#I'mNotRacist

Please note this is speaking from a white woman's point of view— an American white woman.

I'm an Indie Romance author. One of the first things I learned was not to stir the pot when promoting my books. Never get political and talk only about pleasant things like children and animals. I'm about to break that rule. 

I have written historical romances, much like the Julia Quinn series, Bridgerton, which became a mega-hit on Netflix. Shonda Rhimes took a wonderful romance series and made it even better. Writing romances means we writers love our Happily Ever After. Romances are, after all, fantasies. The heroes are alpha males, handsome, and rich. The heroines are feisty, beautiful, and desire only to be loved. The two meet, fall in love, overcome some obstacles, and then have their HEA. Love overcomes all. I believe the reason the Shonda Rhimes series on Netflix was so wildly popular was that it showed what the Regency Era could have been if Blacks had been allowed to integrate into society normally.

Remember, though, they weren't. The British Royalty has been historical quite white. So when Prince William declared that his family isn't racist, I'm going out on a limb and say—he's wrong.

Here's why. 

Most of us don't even realize our preset condition to racism. We get defensive if anyone hints that we might be racist. It's one of the problems. When someone uses the word, immediately, a wall emerges where we don't listen to what is being said. We start listing off all our black friends and family, including anything we have ever done nice for a person of color. What we genuinely need to do is stop and listen. We are not bad people for living in the world the way it was, but we have an obligation to evolve.

One of the great things about being an American is that America was set to evolve. Our Constitution is a living document. Change is hard, but I have faith that we will change for the better. 

The British Royalty needs to evolve. Instead of clinging to the ways of old to survive, they need to change.

I watched the Oprah Winfrey interview with Meghan and Harry. It needed to be said.

 Change cannot happen until the truth is confronted.

For too long, the British monarchy has hidden behind its wall protecting its own and throwing others to the wolves like Diana. Prince William had an opportunity to make a change in addressing racism. Instead, he made a proclamation they weren't when their "Institution" is quite racist. How many Royals are black?

I know of only one Royal, Meghan Markle. Look how she's been treated. If you want to say that Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, King George III wife was mixed-race, then she makes my point. Why then was there such an effort to hide her heritage?

Now, take a look at how the "Institution" protects who they choose...case in point—Prince Andrew, who has been accused of being in Epstein's web of abuse. Prince Andrew hides behind the Crown after being implicated in hideous crimes. Has he lost his protection? Another case in point is Prince Charles himself. Every time I see Prince Charles and Camilla together, the only thing I can think about is the Tampongate Scandal. This is the man who is destined to become King of England. I truly question his character or lack thereof because if he were indeed a good father, wouldn't he had stepped in to take care of this situation before it became a situation. Shouldn't his main interest be the well-being of his son and grandchildren? Instead, the "Institution" stripped Harry of his birthright and his security. Is Prince Charles a leader or a shadow of a man?

If the "Institution" wanted Meghan in their circle, they would have made sure she was.  

There again, maybe their treatment of Meghan isn't racially motivated. Perhaps it's simply because she's American...she is not one of "them." Whatever the reason, the "Institution" treatment of Meghan has been atrocious. Plain and simple.

Then, there's Harry. What do I think of Harry? He is doing what was never done for him. He's protecting his family.

Absolutely, the perfect romantic hero. 

I was born and raised in a small community in Northeast Mississippi called Marietta. To be honest, I never saw any hint of a black being mistreated growing up. My father would have whipped my butt if I ever thought of calling anyone the "N" word. I was fortunate that my father taught me to judge a man by his actions and not his appearance. After I moved to Boston, I saw more racism in my first few months than I ever had in my life. I thought it ironic because I came from Mississippi. Everything was segregated in the city. Everyone had its sections where they lived: Italians, Irish, Jewish, and Blacks. I patted myself on my back because I wasn't racist...until I met a black woman from Mississippi. She had lived in the Delta. I found her less than enthusiastic about being from Mississippi. After she told me her story, it finally dawned on me there was a huge difference in our upbringing. Her story touched me, and I could no longer deny that perhaps my view on racism was wrong. 

In late December 2014, I published the first installment of Southern Legacy. It was my attempt to come to an acceptance of the painful truth of the Civil War. I tried to fairly show all sides of the war from each point of view: Southerners, Northerners, and slaves. I'm not sure if everyone who reads the story will take from it what I intended—that the true victims were slaves. There are two love stories in the series. There are two different outcomes. There is a point in the book where the heroine is arrested and her children taken from her...I wanted us white women to feel what it must have been like for a slave to have her child snatched from her arms because we need to have compassion for others. We need to walk in another's shoes. There is so much more that I tried to convey. When one looks at the series, one might think of Gone With the Wind, but it's not. It's about change. It's about a young woman's acceptance of the world around her until she begins to question and discovers she doesn't like the answers. (I think I should probably change the covers at least the last two because they are misleading what the series conveys). 

It is my belief that we are not bad people because we accepted the world in which we live, but we shouldn't be closed-minded. We all need to listen. We need to evolve into understanding that being compliant is as bad as being outwardly racist. I have faith that we Americans will. Awareness is the first step forward.

The British Monarchy should step up. They have an opportunity to lead their country to a better place. But if they don't, Meghan and Harry seem to be making their own way. If I had advice for the couple, it would be: Don't look back but forward. Keep doing what you're doing. Never stop helping others. Remember you defining a new generation. Change isn't easy— it never is.

Can Meghan and Harry have a happy ending? If I were writing their story, there definitely would be a HEA.