Britain is as Bad ,or Worse than ,Israel: British Oppression

I wondered about him not apologising. I think I heard the reason was because the atrocities were not committed by this generation. But weren't the atrocities committed in the name of the state? And doesn't Charles represent the state? So any apology would not be a personal one but one on behalf of the state which does not change from one generation to the next but is a constant. He should have apologised and reparation should be made.

The difference between Isreal and Britain is era. I doubt that the British would be inclined to repress in this era except for in the most extreme circumstances. As to Isreal, whilst I understand their anger at the way Hamas attacked their people, I am horrified by the scale of destruction they are heaping on innocent people. I can understand them wanting to find the hostages but at the moment I can only see another generation of hate being spawned.

icanhandthemback

The difference between Isreal and Britain is era. I doubt that the British would be inclined to repress in this era except for in the most extreme circumstances. As to Isreal, whilst I understand their anger at the way Hamas attacked their people, I am horrified by the scale of destruction they are heaping on innocent people. I can understand them wanting to find the hostages but at the moment I can only see another generation of hate being spawned.

No we'd probably pass the responsibility on to someone else and avert our gaze. Much like we did with extraordinary rendition, Guantanamo Bay and torture.

If there is an apology demands for reparations will surely follow and the current taxpayers will be paying for what the State did or approved many years ago. That in my opinion is unfair on most of us. If there are reparations they should be limited to the descendants of those who benefited directly from colonial exploitation, not the ordinary working class taxpayer who did not inherit country houses and land, the proceeds of profits from Africa (or anywhere else).

I think he was right not to apologise in that way.It was a complicated conflict and wrong done by both sides.
What some countries want after an apology is really money
People involved in Kenya at that time are gone now.
How far back do people want to go with historical apologies?

Exactly, Oreo. Is any country able to claim a spotless past? We might demand apologies and reparation from descendents of Vikings, or from Italy, as Rome conquered Britain, and from France for the Norman Invasion. Nobody alive today should be carrying responsibility or guilt for events that took place before they were born. We know better so we do better, hopefully.

What I heard was that the king has to have the authorisation of the government to make an apology on behalf of the country.

I'm not in favour of apologising for events in history - how can you apologise for something you had no control over? It's a case of "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there."

However, I do think that we should accept that our forebears did things that we now know were wrong. Acknowledgement of that and reparations should be made as appropriate. Reparations shouldn't just be large sums of money handed over willy-nilly but should go to well-organised projects that help people.

We should now be trying to ensure that our attitudes are better and be teaching our children and grandchildren to behave with proper respect for others.

It is a strange situation for anyone whose ancestors were not here in the UK.
My family came from other countries and where they had their lives diminished.
They came to the UK for safety.

The past must be left behind. Britain has changed and I do not think reparations are still approperiate.

I agree with Oreo

How has Britain changed within the royal family? nothing seems to have changed in my lifetime as a serf

Well put Oreo.
Where would you put the time limit? Now you can trace your ancestry so far back, where would the reparation claims stop?

Glorianny

I wondered about him not apologising. I think I heard the reason was because the atrocities were not committed by this generation. But weren't the atrocities committed in the name of the state? And doesn't Charles represent the state? So any apology would not be a personal one but one on behalf of the state which does not change from one generation to the next but is a constant. He should have apologised and reparation should be made.

I don't think he should apologise, any wrongs done was by people long since dead. Do you know how much money we have paid out in aid, now I hear 38 billion going to Africa to help them develop AI. I do hope they watch how that money is spent. My DBinL has just returned from a visit to his his birth country, came back disgusted by the amount of corruption he saw going on, still. So no, we owe no one anything.

No, Britain isn’t wrong. Stop always doing your own country down.

Freya5

Glorianny

I wondered about him not apologising. I think I heard the reason was because the atrocities were not committed by this generation. But weren't the atrocities committed in the name of the state? And doesn't Charles represent the state? So any apology would not be a personal one but one on behalf of the state which does not change from one generation to the next but is a constant. He should have apologised and reparation should be made.

I don't think he should apologise, any wrongs done was by people long since dead. Do you know how much money we have paid out in aid, now I hear 38 billion going to Africa to help them develop AI. I do hope they watch how that money is spent. My DBinL has just returned from a visit to his his birth country, came back disgusted by the amount of corruption he saw going on, still. So no, we owe no one anything.

The amount given in aid is only a fraction of the amount Britain gained from Africa and the Africans. The corruption in administrations can in many cases be traced back to British colonial rule. There is never any justification for state sponsored torture and murder.

There is never any justification for state sponsored torture and murder.
I agree, though I’m not sure anyone has tried to justify it on this thread-please direct me to where that has happened if I missed it.

There is no justification for making people who have no part in past happenings pay for what their ancestors did, or even more important, pay for something that their ancestors had no part in.
However, who personally want to make reparation, despite having either no connection or what must be a remote connection with events in the past, should be allowed to do so.

If I disagreed with a countries past and present ethics as much as you do Glorianny I would relocate.

Mollygo

*There is never any justification for state sponsored torture and murder.*
I agree, though I’m not sure anyone has tried to justify it on this thread-please direct me to where that has happened if I missed it.

There is no justification for making people who have no part in past happenings pay for what their ancestors did, or even more important, pay for something that their ancestors had no part in.
However, who personally want to make reparation, despite having either no connection or what must be a remote connection with events in the past, should be allowed to do so.

There is no justification for making people who have no part in past happenings pay for what their ancestors did, or even more important, pay for something that their ancestors had no part in

I agree Mollygo
My ancestors were driven out of France, my friend was driven from Kenya where she was born.

Jewish people were driven from Palestine but perhaps that is too long ago for some posters to think that is relevant.

Just how far do we go back?

maddyone

No, Britain isn’t wrong. Stop always doing your own country down.

I really wonder why some posters still live on the UK when they hate it so much!!

I, and many others, are thankful that the UK gave sanctuary to us or our ancestors.

GrannyGravy13

If I disagreed with a countries past and present ethics as much as you do Glorianny I would relocate.

Well that's a great philosophy that has been held by most fascist governments. If you don't like what we do get out. I wonder how far you'd carry that GG13?

Oh, do not try to twist that, Glorianny!

There's a world of difference between being driven out of a country and leaving voluntarily because you dislikd its politics.

I suppose the idea that if people disagree with you they shouldn't be here is completely compatible with the view, that our ancestors did no wrong, and we don't benefit from their wrongs. It's just strange that people don't realise the connection. The roots of discrimination and colonisation are still buried deep in the national psyche

Callistemon21

Oh, do not try to twist that, Glorianny!

There's a world of difference between being driven out of a country and leaving voluntarily because you dislikd its politics.

There's a difference between politics and ethics Callistemon21

You are twisting it again.

You're forgetting free will.

Many have not had that choice, Jewish people for instance.

Glorianny my parents left the U.K. when they disagreed with the policies of the Government of the time.

They relocated to Europe, payed their taxes to that Country. My sibling was schooled from Primary through to Secondary and left with European qualifications.

I commuted between two Countries with children whilst working.

Nobody in my family is a fascist!