Greetings
Well, yet another renowned institution, this time in the world of media, is stepping up to the plate on 'discovering' its link to Slavery and The Transatlantic Slave Trade.
This is supposed to be news?
It is very commendable that a media house is considering or has considered to give "restorative justice", as it is described, and 'in kind' to parts of The Caribbean, whose ancestors in many respects were slaves. In addition, the objective is to create a more inclusive environment for the underrepresented, in the world of media, within its parameters.
Applause!👏
Now for the laughs.
You mean to tell me with all of the illustrious history of that renowned newspaper, it has just come up that its founder John Edward Taylor, a cotton merchant, during Slavery and The Transatlantic Slave Trade, founded the newspaper with the gains from his lucrative cotton trading business? Furthermore, if it is to be believed, 'research' was needed to uncover that fact?
Oh please!
I can now fully understand and appreciate, most sincerely, why the field of journalism in the U.K. has been, and still is, a very exclusive career path to follow, if one is not a member of its indigenous society.
Let's view this from a rational standpoint. Would you want 'outsiders' to know what the financial foundation of your business is all about? Especially when its finances were originally gained from the exploitation, and trading, of 'their' ancestors?
From what I have read, the investment, and the period over which it will extend, is very impressive, but for how long that commitment will hold in the future is anybody's guess. The way I see it, it is not a question of a 'willingness' to right a wrong, as that in itself is an impossible task, but rather to avoid anyone else finding out ahead of it which could well have resulted in the renowned newspaper being caught with its pants down!
Please note, this is not an impolite dig at that newspaper, which I deeply respect, as well as being a subscriber to its online website, (and hopefully I will not be banned from it after writing and publishing this post). However, it is VERY wearisome to read of ALL these fake and insincere apologies, bordering on the edge of the condemnation of slavery, to make up for past events, when in fact the U.K., today, where the indigenous home folk are concerned, they could not give a hoot about it!
The truth of the matter is Great Britain owes its financial, industrial, overall economic success and development to the financial benefits of The Transatlantic Slave Trade. Many British slave owners, according to British history, were VERY disappointed when it all ended, hence their need to be compensated. I have no doubt the slave owners saw the active abolitionists who fervently opposed Slavery and The Transatlantic Slave Trade in its entirety, as their enemies. Nevertheless, the abolitionists eventually succeeded in their endeavours. One of those abolitionists was William Wilberforce.
I will NEVER be impressed with Britain's weak attempts to acknowledge the part it played in supporting Slavery, and enrichment gained from The Transatlantic Slave Trade. Its gestures in kind amount to coppers in a tin, in comparison to the astronomical gains it had made over many centuries at the expense of my ancestors, as well as the ancestors of my fellow Black British Caribbeans, the ancestors of ethnic minorities in Britain not mentioned here, and never mind our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents etc.
What is much, much more important to me than the constant apologising farce, and the pretentious descriptive abhorrence of slavery, is the civilising of Britain's behaviour towards people who have the same melanin as me, whether they be very light, light, dark, or very dark in complexion, and whose customs are not familiar to it. Has it ever dawned on Britain that if you treat people who do not look like you, in terms of the predominant colour, in a civilised, and respectful manner, one might just get the same in return?
It is quite clear to me, a Nation is comfortable with the fact that it once ruled at least 90 per cent of the earth's surface, subjected the people of those colonised nations (which included the United States in the past), in order to steal what belongs to those nations by creating laws to effect the legality of its action. What it did not expect was to see the descendants of slaves of colonised or former colonised territories migrate to The Motherland, (please note that they were invited by either The Government of the day, and/or other entities), and compete with the indigenous population in its own space. As a result, it is hardly surprising that the very negative, entrenched, and endemic racist behaviour of that Nation is what it is to this day.
The Windrush Generation is very familiar with all of what I am saying here, but were also master, to a large extent, of giving back to their former coloniser much diplomatic flack, with class, and accompanied by a pleasant smile, while on British turf, when faced with racist opposition. Their diplomatic, non- violent psychology more often than not said:
Do not mess with us. We are not messing with you. We did not come to Britain to beg from you, nor interfere with your way of life, but only to work and build our lives. We know about Britain already from our experiences with it as the colonial ruler in our respective countries. Its people and administration could walk over some of us, and treat us anyway it wished, but do not try it with some of us here regardless of the fact that Britain belongs to you. We are immigrants, but we are not your doormat. Your colour is not an issue to us, as our colour is to you. You treat us with respect and that respect will be returned.
