Let’s open a Hall of Shame for the wicked
ALL Lives Matter is an important belief to hold, particularly regarding today’s downtrodden, the abused, the hungry, the deprived and homeless and stateless whatever one’s origins or background.
The list is very long.
About a decade ago the monument to Colonel Picton in Carmarthen was dismantled, as its base had become unsafe. It was stored for rebuilding at a lesser height, which was later done at some considerable cost.
At that time I wrote to a few prominent Carmarthen councillors suggesting it should not be returned in situ, as it was a gesture of idolising a powerful man who had so cruelly abused slaves.
My communication then was ignored.
Either they revered Picton then, or simply would not take an advice suggestion from me, a Swansea Jack.
I think the appropriate thing to do now is to place solid, secure, but modestly costed plaques at the bases of all such statues and works of art and monuments, that due to ignorance at the time of their placing, glorified known slave traders and slave owners and other despots, explaining their evils.
The plaques should be headed as dedications of shame to these evil people, prominently dedicated to a National Hall of Shame.
Our future generations should know the historic truth.
Why waste time and money now on removing them at public cost to some corner of local museums or galleries?
Let them stand for eternity proclaiming their shameful evil deeds. I Richard Craigcefnparc, Swansea