Everyone wants TV shows cancelled and statues pulled down
Or do they? If you had watched British news or read anything on the internet over the past two weeks, you’d probably believe this to be at least partially true.
Thousands of hours and words have been devoted to debates over whether television shows featuring blackface should be taken off streaming platforms, or whether a statue of Winston Churchill should be removed because he was a racist.
All of these conversations, despite varying in importance (yes, statues of slave owners probably shouldn’t still stand in Britain, and yes, blackface is wrong and should not be on TV shows) are a distraction from a simple fact.
Britain has spent weeks arguing about pulling down statues and banning TV shows.
All of this is a pointless culture war that doesn't make life better for anyone. pic.twitter.com/dqE6ZMpB9V
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) June 16, 2020
That fact is that on May 25, 2020 and African American man called George Floyd was killed by police in America. His death sparked a passionate reaction across the globe calling for an end to racism, police brutality, and the destruction of the racist structures that make up many of our societies.
These headline-grabbing stories about culture wars are interesting to discuss, but do little to affect real change, just as those in power want. It doesn’t make life better for anyone. But fighting for racial equality, as so many have done and still do, will.
