HELP! I’ve been ‘mis-countried’ – Who’s going to resign?

Before Covid-19 wiped out the whole population of Wuhan I spent five weeks there, courtesy of a Hubei Province Government scholarship for ‘prestigious international scholars’; which was nice. I had several student helpers assigned to me and one of the junior members of staff—‘Rocky’ was his English name—coordinated them. I spent a lot of time with Rocky and introduced him to the joys of Oasis and Kasabian, and we used to sing ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ at the tops of our voices in his car. I told him about how these were two top UK bands, that I had seen them both, how a schoolfriend was godmother to Noel Gallagher’s daughter and how my sons were all Oasis mad. I even suggested an English name (not a practice of which I approve, but he insisted) for his new-born daughter.

All well and good, and the day approached when it was time for me to depart for home. Rocky, over one of our final beers asked, in quite a serious tone, if he could ask me a question. I gladly consented and he asked me which part of the United States I came from. I live in Hull (Kingston upon) and had told him a lot about my home town and, I thought, my country. Poor chap had spent five weeks trying to find Hull on a map of the United States. I must say that this is not an isolated event. During several visits to China, after giving my usual introduction—aided by PowerPoints—to show the audience where I live, I have been asked which part of the United States I come from or in which part of the United States Hull is located. I do find it temporarily irritating along the lines of “which part of ‘I’m British’ did you not get?” But I usually get over it. It is simply another indication of the monumental ignorance of Chinese people about anything outside China, the dominance of United States culture in film and music, the relative unimportance of the UK on the world stage and the fact that Chinese people never really listen to a word you are saying.

Therefore, I find it hard to be totally sympathetic with Ngozi Fulani over the allegedly racist remarks made to her by, now former, lady-in-wating Lady Susan Hussey at a recent royal reception. On an interview on BBC radio this morning she said that she was still ‘processing’ the incident where she had been asked—possibly because she is black—which part of Africa she came from. Make no mistake, I find the notion of that question highly offensive and probably worthy of comment in the same way I find it offensive that my Chinese hosts consider that any successful international academic must be American. But worthy of formal complaint and the resignation of the culprit? Get a life! In any case, take a look at Lady Hussey, by the looks of her she’ll soon be resigning from that job called ‘life’ anyway.

Perhaps my experience is not quite parallel to hers, but what on earth did she expect at a royal reception – particularly one she attended in African dress? My experience of anything royal—I had the misfortune to meet Prince Philip twice—is that they are ignorant, rude and dismissive (and I am a monarchist). The royals themselves are bad enough but the hangers on, which I presume is what a lady-in-waiting is, are worse. Royals have nothing to prove, those in the entourage do. So, Ms Fulani, I urge you to get a sense of perspective here; that’s all.

Roger Watson is a retired academic, editor and writer. He is a columnist with Unity News Network and writes regularly for a range of conservative journals including The Salisbury Review and The European Conservative. He has travelled and worked extensively in the Far East and the Middle East. He lives in Kingston upon Hull, UK.