Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Statues - worth a read

It's very easy to pick and chose causes from history, and there were many more empires and atrocities before the Victorians got stuck in.

And the activities of Moroccan pirates taking whole villages from Devon, Cornwall, and Ireland back to Africa as slaves rarely gets mentioned.

Still wondering if they will dismantle the pyramids

Or basically any building or infra structure pre dating 1807 or 1833 depending upon your view of when slavery sort of stopped.
The focus should be on going forward

Absolutely!

Statues are usually put up to commemorate someone's good deeds usually ignoring any passed indiscretions and reflect a view of the individual at that time.
Views and perceptions change over time, in my humble opinion, which accounts for sod all, statues should remain and where perceptions change a plaque explaining the good and bad should be affixed, both educating and letting people form their own opinion.
As Dave W and Graham point out the statues issue is very selective, where does it end? The Colosseum, the pyramids, dig up the A2/A5 formerly the Roman road Watling St, anything built by Irish Navvies? More modern history has structures such as the bridge over the river Kwai. Using todays logic it gets pulled down. Sports stadiums being built in preparation for the next World Cup are a current issue.
We are on very thin ice when we are being told what to think rather than being allowed to make our own minds up.

If the recent protests aimed at the statues has proven anything it's that the vast majority are totally ignorant about their history as people discover the full story now ably assisted by the media hype.

Removing statues does not eradicate the history and nor should it, they are constant reminders of the past be it good or bad.

I am quite expecting the little Belgium statue to have a female one put alongside it any day now, or am I just taking the ----..

👍

At least there is little risk to burn them down!🤪

As Jesus said " Let the one without sin cast the first stone." - then was surprised when his mother lobbed a rock over!
Quite right though I do wonder about how we continue to idolize those rich and famous whilst overlooking their various indiscretions (cough Cummings/ Johnson) - where does it all stop and would we not be as well spending our efforts on those who are still enslaved by various means and ways in this country and others.

Yes we could start with the textile workers on £5 / h in Leicester