Glasgow has a number of street names, statues and heritage sites that have direct ties to transatlantic slavery and colonialism. Some of these can be found in the Story Map. How do you feel about people who have been complicit in transatlantic slavery being commemorated in street names, heritage sites or statues?
It would be good to learn about them and historically contextualise who they were and how they participated. The point isn't to make people feel bad but to uncover the roles that people played so that we can learn from past experiences. The statutes, as an example, didn't just appear. So having a fuller context around these and others would be helpful
These connections to slavery should be understood and known in order to properly know the city we live in. Merchants and tobacco lords became prominent and influential figures in Glaswegian society because of the wealth they made from their involvement in the transatlantic slave trade.
The purpose of statues is not to educate, it is to memorialise and show respect. The people in these statues are being commemorated for their position in Glaswegian society, which was gained as a result of their involvement in the transatlantic slave trade and the huge wealth they generated from it. These statues could be kept and framed within the context of the merchant's involvement in slavery, to educate people about Glasgow's ties to slavery.
Very angry. I was born and brught up in Glasgow and love my city, but I am ashamed of the many ways in which the city honours those who made their wealth through slave owning and trading. I believe a great deal can be learned from the ways in which Berlin has dealt with its Nazi past. When I visited that city a couple of years ago, I was very struck by the memorials and records informing and atoning for the city’s past, including an extensive exhibition in the public area of the Bundestag. At no time did the city consider retaining the names of Hitler and his associates on their street names and squares. Similarly, cities such as Budapest have removed the Soviet-era statues to one location with full information about their subjects. Glasgow would gain a great deal of respect as a progressive city by featuring truly inspirational men AND women in its public squares and central streets instead of so many reprehensible men with a toxic reputation.
Pointing out that the enslavers were men isn't misandry, although it's true that their wives were also complicit. We have so few statues of notable women of Glasgow. I would like to see more commemoration of that, like the Mary Barbour statue in Govan.
On its own its not, but when it is couched the way it was, it is. The commenter specifically mentioned "so many reprehensible men", while completely ignoring that women of the time shared many/all of the same views. Thus, misandrist.
I would absolutely support better exploration of Glasgow's notable women, that would be a far better use of the time, money and effort than this race grifting and divisive project.
yes, I agree regarding Berlin. I was also struck on my first visit by the city's openness about its past. It makes you feel different about the city...that it is modern and welcoming.
That’s the past, what about the Ottoman Empire
It would be good to learn about them and historically contextualise who they were and how they participated. The point isn't to make people feel bad but to uncover the roles that people played so that we can learn from past experiences. The statutes, as an example, didn't just appear. So having a fuller context around these and others would be helpful
These connections to slavery should be understood and known in order to properly know the city we live in. Merchants and tobacco lords became prominent and influential figures in Glaswegian society because of the wealth they made from their involvement in the transatlantic slave trade.
The purpose of statues is not to educate, it is to memorialise and show respect. The people in these statues are being commemorated for their position in Glaswegian society, which was gained as a result of their involvement in the transatlantic slave trade and the huge wealth they generated from it. These statues could be kept and framed within the context of the merchant's involvement in slavery, to educate people about Glasgow's ties to slavery.
Very angry. I was born and brught up in Glasgow and love my city, but I am ashamed of the many ways in which the city honours those who made their wealth through slave owning and trading. I believe a great deal can be learned from the ways in which Berlin has dealt with its Nazi past. When I visited that city a couple of years ago, I was very struck by the memorials and records informing and atoning for the city’s past, including an extensive exhibition in the public area of the Bundestag. At no time did the city consider retaining the names of Hitler and his associates on their street names and squares. Similarly, cities such as Budapest have removed the Soviet-era statues to one location with full information about their subjects. Glasgow would gain a great deal of respect as a progressive city by featuring truly inspirational men AND women in its public squares and central streets instead of so many reprehensible men with a toxic reputation.
A clever yet disingenuous example. What industrialised genocide and war and being involved in a world wide trade are not the same thing.
Your mask also slipped with the misandrist comment about men. Plenty of women were very much at peace with the slave trade and themselves had slaves.
Pointing out that the enslavers were men isn't misandry, although it's true that their wives were also complicit. We have so few statues of notable women of Glasgow. I would like to see more commemoration of that, like the Mary Barbour statue in Govan.
On its own its not, but when it is couched the way it was, it is. The commenter specifically mentioned "so many reprehensible men", while completely ignoring that women of the time shared many/all of the same views. Thus, misandrist.
I would absolutely support better exploration of Glasgow's notable women, that would be a far better use of the time, money and effort than this race grifting and divisive project.
yes, I agree regarding Berlin. I was also struck on my first visit by the city's openness about its past. It makes you feel different about the city...that it is modern and welcoming.
They should not be celebrated. Plenty more good things and deeds should replace the names, sites and statues.
Then don't celebrate them, but leave the historical statues and street names alone.
They should have no street names, heritage sites or statues. There's plenty of things to celebrate which can replace them.
Most of European history is connected, one way or another , to the slave trade. The Vikings took Scots as slaves. Is that being commemorated too?
I'd rather learn about positives
Changing the names of streets won’t change the past. Keep the street names but be open and learn the errors of the past
Recognise what happened and the role Scotland / Glasgow / they played in it