But your question is whether or not the Royal Household is racist. I don’t think so. For what reason should they be like that? They invited this Madam Fulani, knowing that she’s a person of color. (Yes, Master.) How can they be racist if they invited her? They invited her there. (Yes.) So, maybe that lady quit because she felt like it became such a big deal and she felt sorry to offend such an important guest.
You stick out if you are a different race and go to live with or mingle with another race of people. (Yes, Master. Yes.) And just like some animal-people in the wild even. When I saw some animal-people that I have never seen before, I didn’t know what he or she is called – so I asked my assistant, “Look on the internet to see what kind of animal-person that is.” Not because I’m racist. Am I? (No, Master. No.) No. And then he said, “Oh, this is called a beaver,” for example. “Oh, what is a beaver? What does he do normally?” Etc, etc. (Yes, Master.) Just because I’m interested. I never saw this kind before.
You don’t always see a wild animal-person wherever you live or wherever you go. And then sometimes I know the name but I forgot, so I also asked the assistant or whoever, “Look on the internet. Tell me more about him or about her, and how do they keep their children?” “They swim all day in the water like that, fetching wood sticks to make dams.” “Are they not too cold?” And all that. So, they explain to me this and that – how they live their lives and all that. It doesn’t mean I’m racist. I was just interested. I just feel he’s so lovely. I have to know more about him or her. At that time I didn’t know if that’s a she or a he. (Yes, Master. Understand.)
But sometimes people are just too straight. You should make a little conversation first, preparing for mental acceptance or mingling. But some people just ask. They’re just straightforward, just like that date of mine. I just sat on the seat in the car and immediately, he asked, “Where do You come from?” He’s a good man, but it was so undiplomatic like that. I don’t think I would like him to be a longer date anyway.
If you go out with a date… because you are guys, I’ll teach you. OK, you have to tell the lady, “Oh, I really like the outfit that you have. It makes you look more beautiful than I ever could imagine.” For example, like that. “Oh, your hair, my God, so beautiful. I like your ring. Oh, your shoes, wow! Where did you buy them?” Don’t ask, “Where are you from?” “Where did your shoes come from?” OK? (Yes. Yes, Master.) Or if you see the earrings are really… “Oh, my God. Wow. Really, it suits you. Where did you buy it?”
And then slowly when you’re eating dinner and drinking something, then you say, “Oh, I guess you’re from Thailand, but I may be wrong. You’re too beautiful. I cannot guess where you’re from. Would you please tell me so I don’t keep guessing wrong?” If I were a man, I would say such things. If I want the lady, I would try to make her comfortable and feel valued and appreciated for all the things that I am. Not, “Where are you from?” immediately. (Yes, Master. Yes.) But I was younger. Nowadays, I would say anything.
Before, if they open their mouth, I know what they want to ask. So, I will make a list ready in my head. Just like I would answer in the police station. But I would never say that I’m the Supreme Master Ching Hai. If they ask further what I’m doing, I’d say, “I’m a teacher.” “Are you still teaching?” “No, not really. I retired.” It’s true. I was a teacher. But I’m retired from that job, so I didn’t tell a lie or anything.
And if it’s too boring, then I’d say, “Oh, excuse me, I need to go wash my hands,” or something like that, or fetch myself another drink… instead of being offended. Because I know they have to ask. They just have to. (Yes, Master.) If you are the only one that looks like that in the whole party even, then they have to ask you. (Yes, Master.)
Just like that date of mine saying, “I just want to have a conversation, that’s all.” Yeah. It’s just that he started at the wrong end, in my opinion. He could not understand my feelings. I cannot blame him. He was not born in Âu Lạc (Vietnam). He has never gone through any war, seen dead bodies on the street or next to the river, or seen on the news that your people run out of the country in millions, or died, were raped and robbed at sea by pirates, and all that. And being looked down upon as a beggar in some of the refugee camps. So, he could never understand my feelings. He never had to go through all that. If I asked him, he would be very proud to say, “Oh, I’m American.” “I am English.” “I am French.” (Yes, Master.) He would never be ashamed to say he’s American or French or English.
I was too ashamed. I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t help it! Some wounds just take a long time, or never heal. Especially psychological wounds! You know, the war leaves deep scars in people’s minds. (Yes, Master.) Truly, so ashamed. I even wrote a poem. I said, “I’m so ashamed.” What was it? I forgot. It was a long time ago. “Tôi nhục nhã với cả toàn thế giới. Bốn ngàn năm văn hiến nhói tim đau. Thà chết đêm nay trong ngục tù tăm tối. Còn hơn mang chung tên với anh trên mặt cõi địa cầu.” I said I am so ashamed with the whole world, because I remembered we have 4000 years of culture. But now, because of what what what… I said before that, it’s a long poem. This is just the last sentence. I said, “I’d rather die.”
I’m talking about a prisoner who was in prison, imprisoned by his own brothers. I talk about a story of one person who was so excited to see that the Northern Aulacese (Vietnamese) came to the South, and that he has a chance to see his brother again. But then his brother imprisoned him because he’s a soldier of the other side. So, I wrote that from that story. But I was really ashamed, myself. So, I said that prisoner would rather die in prison tonight than having to continue to live and face the world with the same nationality. Similar, like that. I was really ashamed.
