OMG, I was just reading that same article... eerie!
Comments section is quite interesting, too, especially all the Royal-centric Yanks who think she is essentially just a hypocritical gold-digger with her own agenda. That surprised me!
Yes, there probably is a racism element, at least as far as the press goes.
I wouldn't have said the people themselves were really racist... not even the uneducated Tory Northerners from outside London... but the press will latch onto, exaggerate and exacerbate anything and everything, so long as it gets a reaction and sells papers.
I also wouldn't have said that Britain either has had a particularly rigid class system since the 1500s, or that "there is still a deep correlation between privilege and race", as the article suggests. Indeed, most of the people I know and consider to be living fairly privileged lives do not do so because of race, but because they worked hard to achieve them and have done very well for themselves. Most are 'people of colour' and above my own social class too, so bang goes any argument about that aspect. Besides, a capacity for upward mobility is what usually drives a nation's success, isn't it?
I wonder if the author of this article realises how much of the British aristocracy actually has Indian and African ancestry in their blue-blooded veins...
"The relatively few people of color — and even fewer if you count only those who have African heritage"
Why would we only count those, though? If race is supposed to be the thing we're not defining people by, then surely it works both ways?
Same for the Sussexes not following the traditions expected of someone in the Royal household... They don't get to ignore protocol just because she's of mixed race, mainly because her race is not the defining factor - Who she married is...
If anything, this separation and singling themselves out like this is going to draw even more attention to things like her race. I don't think I even knew she was of mixed race until after the wedding, as she merely looks tanned like many American Hollywood types. We all knew she was American, though...!!
TBH, I think Harry is a bit tired of being a Royal anyway and all teh BS that comes with it... Like how often he was told he couldn't deploy to Afghan, for example.
_______________________________________________________________________
Originally Posted by Mark Tyson
The UK tabloids do seem to be very Anti-Meghan. Overtly so, in some cases.
Given the fact his mother was practically hounded to her death by the press, I can easily believe Harry wants out of this place and I don't blame him.
I don't give a damn about the royal aspect to this story and I actively avoid stories about the royals - I see it as a young couple in the public eye receiving an unhealthy amount of attention and I am sympathetic to their apparent concerns. Frankly, I'd want out too.
Given the death of his mother, I can see why they want out, and the reaction to it in the press just re-enforces exactly why they want out..
Personally, I couldnt give a shhhhh, its their life, they can do what they want with it.
That article is someone using the couple's actions to push the author's own agenda.
As above, it's their lives. I think Harry has never been happy with Royal life.
And also, that article misses out when Harry said "our [insert not-very-nice-racial-slur here] friend" on TV.
It was not a bright thing to say on TV but interesting that when someone uses an overtly racial slur, it's not racist. But someone changing their career is clearly due to racism. Blatantly.
Because these "journalists" are psychic, have selective hearing and are "dirty, dirty smear merchants".
This is utter trash journalism and one of the reasons I do not buy newspapers or watch mainstream news anymore.
EDIT - do remember that Britain stopped the slave trade using its massive military might at the time. We only finished paying off the debts from that in 2014. I am proud that I have helped pay towards demolition of the slave trade in Africa. There was actually a firefight in England during WW2 over American black GIs being treated differently where British soldiers sided with the black GIs against the white Spam MPs. When the Spam MPs demanded that a pub not allow black and white GIs to mix, it banned all white GIs. Racism in the UK is nowhere near what it's like in the US.
I broadly agree with that, and utterly agree with the first line.
I would question the degree to which that NYT piece is actually "journalism" though. It is, after all, merely an 'Opinion' piece.
Personally, I would draw a line between gutter press and "journalism". The latter implies a degree of independence, impartiality and professionalism in reporting that is almost entirely absent in the gutter press. But even the gutter press is not overtly racist .... they will descend on anybody, like a pack of rabid hyenas, if they smell a buck or two in it for them. They are, and this is my opinion, among the most obnoxious, offensive, parasitic and contemptible pond scum found anywhere in the kniwn universe. For examples, we need look no further than the phone-hacking scandal and, of course, as referred to by Harry, the merciless and relentless hounding of his mother. And that, by the way, is a perfect example of these parasites acting in much the same way, and non-racially, as they have with Meghan.
The gutter press are no better, and rather, much worse, than a cloud of flies buzzing around a particularly ripe turd. They will attack anybody if they smell a saleable story, and sadly, just about any form of celebrity or even transient fame, qualifies you as a target. What singled Meghan out was exactly that - fame and celebrity, in part in her own right, but mostly because of who she married. She was going to be a target for the gutter press no matter who she was.
Sadly, I doubt "stepping back", etc, is going to much mitigate the guttersnipes feeding frenzy. Ironically, it may well make it much worse.
All this highlights the disgrace that was the abandonment of the Leveson process, and effective cancelation of the bit that really mattered, Leveson part-2. That was our best, and possibly only, chance to drain and sterlise the gutter-press cess pool.
A lesson learned from PeterB about dignity in adversity, so Peter, In Memorium, "Onwards and Upwards".
I don't remember typing that. I do notice someone has been drinking my whisky though.
