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| Meghan, Harry and an outdated notion of race | Meghan, Harry and an outdated notion of race |
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| The headline on your front-page story about the engagement of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle (The changing faces of the UK attitude towards race, 28 November) assumes – as does other local and international coverage – that there is such a thing called race. What exactly is a race? Is there an English race? Or a German race? Most sensible people would say no, despite the casual use of the word. There are, of course, different ethnic groups, and these days a great deal of mixing of these ethnic groups as humans travel around the globe. | The headline on your front-page story about the engagement of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle (The changing faces of the UK attitude towards race, 28 November) assumes – as does other local and international coverage – that there is such a thing called race. What exactly is a race? Is there an English race? Or a German race? Most sensible people would say no, despite the casual use of the word. There are, of course, different ethnic groups, and these days a great deal of mixing of these ethnic groups as humans travel around the globe. |
| But what is a “race” of people? Having studied this issue for most of my life, I have concluded that the notion of races and the casual use of the idea of races is unhelpful. It reinforces an idea of difference, which has impacted on people’s life chances and opportunities. In parts of the US it has a direct impact on many black men’s ability to drive a car or walk down a sidewalk without being shot by the police. In the UK a black man committing a criminal offence is likely, if caught and convicted, to receive a longer prison sentence than a white man committing the same offence. | But what is a “race” of people? Having studied this issue for most of my life, I have concluded that the notion of races and the casual use of the idea of races is unhelpful. It reinforces an idea of difference, which has impacted on people’s life chances and opportunities. In parts of the US it has a direct impact on many black men’s ability to drive a car or walk down a sidewalk without being shot by the police. In the UK a black man committing a criminal offence is likely, if caught and convicted, to receive a longer prison sentence than a white man committing the same offence. |
| Views and attitudes about the “negro” or black people have got a little more human but still contain the idea that being a black person is to be not fully an equal human being. That is why there is such a fuss about Meghan Markle – not because she is American and consequently not royal, but because she is black. As though this were the equivalent to being a Martian.Linda Bellos Bixley, Norfolk | Views and attitudes about the “negro” or black people have got a little more human but still contain the idea that being a black person is to be not fully an equal human being. That is why there is such a fuss about Meghan Markle – not because she is American and consequently not royal, but because she is black. As though this were the equivalent to being a Martian.Linda Bellos Bixley, Norfolk |
| • The real challenge of the royal engagement is in our attitude to our historical identity as slave owners and slave traders, not to the contested and outdated notion of race. The fact is that Meghan Markle has slave heritage and black skin and that the English were slave traders and slave owners. The British economy, our culture and our place in the world are directly connected to the fact that Markle’s recent ancestors were bought and sold in a trade for which we had a most significant responsibility. | • The real challenge of the royal engagement is in our attitude to our historical identity as slave owners and slave traders, not to the contested and outdated notion of race. The fact is that Meghan Markle has slave heritage and black skin and that the English were slave traders and slave owners. The British economy, our culture and our place in the world are directly connected to the fact that Markle’s recent ancestors were bought and sold in a trade for which we had a most significant responsibility. |
| In the past, pseudo-scientific notions of race and race superiority were used to justify slavery, and our continuing use of the notion of race in our discourse only perpetuates its use and its role as a “common sense” truth. Most importantly it allows us to continue to avoid facing the challenge of our history as slave traders and slave owners.Greg WilliamsNottingham | In the past, pseudo-scientific notions of race and race superiority were used to justify slavery, and our continuing use of the notion of race in our discourse only perpetuates its use and its role as a “common sense” truth. Most importantly it allows us to continue to avoid facing the challenge of our history as slave traders and slave owners.Greg WilliamsNottingham |
| • Hearty congratulations to the mixed-race couple who have just announced their engagement: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, the latter being of course descended directly from the marriage of George III and Queen Charlotte, in 1761. | • Hearty congratulations to the mixed-race couple who have just announced their engagement: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, the latter being of course descended directly from the marriage of George III and Queen Charlotte, in 1761. |
| Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Streilitz was from the African branch of the Portuguese royal family, and had 10 children with king George III, and hence became known as the grandmother of all European royal families.James BardolphLondon | Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Streilitz was from the African branch of the Portuguese royal family, and had 10 children with king George III, and hence became known as the grandmother of all European royal families.James BardolphLondon |
| • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com | • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com |
| • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters | • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters |