage - it's the context that is important and whether or not it's followed by "well you can bl**dy well go back there then".

 

[All uphill]

If I was invited to the Palace (I won't be), and went (I wouldn't), I wouldn't be surprised to be talked down to and insulted.

That doesn't make it acceptable or less offensive, but maybe accepting and engaging with an elite is risky.

 

[winjim]

If I was invited to the Palace (I won't be), and went (I wouldn't), I wouldn't be surprised to be talked down to and insulted.

That doesn't make it acceptable or less offensive, but maybe accepting and engaging with an elite is risky.

Maybe given her role she should have anticipated a conversation like this happening and had a response prepared.


Maybe she did...

 

[glasgowcyclist]

At one stage of my life I dealt a lot with Pakistani, Sikh and Indian people. Many of them had very broad Glasgow accents and were second or even third generation living here.
It was a bit strange talking with somebody wearing a green turban with a broad Glasgow accent.
There was a television series probably not on English tv featuring a very Glasgow spoken Sikh chef who habitually wore a kilt.

The only Scottish Sikh chef I can think of who fits that description (apart from his accent) is Tony Singh who has an Edinburgh accent, having been born in Leith. Highly successful and often on the telly.

 

[Bromptonaut]

I think it's also about the length of the interrogation. Most people would have changed the subject after the first two or three questions when it was fairly clear that this was a poor line of questioning that wasn't going to be answered - instead she seemed to turn it into a full on interrogation.

That exactly. It's the sheer persistence that stretches it to the offensive.

Could be a case of getting in a whole and not knowing to stop digging but you'd think somebody of Lady Hussey's background etc would have the social 'nous' to know when to stop.

 

[matticus]

Ms Fulani has said she felt the conversation had racist overtones.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...ack-guest-traumatised-by-repeated-questioning

Even the palace itself has agreed that it did.

Given that ms Fulani was there don't you think we should believe her when she said that's how she felt.
Or shall we right her off (as is some folks wont) as over sensitive..??

pffft. I can disagree with her, or one of her opinions about Lady Hussey, or even one of YOUR opinions about her, without "writing her off". And none of those would make me racist.

"racist overtones" is a pretty wishy-washy phrase.
edit: The quote in the Guardian doesn't say that:

She [Fulani] said: “I was almost forced to say that I’m not really British. I don’t know what she meant by ‘my people’. It was incomprehensible for her to consider that I have British citizenship. When she heard my parents were from the Caribbean she said: ‘Finally we are getting somewhere’ … It was overt racism.

Is mudsticks misquoting? Or are the Graun sub-editing this stuff every hour just to get the message right??
Anyway, I disagree with her opinion that it's "overt racism". There, I said it - I disagree with a British black woman.

 

[BoldonLad]

No. In the first instance he partly initiated the discussion about his own heritage.
Secondly I don't think anyone has a problem with discussing heritage - it's the context that is important and whether or not it's followed by "well you can bl**dy well go back there then".

1. You clairvoyant then?, you have no idea what the conversation was about, but, it most definitely had nothing to do with "heritage"

2. Was the person who is the "victim" in this thread told to do that?

 

[Deleted member 28]

We all know it's a 'Black ' thing, the old posh bird fell for it and is now paying the price.

Completely set up for the likes of people on here but that's the way of the world these days.

 

[Bromptonaut]

We all know it's a 'Black ' thing, the old posh bird fell for it and is now paying the price.

Completely set up for the likes of people on here but that's the way of the world these days.

If you're not trolling you're doing an award winning impersonation of a troll.

 

[AuroraSaab]

It feels like this is as much a class thing as a race thing. Very posh old white woman, who is probably only used to associating with black people when they are foreign diplomats or dignitaries, simply can't get her head round the fact that black British people sometimes have names that reflect their family's heritage. 'Foreign' name? You must be from abroad.

It's the old school racism of the aristocratic elderly who are pretty closeted from everyday reality and really do live in a different world. It's born more from age, ignorance, and insensitivity rather than malice, but hurtful and unacceptable none the less.

 

[Unkraut]

If you're not trolling you're doing an award winning impersonation of a troll.

Norwegian heritage ...