The Attacks on Meghan Markle Show a High-Class Kind of Racism
There is more to racism than the n-word
I’ve always been somewhat of a fan of the British royal family. Like many Americans, I’m curious about them, mostly because we don’t have our own royalty. In today’s complex world an outdated institution like the royal family doesn’t really matter, except it kind of does a little bit. In 1987, when Princess Diana declined to wear gloves when shaking the hands of AIDS patients and later hugged AIDS babies in a Harlem hospital, it had a powerful, positive impact against the stigma of AIDS. So what they do can matter even in today’s world.
As I’ve scrolled through the news articles in my feed during the days leading up to the big interview of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex with Oprah, the headlines were brutal. In particular, conservative news organizations painted the Duchess as a monster who made her staff members cry, corrupted poor Prince Harry, and wears jewelry tainted with the blood of Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi.
The racism which is so clearly motivating the onslaught of criticism Markle has always received is so subtle, it’s barely noticeable. Almost none of the stories that tear her down focus on her race and class. Certainly none of them call her the n-word. No, this is high-class racism. It’s refined and understated, but…