I think I typed it at the same time I told my union at work to sod off for sending me repeated emails calling me "dude" and pushing politics / spending my money on climate change protests rather than defending me at work or actually being available for advice when I call them. I was a grumpy drunk last night.
I've been involved in the background in politics and I had a guy who was a really decent candidate, decent bloke, etc and so I put in contact with the right people. He was ripped apart by the media who found one thing in his past and just kept ripping into him for it. It was a real shame and it was horrific to watch public funded broadcast being so biased. That said, he did basically call them all liars and tell them to "get bent" so.... meh.
I've considered going in for public political stuff but I've grown up with t'interweb and so all of my teenage transgressions are probably stored on a myriad of servers. Whilst I was using proxies and so on back into the 1990s I just don't trust them not to find some stupid thing I said or did as a teenager and make it public.
I was invited onto one live debate about brexit (as a participant), onto some sky/channel 5 thing and also a rather large political youtube channel kept pestering me for an interview. My mum was the reason I said no because she knew I'd speak my mind and if someone disagreed it'd be hell for all of us when the media dug something up or made something up. I felt quite bad about the Channel 4 one as I had to ring the woman sorting it and bail a week before-hand because my mum had quite literally begged me not to get involved with the media.
Having seen what happened to the guy I helped set up, I think she was wise.
If you've noticed the whisky, I can only assume you haven't checked the brandy.
Your mum is (IMHO! of course) right. Mum's nearly always are. Dad's too. Or at least, good ones are. The only thing with me was how long it took to realise that. Sometimes, it was many, many years .... usually when I suddenly realised I was saying something that sounded just like Dad.
As for Brexit, and to a large but lesser degree, politics generally, it has become really fractioys. Poisonous, almost. Brexit has merely magnified that, not lesst I suspect, because the substantial majority aren't going to change their minds.
That said, there are a number of people on here with whom I've had some really good arguments ... and I mean arguments in the best tradition. One example is Corky. We don't see eye to eye on a lot of political viewpoints but we've had some superb, rational exchanges of views.
And we all should be able to do that. But something about Brexit just makes it even harder than normal.
If you have the inclination towards taking part in the political scene, well, I admire the inclination (whatever your political stance) but would caution you ... make sure you grow a tough hide first. Something akin to the regenerative armour and shields on a late-model Starfleet command vessel should do. Just about.
The only thing I can say about getting involved in politics is .... rather you than me, pal. Good luck ....and don't forget to duck.
As for the media, it's a deal with the devil. That's where so many come unstuck. It's all very well while you're thdir darling but, sooner or later, with the inevitability of night following day, they'll turn. Like taking a 50+ year old politician to task for having smoked a joint as a student 30-odd years earlier.
Remember the old anecdote about the frog and the scorpion crossing the river? That's the media ... and they're the scorpion, of course. Sooner or later, their true nature will come out. They can't help themselves.
A lesson learned from PeterB about dignity in adversity, so Peter, In Memorium, "Onwards and Upwards".
My general approach is that when someone gets insulting, I tell them I'm no longer interested. That's simply because if they are so arrogant to see you as inferior or have to resort to insults, it means their objective is only to prove they are right and you know they'll say anything to achieve that. At that point, they're not discussing, they're just trying to satisfy their ego and there's nothing in it for me as what they say can't be trusted.
I suspect that approach wouldn't work with the media.
Avoiding politics for the sake of my family is probably a good idea.
Now, if you'll excuse me I've just had a teapot malfunction and there's brandy all over the desk.
Saracen999 (13-01-2020)
Ah the Leveson Inquiry.............the gift that never gave, what a missed opportunity. I guess it was realised that too much dirt maybe uncovered and that too many people, with vested interests, would loose nice little earners and so the hardest questions were never asked and the right people never questioned.All this highlights the disgrace that was the abandonment of the Leveson process, and effective cancelation of the bit that really mattered, Leveson part-2. That was our best, and possibly only, chance to drain and sterlise the gutter-press cess pool.
One day the truth may come out but by then..........nobody will care and the real movers & shakers will be long gone.
Saracen999 (13-01-2020)
This story that i can't really begin to care about certainly has helped the Prince Andrew story take a back seat.
I know the one I think we should be concentrating on.
Grab that. Get that. Check it out. Bring that here. Grab anything useful. Take anything good.
cheesemp (13-01-2020)
Indeed, can't beat a bit of good timing to change the direction of a spotlight eh...
Can't blame Harry - He has a Wife and child to protect. Run while you can! The press in this country disgusts me and I actively avoid it now. Its obsession with celebrity culture and then ripping apart of said celebs soon after is nasty. I'm just hoping when Murdoch finally kicks the bucket things will improve but I don't hold up much hope.
Brandy on the desk?
You still had some?
Nolding out on me, eh? Sneaky.
A lesson learned from PeterB about dignity in adversity, so Peter, In Memorium, "Onwards and Upwards".
One could say it was a "car crash" interview.
But given the history of the Royals and what happens to people they don't like, it would be a tasteless thing to say.
And I don't want The Boss sending The Boys round.
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