This position ran through my family as it did with many families led by Windrush Generation parents. Where my parents were concerned, the fact that I was born and raised in England was irrelevant, as they were well aware that the negative mindset of Britain as a whole towards them as immigrants, would be extended to me. Therefore, they saw to it that I was made fully aware of my position in England, and went about the business of ensuring that I understood who I am as a descendant of Jamaican stock, and be fully aware of Jamaican culture, customs and its indigenous Jamaican Creole language. More importantly, in their view, and according to their recall of colonial Jamaica, was my standard of speech, the use of the English Language, knowledge of British culture, customs, way of life, and that I should respect the United Kingdom at all times. However, my parents made it absolutely clear to me, that all of me did not belong to England nor to any other aspect of the United Kingdom, as the behaviour of Britain will treat me no differently to them when they lived on their island home of Jamaica under British colonial rule.
The success and contribution by The Windrush Generation to Britain's economic advancement since the 1950's and 1960's, was more than any compensation Britain could now give to the Caribbean Region, never mind to compensate for Slavery and The Transatlantic Slave Trade which affected The West Indies. If there is doubt regarding the authenticity of my argument, compare the proposed 'restorative justice' to the 'financial justice' paid out to the slave owners at the expense of the slave descendants, through taxation, I believe, and paid it all back with interest, I imagine, when the books were balanced in 2015. I do not have a problem being corrected here. Life is for learning.
This so-called new and revealing research, is not new. It has only been forced out into the open due to the unexpected Black Lives Matter Movement in protest at the death of George Floyd at the hands of U.S. Law enforcement.
What is being asked for by all descendants of slaves who have free will (as there are those who wish that free will, in that context, did not exist at all), is to be treated as human beings, to be respected, as a people, to be well educated, and be given a chance to be successful in life by simply being a human being. The wish is to be entitled to the right to life and well being, together with their culture and traditions, in harmony with, respect for, and to make a valuable contribution to Britain in whichever area is chosen. Britain is not asked to grant ANY favours, and to have that expectation may well be considered an insult.
Where will Britain lose with such an approach?
Remember, without Slavery, The Transatlantic Slave Trade, the slave ancestors on the plantations, and wherever else, Britain would have nothing.
To regard people of colour as inferior when compared to the indigenous members of Britain, but who can make, and have made, an excellent contribution to Britain's economic advancement, is to make one look a total fool. I understand there are still plenty of them going around in the U.K. today. Times have hardly changed, if any at all.
Dishing out honours to people of colour to beef up this so called inclusion, and diversity charade, will not change attitudes. It is the intrinsic, entrenched superiority complex, mindset and attitudes towards people of colour that, consciously, needs to change - if it wants to. Then again, I would not hold my breath on that happening.
I understand that Britain has its own slavery type history in the abuse of its own people historically, based on prejudice towards the lower social class, and the use of child labour. This aspect of Britain's history is not new to me, but it pales into insignificance when compared to the enduring and entrenched social and racial prejudice shown towards people of colour over many centuries.
Oh yes, and before you start, it is highly possible that people of colour were selling slaves who were people of colour too. I will not dispute that. There will always be those who will be 'blindfolded' and 'encouraged' to 'sell-out' their own. A highly controversial report published not too long ago proved that.
I am not undermining any aspect of British history. That is not my objective here. If a reader of this post can point out to me where non-black slaves were packed into a ship like sardines in a tin, defecating, urinating and whatever else right where they were during the transatlantic crossing known as The Middle Passage, sick and dying, then eventually chucked overboard when found dead, as a dead slave can bring no profit, I believe I would be in a better position to determine whether the so- called new found research can create any real heartfelt type of change towards race and its implications in the U.K. Right now, I see the elaborate project embarked upon by the renowned newspaper as a publicity stunt with a ticket to nowhere.
It is unfortunate, but the thinking of the past is extended today from - a dead black slave can bring no profit, to, a dead black 'slave' must make no profit to benefit him/herself. Highly controversial statements. Nevertheless, the high proportion of black lives lost in those countries which made its wealth on the backs of the slave ancestors of the black race, gives some credence to the statements. This mentality still exists within Britain, and in the mindset of its fellow European and North American friends, all of whom have a history of benefitting enormously, to this present day, from its historical involvement in Slavery and The Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Finally, (which will, no doubt, be a relief to many), it needs to be understood that positive racial and social attitudes are much more important than:
throwing money down to compensate for, and to put out of sight and out of mind, Britain's slave trade history,
producing reams of research which will change nothing, and its source will go no further than where it has been sitting quite comfortably for a century or more,
and,
creating spaces for the underrepresented who may still find themselves subject to inherent racist behaviour in a different form and fashion, as well as the everlasting race relations issues.
If the above is taken into consideration, and it is decided upon that respect for all, and by all, is the way forward regardless of colour, creed or culture, in the interest of all, at the end of the day it may be quite a surprise to find, that hostile attitudes to persistent racism, and negative social/racial behaviour in Britain, on both sides, may change.
You never know.
Anyway, l'll be a good sport, and not put any more of a damper on the effort by the renowned newspaper. I am looking forward to reading the research, the content of which, I believe, will not be new information to us descendants of slaves, with free will, in the slightest.
Let's wait and see how all this business will turn out.
Be good
Blessings and Peace
Grace
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