To refuse to send my child to a pirate party

[Mashbocking1]

A nursery friend of my 4 yo DS is having a pirate themed birthday party. I’m planning to decline the invite as I don’t think it’s appropriate for little children, or anyone for that matter, to dress up as a pirate - it’s glorifying and sentimentalising criminal men who raped, robbed and murdered.

FFS, piracy used to carry the death penalty until recently! You wouldn’t let your child go to a Nazi themed party - I can’t see much difference!

Why ask if you don't like the answers?
Seriously, no one is going to vindicate you on this.
I actually feel sorry for your son.
Get some therapy.

As a descendant of actual pirates I'm going to call your stereotypical drivel about pirates all being pillagers and rapists a hate crime. I'm offended.

Your poor child. There's gonna be trouble ahead 😮

My son used to love dressing up as a pirate and even dressed up as Johnny Depp (Jack Sparrow) for a Halloween party when he was older. I don't see the problem tbh.

Best you don't visit Plymouth in May when they have their Pirate Weekend on the Barbican!

Or visit America - they are rather fond of pirates for some reason...

There's no point in continuing to berate the OP. MNHQ have confirmed that she's a troll and that they've made her 'walk the plank'. Yesterday was an awful day, so this thread has really cheered me up!!

I thought it was a joke thread anyway. It had been a hoot!

they are rather fond of pirates for some reason

I could give you the history of privateers & pirates if you like :D it might take a couple of pages.....

I’m sitting cross-legged on the carpet in the story corner...

And obviously no Nativity plays, as Herod killed all the baby boys in Bethlehem in an effort to kill baby Jesus. She would be grilling the teachers about what is and isn't included.

No 'horrible histories', seeing as it includes Henry VIII beheading 2 of his wives and Elizabeth I beheading Mary Queen of Scots.

No Tower of London visits or Chamber of Horrors.

Oh dear, it sounds like that nothing is suitable so no books, TV or cinema. No anything.

Part of the "love" at least from a New World perspective, is that privateers/pirates were basically interchangeable. They were private ship owners who would rob/sink British/French/Spanish military ships and occasionally ports, take the loot and bring it back to their isolated towns.

Pirates/privateers funded entire villages with their loot and kept the "evil foreign colonialists" away. So there is definitely a "stuck it to the man" aspect.

In terms of rape and pillage...well...they would have been no worse, and perhaps better (given that we were taught the most of them were gay) then the various Colonial military.

In addition, they were often more tolerant, they freed slaves and took them on as crew members, there were occasionally women, first nations, etc.

So, from a North American perspective, they were more "Robin Hood" with gay sex, then bloody thirsty rapists.

Add to that rum runners in the 1920's being quite popular as well, and you've got why they are so "beloved".

I get your point but all of nasty history is romanticised like this, it’s humanity’s way of processing and remembering it. What about the gunpowder plot, that would have been awful but came from awful discrimination and led to barbaric treatment of the plotters, but that shouldn’t stop us remembering it in our modern way. Half of children’s nursery rhymes are to remember bad things. Choose more important battles like trying to prevent kids using gay to mean rubbish - and yes, when they’re older that happens

I see OP... you’re one of THOSE mothers. Batshitcrazy and a total killjoy. Your poor child.

Taking modern children's themes literally is going to cause issues. All the nasty aspects of life in the past have modern day counterparts.

Princesses - the state sponsored sex trafficking of underage girls.
Knights - (who were sometimes nothing more than land pirates) religions persecution and mass murder (even genocide).

@Mockersisrightasusual that was fucking hilarious 🤣🤣🤣

OP - are you captain Phillips??? Cause others wise you’re bat-shit crazy.

@HulksPurplePanties thank you! Most interesting

I never went to a pirate paarrrrty as a child as I preferred playing with Baarrrrbie dolls, toy caarrrrrs and maarrrrbles, yet I've grown up to be a full-time pirate

I'm wondering. Do you stop your child going to princess parties because they are anti-feminist, Mermaid parties because they aren't real, space themed parties because they are never likely to be an astronaut, animal themed parties/trips to the zoo because it's animal slavery?

where do you draw the line OP?

corduroyal If you want interesting, look up the Oak Island Mystery.

who were the real criminals the pirates or the east india trading company...if you are keeping a scorecard I think you'll find it's the latter!

I would let my child go it's a bit of fun but we all have our different opinions.

Dear God, your kid will need serious therapy growing up with you.

Are you of sane mind ! ?? Kids love that sort of thing .!! I pity them having such an odd parent who thinks pirates should be boycotted ! It's a bit of fun ! Let kids be kids. You mentioned hitler. Entirely different. Hitler hated Jews and turned an entire country towars his views . Cant you see the difference?