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The Past is Past

The Past is a foreign country, they do things differently there.  That has  been my favourite quote since I first heard it about 50 years ago and it would do well for the world to take it on board. 

By knocking down statues, removing plaques and changing names of buildings it is trying to cleanse history.  Slavery happened, unfair justice systems happened, we can't change what happened .  All we can do is ensure that those practices don't happen now or in the future.  Keeping a statue of someone who may have had dubious opinions at a time when those opinions were normal is denying history and erasing memories.  It is like 1984.

In the States a group are trying to change the name of the John Wayne airport and remove his statue because in 1971 he said black people could be accepted when they were better educated.  Yes that is offensive to us now but not in 1971 when there was still outrageous racism in the States.  Instead of tearing down John Wayne's statue, erected in honour of his film career, they should be tackling the growing racism in today's world and they should start with their president.

I bought some cotton pads yesterday that one uses to take off make up.  The check out lady said, 'Aren't they just wonderful, the most amazing things?'  I looked around to see something amazing but no she really was talking about the cotton pads.

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