Statues should be left alone

[Rubyroost]

Ffs why target statues of Oliver Cromwell, Peel etc. They are history and should be left. Sorry, I know this is probably controversial. When will the book burning start?

Racism originated with capitalism and slavery.

Actually, slavery predates capitalism by several millennia. Racism is all around you. The Han Chinese pity and look down on everyone who is not Chinese. The caste system in India is alive and well, a dhallit's life chances are built on reincarnation into another caste. The slavers who sold humans from Africa to Europeans for the Americas were mainly Africans (of other tribes and Arabs). No race or skin colour or religion was innocent of blame or complicity.

And as a very ordinary person with absolutely no axe to grind, I bitterly, deeply resent casual accusations of racism. My family have never been wealthy enough to own slaves or shares in slaving ventures. But my opinions and skin colour are sufficient to traduce my opinions and disrespect my views. All lives matter. And no, I am NOT endorsing black lives matter. Either all lives matter, or none do.

No one is saying that all lives do not matter.

And you quite clearly do have an axe to grind.

Truthfully, I really don't. I am so old that my views are mostly irrelevant to the future. But I would like to think that I made a few people think about history and how it has been reported and distorted, before the baby is thrown out with the bathwater.

History cannot be expunged from the record, even if you disagree with what and how events played out.

That's your cue to reply: OK boomer, BTW!

Did anyone see the panorama episode on far-right terrorism the other night? There are plenty of people who want to start a race war.