How far do we go?

Remember the abhorrence we expressed towards Isis and its desecration and destruction of monuments that did not accord with its views along with its enslavement of others.

How should we now view the cradles of civilisation be they Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, China, Greeks and Romans which were all sustained by slavery.

We revere the ancient Greeks and their philosophers and the birth of democracy. One of the greats was Aristotle who extolled the natural virtues of slavery. Do we now destroy all that associated with these ancient errant civilisations?

Then we come to the European colonisers who specifically set out to claim possession of other people’s property and in the process generally enslave their peoples. Predominant among them was of course that Great British Empire.

As to slavery, we might even consider New Zealand’s part in blackbirding, the slave trade involving various Pacific Islanders transported to Queensland, South America and other places. Last but not least our own Māori society with a history that involved conquest over others, taking of hostages to become slaves or enjoyed by other means.

Do we now obliterate all uncomfortable connections? We cannot change the past — we should learn from it and set out to enhance the future for all of us.

John Simons, Orewa.