Jamaica prefers brits rule them

[David Johnson]

"You see, sometimes it's a case of better the devil you know.The fact of the matter is that country was better off as it was.Everyone knows it, some just won't admit it."

Dunno about you, Charles, but I really miss William the Conqueror.

What a diamond geezer. Country has never been the same since.

Cheers
D

[David Johnson]

Don't get me started on Julius Caesar. What a star he was. We've never had a straight road since he went. Have you travelled on the A5? Not a straight bit on it. Bet this road wasnt one of Julius's I said to myself while listening to Radio 5 Live and sucking a mint humbug.

[frankthring]

Having started this blog I have kept away from it while views to left and right
on imperialism and Jamaica in particular have dodged back and forth. I thank
you all for your opinions....
Historically, the worst and best in imperialism and Jamaican history is best
shown in the career of Edward John Eyre. A national hero in Australia, Eyre
was the first explorer to walk the continent from east to west and a national
highway is named in his honour. He was also an enlightened and much loved
Protector of Aborigines looking after their interests.
Fast forward 2 decades to 1870 and in Jamaica he is the great bogeyman -
"Hangman Eyre" who, as governor, suppressed the Morant Bay Rebellion
with extreme prejudice, lots of hangings and whippings. Brought before
Parliament to explain his actions, Eyre refused to say a word and spent the
rest of his life shuttered in a gloomy West Country mansion.
National hero and defender of natives in one place, vicious imperialist in
another - the dichotomy sums up the argument that will always swing around
imperialism in general.
Empires will always be, they ebb and sway, America`s is fading, China may
yet be a truly world one....
But all said and done, despite mistakes (like Eyre in 1870, Dyer at Amritsar
in 1919), the British Empire was more benign than most. As Nehru said on
Indian Independence Day, "thank you, we part as friends."

[bernard72]

Does anyone else feel a "Life of Brian" sketch coming on.