With some people, it's pointless arguing. If
you want to get into boring arguments about
self-flagellating apologising for slavery, type slavery in the search all blogs box and take your pick.
Here is a good one. I didn't open this Pandora's box - Blair did, with his expression of
"deep sorrow". Another notable instance where he expressed "
deep sorrow" was in the case of
Dr David Kelly. It wasn't an admission of guilt then, and it isn't now. I have to say I enjoyed the following statement which provided yet another valid reason for the UK not to apologise, now.
"Blair's article is taking a backward step from Britain's official position in 1807 when it abolished the trade and expressed regret for what had happened," said Kofi Mawuli Klu of rights group Rendezvous of Victory. You mean,
we already apologised. Anyway, I'm going to try to be positive. Rather than identifying points of difference, can I ask what issues represent common ground that Brits regardless of race can agree upon?
6 comments:
My knowledge of the immorality and brutality of the slave trade compells me to agree to Blair expressing 'regret' on behalf of the nation.
An apology? No way. Too far. Why on earth should take the blame for the follies of generations past? We should be rejoicing that Britain took the moral high ground when it did and abolished the slave trade before (so I believe) any other western country. What's more, contrary to popular myth, Britain abolished it when slavery was becoming more, not less, lucrative.
On the subject of the slavery, has anybody been watching Simon Schama's 'Power of Art' recently? On the JMW Turner episode, a large section was given to his 1840 painting "Slavers throwing overboard the Dead and Dying: Typhoon coming on." The power of the image is just breathtaking. A work of genius.
Maybe I sound churlish, but I think that his time could be better spent on other things - on second thoughts maybe I should be grateful that he is being diverted him from his infamous "to-do" list.
one can go on expressing regret over things done in the past.. it is absolutely ridiculous.. it was done and steps were taken to correct it.. but some people it seems love to wallow in self pity.. whats the point.. a politicians job is to run the country efficiently in the present and for the future.. as you said better things on which he should utilize his time.. and let bygones be bygones..
Good post. Why on earth slavery as opposed to everything else one could dredge up about the past, much less all the evils in the world at the present.
Couldn't resist lowering myself to a few more swipes at the ridiculous Warwick Blogs post, but I'll ignore that site for a bit now I think.
Liverpool Council took the same attitude in September this year, it raised enough commotion in Liverpool to be shelved.
Just as well realy, they had reached the stage of wanting to rename any street with even a tenuous link to the slave trade.
The whole thing is just ridiculous and should be left alone.
Like this post P your implication that we’ve heard it all before on this and related subjects is right.
What do people of various races agree on is that we fancy each other . Mixed race couples and people are the fastest growing racial group in the UK. My wife is mixed ,( Wales and Trinidad,) and my son is perhaps the most beautiful baby on the planet . Encouraging I like to think . You should hear what Mrs. N has to say about Dianne Abbot when she claims to speak for “black” people.
Further point , it is huge mistake to imagine that any racial” group” is homogenous politically . If you are looking for it it is quite astounding how the assumption permeates the meeja
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