Rosy view of British past

David Collins writes, “There are many things in life that we must forget and move on, otherwise, as it have been proven, it will manifest itself for years to come.” (sic)

Mr Collins' gripe is that people have protested against the sickening behaviour of a racist police force in the USA and that the link was made with racism in the UK.

One key problem with forgetting everything and moving on though is that it leaves correspondents like Mr Collins to maintain a completely unrealistic and rosy view of the UK past and present. It is far easier for him to write of the UK as the first great thing amongst great things, as he has frequently done, if he totally ignores the actual history. The industrial revolution here was based on slavery which by the way was resisted by many ordinary people and slaves, “the mob”, at the time.

“Why were the problems not brought to the fore before?” He asks.

They were so a more relevant question would be why Mr Collins was not aware before, which rather makes the point about why such demonstrations are necessary.

Is it only statues of slavers Mr Collins feels need defending or does he think the crowds that tore down Stalin’s in Hungary, or the tank that pulled down Saddam Hussein in Iraq or the removal of Jimmy Saville’s (the long time Tory fundraiser) are also to be condemned?

Peter Smith

Woodside Avenue

Dr King's example

I wonder what Dr Martin Luther King would have made of all the protests worldwide concerning the tragic and appalling death of George Floyd?.

Would he have protested this terrible event-absolutely,would he have joined in with the lawless radical elements that so deliberately attacked the Police and left 50 officers injured..absolutely not.

Looking at the character of this great man I also do not believe he would have condoned the mob mentality that resulted in the statue of Edward Colston being dumped into the Bristol harbour.

He was a man who was better than that,who through the Bible in one hand and faith in his heart initiated a cosmic shift in the hearts and souls of Americans that reverberates to this day.

Yes,there is still much work to be done and the racial schism is,as we all can see, not yet healed,but his example is the one that we all could learn from and heed.

When I look at the ethos of the Black Lives Matter movement as a whole,I would question whether Dr Martin Luther King would stand with it,especially regarding it being in favour of dismembering the traditional family unit and its anti-Israel stance.He never forgot that it was the Jews in America who linked arms with Dr King as they marched for justice in the 1960's.

Finally I will leave you with these beautiful words of Dr Martin Luther King himself: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness,only light can do that-hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that"

That love can only be found in Jesus Christ who Dr Martin Luther King followed with all his heart,my earnest hope and prayer is that we all will follow his heart too.

Steve Jack

Parsonage Court

Highworth

Colston question

I can’t help wondering why all of a sudden the statue of Edward Colston in Bristol causes so much anger!

Black Artists/Singers etc have performed at the Colston Hall in the past, and over many years and have also been attended by Black and Ethnic people to enjoy the concerts! Why did Black artists consider Performing there?Why was Edward Colston not castigated then, when many mixed race people in the audience enjoyed the artists' performances together?

Chris Gleed

Proud Close

Purton