Commonwealth leaders to defy UK on slavery reparations

[UndercoverElephant]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd6vy79p750o

Commonwealth heads of government are preparing to defy the United Kingdom and agree plans to examine reparatory justice for the transatlantic slave trade, the BBC has learned.

Downing Street insists the issue is not on the agenda for the summit of 56 Commonwealth countries, which begins in the Pacific island nation of Samoa on Friday.

But diplomatic sources said officials were negotiating an agreement to conduct further research and begin a “meaningful conversation” about an issue which could potentially leave the UK owing billions of pounds in reparations.

Maybe the beginning of the end of the Commonwealth. In terms of the actually politics, it is totally absurd. There is absolutely no way that the UK or any other European country which once had an empire is ever going to pay "reparations" for the slave trade, the effects of climate change, or anything else. Maybe this all needs to be made clear to people. Starmer has no choice but to say "No. Not now. Not ever." and keep repeating that until the people making these demands acknowledge that the demands themselves were never anything but empty political posturing. It's almost a kind of name-calling, or public shaming ritual. UK BAD. White people BAD. Colonialism BAD. Feel guilt. Acknowledge your shame: give us loads of money!

[Forever_Winter]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd6vy79p750o

Commonwealth heads of government are preparing to defy the United Kingdom and agree plans to examine reparatory justice for the transatlantic slave trade, the BBC has learned.

Downing Street insists the issue is not on the agenda for the summit of 56 Commonwealth countries, which begins in the Pacific island nation of Samoa on Friday.

But diplomatic sources said officials were negotiating an agreement to conduct further research and begin a “meaningful conversation” about an issue which could potentially leave the UK owing billions of pounds in reparations.

Maybe the beginning of the end of the Commonwealth. In terms of the actually politics, it is totally absurd. There is absolutely no way that the UK or any other European country which once had an empire is ever going to pay "reparations" for the slave trade, the effects of climate change, or anything else. Maybe this all needs to be made clear to people. Starmer has no choice but to say "No. Not now. Not ever." and keep repeating that until the people making these demands acknowledge that the demands themselves were never anything but empty political posturing. It's almost a kind of name-calling, or public shaming ritual. UK BAD. White people BAD. Colonialism BAD. Feel guilt. Acknowledge your shame: give us loads of money!

I was just about to post on this and you beat me to it. What about all the 'people of colour' who have benefitted from the benefits of living in the UK and other similar countries? It's a bit like asking the Italians to atone for their former Roman empire? Also, some of these countries are cozying up to countries like China - anything we paid out would no doubt find it going to go missing somewhere......

[mr brightside]

Commonwealth heads of government are preparing to defy the United Kingdom and agree plans to examine reparatory justice for the transatlantic slave trade, the BBC has learned.

What about the barbary slave trade? Is the UK Govt going to be examining 'reparatory justice' on behalf of all the Cornish villagers who ended up hung from the walls of African desert cities? Of course not, those affected by the barbary slave trade have just forgiven it and moved on. IIRC the barbary slave trade predates the african-american slave trade.

[UndercoverElephant]

Commonwealth heads of government are preparing to defy the United Kingdom and agree plans to examine reparatory justice for the transatlantic slave trade, the BBC has learned.

What about the barbary slave trade? Is the UK Govt going to be examining 'reparatory justice' on behalf of all the Cornish villagers who ended up hung from the walls of African desert cities? Of course not, those affected by the barbary slave trade have just forgiven it and moved on. IIRC the barbary slave trade predates the african-american slave trade.

Slavery is (literally) as old as civilisation, and was always directly associated with conquest and empire. Being conquered was one way to end up enslaved, going bankrupt was the other. The whole history of humanity is a history of injustice. The idea that all of this injustice can somehow be put right is nothing short of idiotic. It is a prime example of what happens if you try to put morality before realism.