Happy Commonwealth Day! 56 countries 2.7 billion citizens #Commonwealth - ThreadSky

northreflection.bsky.social • 2 days ago

Happy Commonwealth Day!
56 countries
2.7 billion citizens
#Commonwealth

Comments

as201020.bsky.social•2 days ago

What do you make of the nauseating celebration of Empire going on today? Rebranding it Commonwealth somewhat masks the history.

Millions of murders committed. Billions of people subjugated.
Trillions in wealth stolen.

The whitewash and gaslighting is incredible....

vieuxfox.bsky.social•2 days ago

Perhaps direct your anger at things happening today, a time that you may even understand.

as201020.bsky.social•1 day ago

Agreed I don't know as much as I should. I did History to GCSE level getting an A*. I know a lot more about the Tudors and Stuarts than I do Empire or Slavery. Funny that. It's almost like they had things to hide and wanted not to teach kids. Whitewash much?

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/29/revealed-bonfire-papers-empire

as201020.bsky.social•1 day ago

The more I learn the more horrifying it is. A lot of it happened in recent living memory.

In India Churchill is vilified for causing millions of deaths likened to Hitler. That was never mentioned in my history syllabus

They don't teach things like the Amritsar massacre which happened after WW1

vieuxfox.bsky.social•1 day ago

agreed but you are looking at these events from a 2025 perspective. There is so much wrong in today's society that you could actually do something about.

as201020.bsky.social•1 day ago

Was watching the BBC coverage yesterday and it was like the Royal wedding or something. Not really a respectful proper reflection of history so got wound up.

I've actually left corporate life in London a few months ago. Working for a charity in India and going set up my own in the coming months.

vieuxfox.bsky.social•1 day ago

I'm not disagreeing with the facts. I know about the monstrosities all empires have committed, I'm pointing out that you should focus your energy on the monstrosities of today, where maybe you can make a little difference (?) The 1950's are a lifetime away.

northreflection.bsky.social•2 days ago

The Commonwealth has a brutal history. There is no denying that. It is my understanding that these 56 countries with a common history are now trying to build a better future. Will they achieve it, we can only hope so.

chadcrichton.bsky.social•1 day ago

No nation is obliged to stay in the Commonwealth, it's an ENTIRELY voluntary organization.

In fact, Pakistan (1972) and the Maldives (2016) both left (though, they also both re-joined, Pakistan in 1989 and the Maldives in 2020).

as201020.bsky.social•1 day ago

Agreed in its current guise but it's a legacy/rebranding of Empire which killed and enslaved millions in fairly recent history. It was mainly Indians and Africans though. Funny that...I wonder why

After the bloodshed of WW1, they went on to do things like the Amritsar massacre for King and Country

c22majormajor.bsky.social•1 day ago

Attacking the evils of past Empire is no reason to attack the de-Empiring, voluntary organisation. This is, should be called, PROGRESS, GOOD PROGRESS.
Three chees for Good Progress

chadcrichton.bsky.social•1 day ago

My main point was mostly that almost every country that's ever voluntarily left the Commonwealth later voluntarily returned to the Commonwealth, which I think is telling.

c22majormajor.bsky.social•1 day ago

Agree
same with francaphonie

ryripreston.bsky.social•2 days ago

That's worth celebrating 🍾

ottawaphil.bsky.social•2 days ago

Happy Commonwealth day!

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply