Letter: Black Lives Matter highlights issues that cannot be ignored

It is a global, multi-racial, multi-generational movement, that seeks a better understanding of our shared history and heritage.Black Lives Matter isn’t wicked or malicious, nor is it a left-wing movement that wants to shut down debate. Quite the opposite.

I think there can be no denying that, as nations, we Europeans have many skeletons in our collective cupboards.The English, French, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Belgians, Germans and Italians invaded, pillaged and enslaved much of Africa, India and the Far East.We effectively robbed these people of their land, mineral wealth, culture, history and freedom. Some may not agree with this interpretation of events, but if we take one step back from the colonial interpretation of history that we all grew up with, we can see that there is some truth in this.History is written by the victors and the cause of the black and disadvantaged has gone largely unrecorded and unnoticed down the years.The Black Lives Matter movement seeks to rectify this and, in this context, the toppling of a few statues of slave owners seems to be a small price to pay.

No one doubts that White Lives Matter: that is patently obvious.However, the recent Windrush scandal, together with the disproportionate numbers of BAME victims of the Covid-19 virus, remind us that there remains a racial imbalance within society.Some of our history is challenging and shameful but we should not blind ourselves to its reality.Black Lives Matter is a stepping stone to us meeting our collective past, warts and all.I believe that all of us need to walk that path.

Ed Runham, by email

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