The Geeky Brit

As I previously mentioned the Queen is visiting the US for the first time in 16 years,

There have already been calls for her to apologize for the introduction of slavery and slaughter of American Indians.

Why is it that some people always seem to want to have modern leaders take responsibility for actions or events in history that are particularly distasteful.  I think this is a waste of energy.  History is full of grievous acts that have shaped our future, and made our countries and civilizations what they are today.  Appeasing our modern consciences by having our leaders apologize to us does not alter the fact that these events have occurred.

These events are as important as to who we are today, as those events in history we cherish.  Those horrible sections of history remind us how horrific we can actually be -and I think it is good to be reminded every so often.  We should never forget the terrible actions that Hitler and the Nazis took towards Jews in the Second World War.  We should never forget the terrible practice of international slavery that Britain introduced to the world.  We also need to remember the amazing efforts the Allied Powers went to defeat Nazi Germany, and the efforts of Wilberforce to outlaw the slave trade.

There are many thousands of events in British history that could warrant an apology from the monarch.  Should we generate a list and email to the Queen to review?  Or do we think she is already aware that as the worlds only super power in the 19th and the beginning  of the 20th century, Britain was guilty of many bad things. 

I certainly aren’t proud of these segments of British history, but I am proud that we took action to correct them.

Perhaps we need to just learn from history and move on….