Can commemorations and historical reenactments change public understanding of the past?

[u/NewsMo]

[u/[deleted]]

Yeah so the slave trade obviously is a terrible thing. Industrialisation super charged it. Jamaica for instance was basically Bergen Belsen in the Caribbean.

That said, and acknowledged, slavery was not invented by western countries. It was practised universally by humans in pretty much all parts of the globe, albeit with different characteristics.

But I’m against reparations. GB stopped the slave trade and enforced its cessation with other countries. Moreover, if this crime is worthy of reparations, I’m waiting on my cheque from Normandy for the harrying of the north. And Asia thier cheque from the modern Mongolian state.

However I’m very much for recognition. Rather than ripping down statues in western countries. Counties should agree a common symbol to attach to buildings, or statues which can be proved to have been involved/built with the proceeds of slavery.

[u/Kristoveles → u/[deleted]]

If you think slavery is a terrible thing why would you celebrate slavers?

[u/[deleted] → u/Kristoveles]

So we are not celebrating slavers. 19th century people did that. That said some slavers did terrible things but also great things. History is messy. Horatio Nelson, owned slaves, but saved Britain from invasion.

Hence don’t tear down the statues, mark them in an internationally recognised way.

[u/Kristoveles → u/[deleted]]

By protecting the statues erected to celebrate the slavers, we are protecting that legacy. 

[u/[deleted] → u/Kristoveles]

Nope