OK Not the most glorious part of British Rule

You said that, not me, and I never have (or would,) so please don’t put words into my mouth. However, I’m becoming heartily sick of hearing only of the disgusting behaviour of the evil British. As usual, we hear of Britain’s involvement in the slave trade, but not a word about how it was the British Navy which led the way in putting paid to the white slave trade, perpetrated by non-whites in the Mediterranean.

Oh I agree with you about the good stuff.

It’s just that there is also an ilk out there that would have you believe it was all about kindly bringing enlightenment to the world.

The context of the thread however is about certain misdeeds from the era of Empire (quite recent in fact), and the bemoaning about “why Britain only?”

Travelling around the world, a walk through many a fine European capital reveals old edifices built on the bones and crushed lives of people from far away from the “glory days”.

Well, the premise of the OP is wrong.

Britain is certainly not the only one who has stumped up to pay for certain misdeeds of the recent past, and in fact, as mentioned, you would have to admit that Britain has got off very lightly indeed, all things considered.

Because there are quite a few other nasties in the cupboard within ours, and our parents/grandparents lifetimes from the days of Empire.

Ahhh, that old chestnut.
“The empire was done purely for altruistic reasons, and nothing to do with exploiting resources and for strategic reasons.”

You said that, not me, and I never have (or would,) so please don’t put words into my mouth. However, I’m becoming heartily sick of hearing only of the disgusting behaviour of the evil British. As usual, we hear of Britain’s involvement in the slave trade, but not a word about how it was the British Navy which led the way in putting paid to the white slave trade, perpetrated by non-whites in the Mediterranean.

And have you considered the millions who’ve had their lives improved by the introduction of Western-style education into their near-Stone Age living conditions?

Ahhh, that old chestnut.

“The empire was done purely for altruistic reasons, and nothing to do with exploiting resources and for strategic reasons.”

You may take note of how infrastructure was developed, and see whether that was for extraction purposes or altruistic reasons.

Of course, you didn’t see fit to refute my original statement, because it can’t really be refuted by any sane person.

Britain is not the only one, of course.

But, as I’ve said in reply to the original post, there are indeed countries that have paid reparations for past injustices.
Britain has got off lightly, when you consider it dispassionately and neutrally.

It’s unfashionable to say this here no doubt, and easy to wave a hand dismissively and pretend some things didn’t happen, but have you considered that hundreds of thousands of peoples lives were ruined whilst running the Glorious Empire, with repercussions still around today?

And have you considered the millions who’ve had their lives improved by the introduction of Western-style education into their near-Stone Age living conditions?

But where do we stop with apologising for our past(let alone paying out for it)?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22790037

The two recent ones that come to mind are Bloody Sunday and Slavery where Dave has apologised in my name(being a UK citizen) for it all.

Can anyone think of any other Country that does this and if so for what?

Ask the Germans.

Britain has got off extremely lightly, reflecting on just the last 100 years or so, or within ours and our parents/grandparents lifetime.

It’s unfashionable to say this here no doubt, and easy to wave a hand dismissively and pretend some things didn’t happen, but have you considered that hundreds of thousands of peoples lives were ruined whilst running the Glorious Empire, with repercussions still around today?

This day and age torture is not something to be tolerated as indeed it should not have been at the time of these incidents.

This not intended as any sort of excuse, but I do remember the Mau Mau not being exactly adherents to any civilised conventions by a long way, the gangs were very familiar with slaughter, rape, destruction of anyone or anything, so I take it that victims of the Mau Mau are now going to be compensated for the atrocities they endured, having said that, most civilians didn’t survive an encounter with the Mau Mau.

Funny old world.

Nations in themselves cannot bear shame or anything else. The individuals who comprise the leadership and/or essence of the nation are the only ones who can bear the shame for their acts. And when they die the shame dies with them.

Andy,

My point wasn’t guilt attached to people who weren’t born at the time. My point was guilt born of crimes so enormous, so comprehensively wicked in their determination and focus that THE NATION or NATIONS that perpetrated these monstrous events could not ever evade the shame and responsibility attached thereto.

We rightly have remembrance for the Holocaust. We should also have remembrance for the miilion of Stalin’s victims and the horrific catalogue of atrocities mercilessly inflicted by the Japanese and listed by me in a previous comment.

I know that future generations will know good Germans – as I do – cheery Russians and happy Japanese. But, they will also remember….!

Kev,

Not just worried – but seriously worried ! Not !

My Father (now aged ninety) was mentioned in despatches for shooting Arabs (Kev knows the story)–actually Arabs only armed with sticks and stones.
I was born 15 years after the event. Therefore am I guilty of anything, other than my own crimes??–I think not.
Any more than a fifty year old Japanese man would be guilty of what his father may have done–or a German or any other nationality.
I can’t see how anyone can be held responsible for acts carried out in a governments name before they born.
As to the Japanese, the Mau Mau and those Arabs in Cairo, it was all long ago, and perhaps we have learned a bit of something along the way.
The old man is pretty unrepentant about it though.
Andy

I won’t debate with a moron.

Worried you might have to raise your game John?

Regards,

kev35

Morons? I thought they were a funny American religious sect from Salt Lake City:D

I won’t debate with a moron.

You don’t need to. Morons would agree with you.

I won’t debate with a moron.

Yes I remember it. So on that evidence he is accused by you of being a racist and a xenophobe. I disagree with that comment but have read other comments on the forum of similar extremity.

As to the second, it will up to him to respond to direct personal abuse.

“Personal abuse”?

Statement of fact, as evidenced by his past comments on this forum. I have no idea why he was not banned long ago.

Want some evidence? Try this thread, and take a peek at post #39 ( where I quote the post that was subsequently removed – after complaint – by Admin. )

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?122086-Liberation

No, he didn’t.

He grew up to be a fully fledged racist and xenophobe, as evidenced by his past comments on this forum.

.

As to your first comment – I don’t think his post was intended to be taken seriously – neither was mine!:rolleyes:

As to the second, it will up to him to respond to direct personal abuse.

Did you get over it?

No, he didn’t.

He grew up to be a fully fledged racist and xenophobe, as evidenced by his past comments on this forum.

Can anyone think of any other Country that does this and if so for what?

I’ve bookmarked your comments. It’ll be interesting to remind you of them again come August, when the usual round of “Japan never even apologised” and “Where’s our compo…?” makes its yearly appearance….

Did you get over it?

When I was a child I remember feeling distinctly ambivalent about King Herod.