porky2468 |
06-14-2020 03:17 AM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by dankumar89
(Post 883843)
I live in Bristol, UK and was at the protests last Sunday.
Finally that statue has come down, there have been sooo many petitions, debates, etc and this is what it took to tear it down. Edward Colston was responsible for a lot of the buildings and institutions in Bristol, some are being renamed. The school named after him has removed their statue of him and apparently have made sure that the slave trade and Colstons involvement in it is taught in their lessons.
As many people that are happy about it, I've got so many friends who it turns out are so close minded and blinkered they can even see beyond their privilege. Worst of all my own mother, who is a mother to half black half Asian kids is on the Trump side of the fence.
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Even though there are people bitching about this particular statue, it's sparked a fire and there are loads of statues in London that are being taken down (hopefully elsewhere in the UK too). I work at Guys & St Thomas Hospital, and at our weekly "covid huddle" it was mentioned that the statue of Thomas Guy (who made his fortune in the slave trade, providing ships I think) in front of Guy's Hospital is being removed. The board so far are refusing to change the name of the hospital (it's one of the most well known in the city) but hopefully they will eventually.
I'm really pleased that schools are being taught about the slave trade, and our involvement in it. My knowledge is shocking (trying to educate myself now), but at school it was made out that the US was the one who took part in slavery and we had nothing to do with it. People need to stop being embarrassed about the past. You can't learn or change anything if you sweep it under the rug.
End rant.
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