History is Dead

This week Black Lives Matters supporters launched a campaign to remove any statute or name that in their opinion is racist, benefited from or supported slavery, imperialist and a host of other isms.

First to go with this.

Toppled by the group, Edward Colston like many Bristolians was involved in the slave trade to which no one today would argue was morally right BUT his money made from what was a legal business people accepted then was used to found school, halls, hospitals as he was benefactor, improving the lives of Bristol's residents, making the city what it is today.
That was what he was given the statue for, not his business.

How does daubing in red paint, pulling it down, vandalizing it before drowning deal with the inequalities of Black and Asian Bristolian's today?

Under threat of removal and vandalized, Winston Churchill's statue because of his support of the Boer War.
He has always been a controversial person however without Churchill, this country would of been occupied by Nazi's who would of murdered blacks, asians, jews and anybody not a nazi like the protestors themselves.
Would of you of been living today had it not been for this admittedly flawed leader?
I would of been murdered as a learning disabled person by Nazi policy had they of taken this country over.

This man means a lot to millions, Robert Baden-Powell founded Scouting a international, non racist inclusive movement that has made a massive difference on five continents and of all races and nationalities.

Today he is being removed by Bournemouth and Poole Council because Black Lives Matters say his involvement as a member of the British Army in the Boer War and his preparedness to personally see the German Hitler Youth, which he rejected means they have him down to be toppled and thrown across the sea for being racist .

How many Black and Asian girls and boys have benefited from what he did making men and women who made a difference to their communities and their own lives?  
Millions but this doesn't matter to Black Lives Matter nor does it that the Scouting Association to talk about and support opposing racism, taking action if anyone tries it with the organization.

Shakespeare is synonymous with English literature and the theatre and yet his plays were written to appeal to an Elizabethan audience and patronage do have anti-semitic characterizations by such logic should pictures and statutes of him be removed?

Should Stratford upon Avon be classed as a town that makes its money out of racism?

No, because we know he wrote for what people thought at the time, that he did a lot and actually it provides us an opportunity to explore, expose the attitudes for what they are and it shows us how we've moved on as imperfect as society is.

Something else to consider: If your families have lived here for centuries, grew up with any and all of them seeing the flaws and the good people did taking a rounded view, how would you feel if all your past is being removed  even destroyed before your eyes by people, the majority of which only go back three or more generations without any reference to democracy or rule of law?

More to the point, try destroying the Egyptian Pyramids made on back of slavery or taking down the Great Wall of China because of the genocide of non Chinese Moslems and Buddhists in Tibet which they invaded in 1950 and see how they'd respond? Is it different and if so, why?