Statues coming down in the UK.

[Tommy Tainant]

I worked in Bristol many years ago and must have walked past this statue hundreds of times. Had no idea who he was. Knocking the evil ****** down is actually history, a great day for the city.

Yep. It's part and parcel of White Privilege not to know, not to learn about White Privilege, least of all about the atrocities it entailed and the injustices it still entails. That's why they endlessly haggled over the wording of a second plaque describing that monster's life, all but eliminating slave trade from the eulogy.

Having (had) that statue standing there is (was) shameful. I can't help it, Tom, simply removing that reminder of Bristol's shame is also shameful. Or so I find. Of course, I understand the black community's outrage over a statue in honor of that swine. There ought to be a better, smarter, more educational way to deal with that quandary.

Maybe something analogous to this would be the way to go, documenting every slave ship's journey, along with the number of those enslaved, murdered and thrown overboard:

The memorial includes 805 hanging steel rectangles, representing each of the counties in the United States where a documented lynching took place​

Colston's statue, remembering him directing, and profiting from, it all, along with preserving the memory of the good citizens of Bristol benefiting from that benefactor, and honoring him, could find a place there.

Liverpool does it better.

International Slavery Museum

Hear the untold stories of enslaved people and learn about historical and contemporary slavery. Explore the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade as well as slavery in the modern day, racism and discrimination.

www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk

But these cities were built on the proceeds of slavery. There has never been a reckoning.

 

[Oz and the Orchestra]

I worked in Bristol many years ago and must have walked past this statue hundreds of times. Had no idea who he was. Knocking the evil ****** down is actually history, a great day for the city.

Yep. It's part and parcel of White Privilege not to know, not to learn about White Privilege, least of all about the atrocities it entailed and the injustices it still entails. That's why they endlessly haggled over the wording of a second plaque describing that monster's life, all but eliminating slave trade from the eulogy.

Having (had) that statue standing there is (was) shameful. I can't help it, Tom, simply removing that reminder of Bristol's shame is also shameful. Or so I find. Of course, I understand the black community's outrage over a statue in honor of that swine. There ought to be a better, smarter, more educational way to deal with that quandary.

Maybe something analogous to this would be the way to go, documenting every slave ship's journey, along with the number of those enslaved, murdered and thrown overboard:

The memorial includes 805 hanging steel rectangles, representing each of the counties in the United States where a documented lynching took place​

Colston's statue, remembering him directing, and profiting from, it all, along with preserving the memory of the good citizens of Bristol benefiting from that benefactor, and honoring him, could find a place there.

Liverpool does it better.

International Slavery Museum

Hear the untold stories of enslaved people and learn about historical and contemporary slavery. Explore the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade as well as slavery in the modern day, racism and discrimination.

www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk

But these cities were built on the proceeds of slavery. There has never been a reckoning.

 

[Oz and the Orchestra]

I worked in Bristol many years ago and must have walked past this statue hundreds of times. Had no idea who he was. Knocking the evil ****** down is actually history, a great day for the city.

Yep. It's part and parcel of White Privilege not to know, not to learn about White Privilege, least of all about the atrocities it entailed and the injustices it still entails. That's why they endlessly haggled over the wording of a second plaque describing that monster's life, all but eliminating slave trade from the eulogy.

Having (had) that statue standing there is (was) shameful. I can't help it, Tom, simply removing that reminder of Bristol's shame is also shameful. Or so I find. Of course, I understand the black community's outrage over a statue in honor of that swine. There ought to be a better, smarter, more educational way to deal with that quandary.

Maybe something analogous to this would be the way to go, documenting every slave ship's journey, along with the number of those enslaved, murdered and thrown overboard:

The memorial includes 805 hanging steel rectangles, representing each of the counties in the United States where a documented lynching took place​

Colston's statue, remembering him directing, and profiting from, it all, along with preserving the memory of the good citizens of Bristol benefiting from that benefactor, and honoring him, could find a place there.

Liverpool does it better.

International Slavery Museum

Hear the untold stories of enslaved people and learn about historical and contemporary slavery. Explore the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade as well as slavery in the modern day, racism and discrimination.

www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk

But these cities were built on the proceeds of slavery. There has never been a reckoning.

What will replace it?
What will the Japanese tourists have to see and photo?
We can't just have an empty plinth!

What about the man who wrote the hymn played at Floyd's funeral - 'Amazing Grace'.....O no it turns out John Newton who penned the lament was a slave trader.

What about film star Cary Grant? He was born in Bristol, and elderly Japanese ladies will surely know who he is.

 

[2aguy]

BLM protesters topple statue of Bristol slave trader Edward Colston

Statue that had long been a focal point of local anger rolled down to harbour and pushed into the water

www.theguardian.com

Colston’s company transported more than 100,000 slaves from West Africa to the Caribbean and the Americas between 1672 and 1689, cramming them into ships to maximise profit.

The slaves, including women and children, were branded on the chest with the company’s initials, RAC. Unhygienic conditions, dehydration, dysentery and scurvy killed more than 20,000 during the crossings and their bodies were thrown overboard.

Fantastic stuff. Hope that it is just the start.

Yes.....the true home of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade.....Europe and Africa......they need to pay reparations to the Americans who happen to be Black......get out your check book.

 

[fncceo]

BLM protesters topple statue of Bristol slave trader Edward Colston

Statue that had long been a focal point of local anger rolled down to harbour and pushed into the water

www.theguardian.com

Colston’s company transported more than 100,000 slaves from West Africa to the Caribbean and the Americas between 1672 and 1689, cramming them into ships to maximise profit.

The slaves, including women and children, were branded on the chest with the company’s initials, RAC. Unhygienic conditions, dehydration, dysentery and scurvy killed more than 20,000 during the crossings and their bodies were thrown overboard.

Fantastic stuff. Hope that it is just the start.

Yes.....the true home of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade.....Europe and Africa......they need to pay reparations to the Americans who happen to be Black......get out your check book.

They spell it cheque book.