Cowboys and Indians.....offensive?

[mrgrouper]

Yesterday was the teachers strike, so I took my son to Gulliver's World in Warrington. Gulliver's world has hardly been updated since the 1980s, however I like this because it has a retro feel to it and reminds me of when I went there as a child. Most of the signage is from the eighties.
Anyhow there was a couple there who were clearly unimpressed by its dated appearance. We were in the Wild West part of the park and there is a large sign that says Cowboys and Indians. The woman started pointing and said she could not believe in 2016 they would have such a politically incorrect sign.
I was a bit surprised. Is Cowboys and Indians now racist and offensive? It is the first I have heard of this.

The holocaust is different. That had a huge impact on this country and happened very recently. People who were alive during the war are still here now.

The extermination of the native Americans was only 50 years earlier....

Which is probably why your generation know more about it than mine. My daughter or grandchildren may well grow up not learning about the hollocaust but learning about Iraq and Syria.

That's actually a very good point umbongo

I naturally assumed that my children would learn about the holocaust in school but whilst it might be touched on, it wouldn't be in depth like perhaps the IS and Syria could be

My daughter or grandchildren may well grow up not learning about the hollocaust

I hope not. If we forget about such a massive event, how a people can turn a blind eye to how other people are treated, how society can be manipulated by the media and politicians, then we are failing our children.

The holocaust and what led up to it have massive implications for us today. Even now.

My 15 year old knows about native Americans. I asked him earlier. I don't think I've ever mentioned it to him.

Bertrand are you purposely trying to be patronising. So some people don't have an in depth knowledge of what happened in America a hundred and fifty years ago. It doesn't make them stupid or racist.i have never seem pochontas ether nor do I have any interest in watching it. And agree that children will probably be taught key things from more recent history at least till they reach gcse level

I haven't said anyone is stupid or racist or should have an in depth knowledge. I suggest you read my posts then come back (yes, I know that was patronising)

I hope not too soren but I think it's very likely. I know plenty of people my age who know nothing about the hollocaust.

Would you mind if I asked how old you was umbongo?

In fact I would love to know where the word "racist" came from - I think you're the first person to use the word.0

I'm 25

I know plenty of people my age who know nothing about the hollocaust

That worries me. It's in a lot of films and books. Plus WW2 is taught at school a lot.

Not much younger than me then. I'm 27, 28 in December and the holocaust was still a pretty big part of the curriculum

And I find describing the virtual extermination of a race that probably numbered about 70 million as "something that happened in America 150 years ago" a little..dismissive.

I come from and area where 80% of the class were either outside smoking or in isolation or just bunking so not a lot of learning went on. The people here are very ignorant, don't give a shit about anything. I'm really not surprised. I taught my best friend about the hollocaust at the age of 20 because he hadn't even heard of it.

World War 1 and 11 are still very much part of the history curriculum. No Syria, sadly.

But Bertrend we can't change history.

We can learn from it but we can't change it. There are more inportant things in life to worry and care about. Something that happened 150 years is not a high priority for most people unless they are directly descendent from it. Only then does it become their own personal history

You have to wonder what people in the UK knew about such events

Hardly nothing. No internet, tv or people wanting to expose it. Although the Irish unwed mothers scandal was starting to seep through I think that was mainly due to how close it was and girls escaping here. Many women were just not believed and accused of being 'mad' or hysterical is they went against the grain

Appalling acts of humanity.

Only then does it become their own personal history

That's sort of what I was trying to say before. If you live in the USA, then you are more likely to be aware of it and you are more likely to have been taught about it.

Same for Australia and the stolen generation.

Some events are so important that they have to be taught. The holocaust is one.

That does not mean that I am dismissing what happened in the USA. But as the other thread I started shows, there's been a lot of awful stuff that's happened in the world.

I would not be surprised people did not know about the history of the colonisation of the USA. I would be surprised if people did not know about the holocaust.

But I wonder if other countries outside of the West know about the holocaust?

Umbongo that was/is the reality for many young people at school.

That's why it doesn't help to be judgemental in my opinion.

You are right there soren

I think most people should know the basics about what happens when colonisation occurs but the in depth stuff? Should be left to that particular country or people who want to learn.

Every country has its own history that they need to learn. So little time in school, they can't learn everything

Yes mistress exactly.

We had one hour of history a week, and most people then dropped it in year 9. The hollocaust was taught in GCSE history so a majority of my year didn't do it at all. I took GCSE history and we did the Romans, hollocaust, Vietnam and history of medicine.

Every country has its own history that they need to learn

Problem with Great Britain is that we have had an effect on a lot of country's history. Which probably explains why some countries don't trust us.

LazyJournalists, you didn't realise that the 'Indians ' in John Wayne films were a stereotyped depiction of Native Amrticans?
Did you think they were as fictional as Gremlins, say?

Is this whole thread a wind up?