Why the difference?

[anotheoldgit]

In recent post I was criticised for posting about WW2.

Get over it, it was over 60 years ago, it should now be forgotten, just Brits celebrating a long gone war, far too late for either 'side' to be erecting memorials. etc etc.

Why is it then, it is those who say this, but they are still prepared to go back to the 11th-15th century and criticise Christianity for the crusades, and the Spanish Inquisition?

Prepared to go back to the 17th-18th century to hark on back to Slavery?

Prepared to go back to the 19th century to criticise The British Empire?

At least WW2 was in living memory.

[Old_Geezer]

You are right, we ought not hark on about any of those things, merely learn from them.

[ummmm]

Why not Geezer? There are still plenty of WW2 soldiers alive today. My Grandad being one of them. If they want to harp on about it...let. If they want a memorial..let them.

[andy-hughes]

I don't thinlk either War should ever be forgotten.

Not only from the perspective of the sacrifices made in order for us to enjoy our current freedoms - even if we do take them for granted and fail to appreciate them - but from the point of view of learning.

History is valuable because to see where we are going, we msut see where we have been.

I don't believe for a minute that Brits ever 'celebrate' a war - certainly not anyone who was there, but it is far too important and far-reaching to simply be consigned to a forgotten memory.

[Old_Geezer]

Because harping on is wrong anyway. But if folk want to mutter amongst themselves then tyhey are free to.

[Ankou]

perhaps it is about numbers ?

in ww2 it is estimated that britain lost 388,000 people. poland and germany lost 6m+ each, china around 10m, and russia over 20m.

in ww1 britain lost around 660,000 with another 1m wounded.

[ummmm]

My Grandad was wounded in WW2. Lucky to still be here...

[jake-the-peg]

I don't think we have big commemorations to celebrate the crucades or slavery every few years do we?

Can't remember the last "We-conquored-India day"

Maybe I just missed them

[Ankou]

we had that nelson tribute a couple of years back, i think the froggies choked on their garlicky horesmeat over that one.

[zzxxee]

lest we forget!!!!! tsk tsk at "getting over it " shame on you anotheoldgit shame on you !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sp1814]

No-one need go back to the 11th-15th century to raise questions on Christianity. There are those who under the guise of Christianity who can be criticised today.

With regards to slavery - it's not like it ended and immediately everything was kosher between races. All you need to do is visit the areas of the Deep South to see the lingering smoke trails. In living memory, there were lynchings and segregation. If you have a listen to Billie Holiday's 'Strange Fruit', you'll get the picture of what life was like in the American Deep South in the 30s - and remember, civil rights didn't start until the 50s/60s. All by-products of slavery.

[anotheoldgit]

jake-the-peg

/// I don't think we have big commemorations to celebrate the crucades or slavery every few years do we?///

Perhaps not, but there are enough people on here who are prepared to try and make the present day British feel personally responsible for these periods in history.

Regarding slavery this wasn't only a British thing, neither was it only the blacks who suffered, the whole peoples of the world have dabbled in it over the centuries

[Ankou]

english civil war. that was mainly british weren't it ? 190,000 dead.

i love this idea that if other people were invlved, it only halves the blame.

[anotheoldgit]

zzxxee

Do not quite understand your ramblings, but if you are assuming I said the words "getting over it " you are mistaken.

Read my post again, /// Get over it, it was over 60 years ago,/// were not my words, I was just illustrating what otheres have said.

[Ankou]

but are you saying 'slavery, get over it' ?

[anotheoldgit]

sp1814

I don't think one needs to listen to some blues song to get a true picture of life in American's Deep South in the 30s.

"All by-products of slavery" you say, one could also say that about all those black people who have become very successful in the West.

I wonder given the chance how many would care to go back to 'their roots' in Africa?

[anotheoldgit]

Ankou

If you like yes, except of course the slavery that exists today, which strangely enough one hears very little about.

[Ankou]

so it still goes on today but you want people to get over it from the past. where do you draw the line ? 10 years, 50 years, 100 years, 1000 years ?

[sp1814]

"All by-products of slavery" you say, one could also say that about all those black people who have become very successful in the West.

So you accept that there are many blacks in Europe and America who have succeeded despite prejudice?

Good for you. I knew you'd see it my way eventually.

[Aqualung]

I wonder if they named streets in Algeria and other places after slave traders

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Baltimore