AIBU to think my colleague's anti England comment was rude?

[ProudBlackMomma]

What would you make of this? A colleague declared in front of the whole team in the office the other day that she’d never ever support England in any sport due to their history colonialism. Personally I think it’s rude and fails to read the room. Most people had been enjoying cheering on England in the World Cup so to hear this felt a bit like raining on the parade. This woman is African but living in England and reaping all the benefits that come with that. I’m Black too but proud to say I’m English and happy to cheer on the players, who include plenty of black men who I assume also cheer on England!!

Maybe it does. Does that mean it’s right?

The US had slaves until the 1860s and then treated the freed slaves appallingly . Oh - and their anti-colonial pose is bizarre - what was the history of America except one long colonisation of all the land between the Atlantic and the Pacific? And other places. Colonisation isn’t nice for the colonised people but it’s a pretty universal part of the history of most nations. I don’t know why it’s such a big deal these days - have people just discovered it? I

Find me a high- profile country which has an unblemished historical record, please!

Britain's history is no worse than anywhere else's history, better than many places actually. The people who witter on about how Britain is evil because of its colonial past almost never have any actual knowledge of or interest in the actual history; they just have a childish view of history where "these people were the goodies and these people were the baddies!" The truth is far more complex.
For example, the Arab slave trade lasted for over 1,300 years and trafficked an estimated 10 to 18 million people. It was incredibly brutal, with massive mortality rates across the Sahara and the widespread forced castration of male captives, yet it rarely receives criticism. The Africans who were taken as slaves in the transatlantic trade were almost always sold to European merchants at coastal ports by other Africans who had already captured and enslaved them.
After Britain abolished its own slave trade in 1807, it committed immense resources to stopping the practice globally. The Royal Navy established the West Africa Squadron, patrolling the seas for decades to seize over 1,500 slave ships and free roughly 150,000 enslaved people. British crews risked their lives, with over 1,500 sailors dying from tropical diseases, to blockade slave-trading African kingdoms and intercept Atlantic and Arab slaving vessels alike, executing one of the most significant humanitarian campaigns in maritime history.
Not to mention all the slavery going on right now across the world, particularly in parts of Africa and Asia.
If we are going to reckon with history then we should do it fully and honestly, not selectivity in order to push a particular agenda.

So @Sometimesitsmyownfault you expect this woman of colour to be in able to explain what's going on in the heads of all African boys and men about which football team(s) they support? Brace yourself... Africa is an enormous continent, not a city.

You don’t know me-,unless you stalk me you don’t know I’ve sung that - and guess what I haven’t. Also - I think winning ww2 was a pretty good thing to be honest!

As for colonialism, Britain was the first country to actually begin the abolition of Slavery and succeed, which was more rife in every other country then it was here.

What society didn’t have a slave economy in the 1700s and before.
Africa certainly did!

Scotland isn’t partitioned. Ireland is.

Ask her how many European vs African countries are in the top ten worst offenders for modern slavery.

The made up employee?

I didn’t say other countries didn’t have slaves, i said that Britain had one of the most profitable and enduring slave trades in human history. Because it did. ending it after much work by POC is hardly a sign of being a benevolent country who saw the error of their ways.

You don’t think white people were involved? Have a look into the history. People boycotted anything to do with the slave trade. There were MPs who were the pushing force behind it (Remember black people were not allowed in Parliament) Always check before you comment.

This is a tedious trope on MN: claiming that OPs are making things up.

I don’t understand why OP’s anecdote is so hard to believe. I’ve experienced similar situations, which is why this one interests me.

Why should this not be true? Evidence,please, if you’re going to make that accusation.

There is no way of proving any posts on MN are true. All you have is the poster’s word. Unfortunately this is true. If I was going to make it up I’d have made it far more scandalous.

it's only a matter of time before the BBC produce a drama about abolition where William Wilberforce is portrayed by a PoC!

I can’t believe the poster above thought it was ok to just erase him and all he did. But yes looking forward to the mumsnet thread when the BBC do just that. Give them time!

I wouldn't give a flying fuck what football team any of you supported. I'd probably tell you to grow the fuck up

I didn’t say white people weren’t involved. I know the history, so no need for the patronising comments. Maybe you should read what people actually say and not invent things in your head before you comment.

It wasn't quite the Roman empire.

You’re right, The british empire likely had more slaves in its duration that the romans did. And was far more racially driven.

ending it after much work by POC is hardly a sign of being a benevolent country who saw the error of their ways.

This comment was where I replied. You wrote this? I’ve not invented it?