I wasn’t married or anything at that time. I was very young. Very young still. I was not even twenty at that time yet. I can’t remember. Maybe twenty-something. Not very old. And I wrote that from my heart. I was so ashamed. Because I felt like my people went out like beggars and not being treated nicely everywhere. (Yes, Master.) Not everywhere, but of course, they tried their best. The world had tried its best to accommodate them. But not everywhere was the same, because of different administration personnel. (Yes, Master. Yes, understand.) Some of them don’t like foreigners in their land, and refugees are just like a burden to them – if some countries are not that rich already. And the Aulacese (Vietnamese) went there because it was nearby, or their boats were broken and they had to swim to the shore there, before they died. (Yes.) Something like that. And they were looked upon not like very kindly or not respectfully.
I went to different refugee camps, and I did not feel good at all. The more I saw the refugees in different camps, the more ashamed I felt. Deep, deep in my heart, I felt so bad, so ashamed, so sad. So, now you understand why I yelled at that guy, “Don’t ask me that question!” (Yes, Master. We understand.)
And so maybe it was a similar situation with Madam Fulani. Everyone is different. But your question is whether or not the Royal Household is racist. I don’t think so. For what reason should they be like that? They invited this Madam Fulani, knowing that she’s a person of color. (Yes, Master.) How can they be racist if they invited her? They invited her there. (Yes.) So, maybe that lady quit because she felt like it became such a big deal and she felt sorry to offend such an important guest. So she quit. Or maybe she was told to quit, like they fired her. I feel sorry for her also. She has never been questioned – the same question like that, like the question she asked Madam Fulani.
But we are different. We don’t have the same feelings. We don’t have the same background and situation. So, it’s not her fault if she doesn’t understand. And to kind of force Lady Hussey out of her job – fire her or making her quit herself, this is not a very justified situation. I think she has been a trusted Royal Household member, so, I hope the Palace will let her come back to restore her honor. She didn’t really do anything wrong; just asked some questions from curiosity, which is allowed by everyone in a freedom of speech country.
She’s not a diplomat. She’s just a lady-in-waiting. (Yes, Master.) Beloved by the Royal Household and the Queen and the Prince, but she’s not a diplomat. She probably has never been trained to be a diplomat. Just she probably trained herself to protect the Queen, because she was always nearby and always attentive to the Queen’s needs – so she had to know what was going on around the Queen, and it became more or less like a habit. Or it was just maybe insensitive – she doesn’t understand people’s feelings.
Most of the people with white skin don’t have this sensitive feeling of nationality or of their original background. (Yes. Understand, Master.) Only the people of color. If they are in their country, of course, they don’t have any problem, but if they are in another country, and they completely stand out like that, then they probably would have a little bit of a complex about their own color. Because people keep reminding them all the time, “Where are you from?” (Yes, Master. Yes.) So, this is maybe a misunderstanding. I do think so.
Actually, the Palace invited Madam Fulani to go back there – probably just to make up or to apologize more, or something like that – when they have more time now. (Yes.) The palace invited her to come back after that incident. So, if they’re racist, they would not care so much. They’d just let it pass and say, “Oh, well. Misunderstanding. Sorry.” That’s it. But they invited her back to the palace. (Yes. That’s right, Master.) Yeah. And to the King’s first royal banquet, he invited the President of South Africa. (Yes, Master.) And I saw some people of color at that banquet as well.
According to the news, I saw them mingling with different people. And the Princess of Wales, Princess Catherine, was chatting away with a person of color next to her. She forgot even that the King was talking. The King was making a speech, and her talk to this colored person was so interesting, she forgot to stop. (Oh.)
So, I don’t think they are racist in any way at all. (Yes, Master.) Not on purpose. Not intentionally. (Yes, Master.) Because, this lady-in-waiting probably has been to many banquets throughout her life because of her position as a lady-in-waiting to the Queen. So, she knows many people already with different skin color, different positions, different privileges. So, she wouldn’t deliberately want to offend any of the guests. For what reason would she do that? (Yes.)
Yes. All her life she’s just been trying to protect the Queen, trying to protect the Royal Family and reputation. Why would she want to offend an important guest? I don’t think it’s logical. That’s all. Yes. (Understand, Master. Yes, Master.) So, I do hope that Madam Fulani, being a charitable person and the boss of a charity organization, would be charitable enough to forgive this incident, and make friends with the lady-in-waiting, with Lady Susan Hussey. Just be friends.
“Media Report from Sky News Dec. 17, 2022 Reporter: Buckingham Palace says, ‘Lady Susan Hussey has met charity boss Ngozi Fulani and apologized for racist comments made at a Palace reception last month.’
Bundock (f): We know that the meeting took place a little earlier on today. The pair met and we are told that ‘the meeting was filled with warmth and understanding.’ During the meeting, we’re told ‘Lady Susan offered her sincere apologies for the comments that she had made and the distress that they had caused to Miss Fulani.’ Miss Fulani has accepted the apology and appreciates that no malice was intended. The King and Queen Consort have been kept informed and are said to be ‘pleased that the parties have reached’ what they describe as a ‘welcome outcome.’”
There’s no need to make a big deal out of anything. We are after all nobody anyway. (Yes.) We will die a nobody. (Yes, Master.)
