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“[…] India, in the 1990s, replaced the colonial names of its cities with their pre-colonial ancestral names. That country knows something about self-respect.
“Christopher Columbus’ three ships on our nation’s coat of arms is a veritable symbol of the genocide and brutal barbarism that was ushered into the Americas with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in our region. That symbol is equivalent to putting a Swastica symbol on an Israeli coat of arms…”
The following Letter to the Editor on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s proposed change to the Trinidad and Tobago Coat of Arms was submitted to Wired868 by Louis Williams of St Augustine:
(Copyright AP)
“We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery, for though others may free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind.” – Marcus Garvey
The use and display of symbols of the Nazi party is currently subject to legal restrictions in a number of countries, including Germany and Israel. Of course, there is no chance of the (Nazi) swastica symbol appearing on the coat of arms of Israel.
There are no statues or other monuments honouring anyone who was associated with the Nazi party in Germany. That sordid history must never be forgotten.
But, the authorities in both Germany and Israel recognise that the history books are where such matters ought to be addressed—that history ought to be taught in schools, and kept alive as well, among other things, through the discourse on mainstream and social media.
That position taken by Israel is only to be expected from a country whose citizens have self-respect.
Many countries in Europe, including certain Christian denominations, have apologised for the genocide and the brutal barbarism inflicted on the indigenous people of the Americas. And for arguably the worst crime ever against humanity as manifested by over 300 years of African slavery in the Americas.
Many of those countries have removed monuments and other symbols honouring the colonial authorities that administered that horrendous system.
The problem is that they are yet to put their money where their mouths are by way of reparations (like Germany to Israel). But, if we do not respect ourselves, how do we expect others to respect us?
India, in the 1990s, replaced the colonial names of its cities with their pre-colonial ancestral names. That country knows something about self-respect.
Christopher Columbus’ three ships on our nation’s coat of arms is a veritable symbol of the genocide and brutal barbarism that was ushered into the Americas with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in our region. That symbol is equivalent to putting a Swastica symbol on an Israeli coat of arms.
There would be riots on the streets of Tel Aviv if a lunatic political leader was ever to make such an absurd decision. Israelites know what self-respect means.
The removal of those three ships is long overdue. On a personal level the retention of such a symbol is akin to a woman keeping a treasured photograph of her rapist on her mantelpiece. Utter madness!
Even our former colonial masters have been removing such symbols in Europe, expressing their shame, horror and disgust for their past despicable actions.
It was the last remaining statue to Franco.
(Copyright Rafa Rivas/ AFP)
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If the symbols on the coat of arms are supposed to be indigenous elements…what was the basis for choosing Columbus’ ships in the first place?