Gingersnap
10-02-2009, 11:17 AM
Michael Palin: Britons should stop apologising for their colonial past and be proud of our Empire's achievements
By Neil Sears
Last updated at 8:38 AM on 02nd October 2009
Britain should stop apologising for its colonial past, Michael Palin has declared. The travel show presenter and former Monty Python star said we should instead remember the good that arose from Britain's days at the helm of a global empire.
Palin's feelings are in contrast to the tendency of modern politicians to bend over backwards to apologise for Britain's imperial past. The former Monty Python star said we should remember the good that arose from Britain's days at the helm of a global empire.
In 1997 Tony Blair apologised for the 19th century Irish potato famine and three years ago he expressed 'deep sorrow and regret' for Britain's involvement in the slave trade. Palin, however, told Geographical magazine that we should stop fixating on what are now perceived to be crimes in the distant past.
The TV star said: 'If we say that all of our past involvement with the world was bad and wicked and wrong, I think we're doing ourselves a great disservice. 'It has set up lines of communication between people that are still very strong.
'We still have links with other countries - culturally, politically and socially - that, perhaps, we shouldn't forget.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1217472/Michael-Palin-urges-Britain-stop-apologising-colonial-past.html#ixzz0Sn9Wq1SM
Finally, somebody says what everybody else is thinking.
By Neil Sears
Last updated at 8:38 AM on 02nd October 2009
Britain should stop apologising for its colonial past, Michael Palin has declared. The travel show presenter and former Monty Python star said we should instead remember the good that arose from Britain's days at the helm of a global empire.
Palin's feelings are in contrast to the tendency of modern politicians to bend over backwards to apologise for Britain's imperial past. The former Monty Python star said we should remember the good that arose from Britain's days at the helm of a global empire.
In 1997 Tony Blair apologised for the 19th century Irish potato famine and three years ago he expressed 'deep sorrow and regret' for Britain's involvement in the slave trade. Palin, however, told Geographical magazine that we should stop fixating on what are now perceived to be crimes in the distant past.
The TV star said: 'If we say that all of our past involvement with the world was bad and wicked and wrong, I think we're doing ourselves a great disservice. 'It has set up lines of communication between people that are still very strong.
'We still have links with other countries - culturally, politically and socially - that, perhaps, we shouldn't forget.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1217472/Michael-Palin-urges-Britain-stop-apologising-colonial-past.html#ixzz0Sn9Wq1SM
Finally, somebody says what everybody else is thinking.