[Tom4784]

Black Country flag ‘offensive and insensitive' says leading racism campaigner

Political activist Patrick Vernon OBE described the flag as ‘offensive and insensitive’ and said its chains were a ‘disturbing’ image of an industry that profited from the transatlantic slave trade and colonial rule in Africa.

His comments - today dismissed as ‘political correctness garbage’ - came as thousands of people celebrated the region’s history over the weekend in The Black Country Festival and Cradley Heath’s Women’s Chainmakers’ Festival.

Annual Black Country Day celebrations take place tomorrow.

Mr Vernon, who grew up in All Saints, Wolverhampton, and is a former London Labour councillor, said the Black Country had shied away from addressing the role its industries played in slavery and that community leaders were trying to ‘pretend it never happened’. “The chain being used as a symbol in the flag is insensitive,” he said. “Shackles and manacles that were made by chainmakers in the Black Country were used to incarcerate slaves in North America, on plantations and in colonial Africa.

“The chain is not a swastika or a Confederate flag but it is offensive. While I am in support of the festival and think it is a great idea, the Black Country has never done anything to acknowledge that slavery was key to its economic rise. This is not political correctness, it is the truth. You can’t pick and choose bits of your history, they are interlinked. There needs to be a re-interpretation and leaders cannot pretend it never happened.

“It was not just the slaves who were oppressed by chainmaking, there was the women – the white slaves of Cradley Heath – and the working classes who were oppressed by the rich foundry owners. The chain is a symbol of their oppression too.”

The flag was designed two years ago by schoolgirl Gracie Sheppard, now aged 14, who attends Redhill Secondary School in Stourbridge, in a competition by the Black Country Living Museum. The chains represent its chainmaking and industrial heritage while the red, and black colours on the flag are a reference to the description of the Black Country by Elihu Burritt, who said it was ‘black by day and red by night’. The white cone shape represents the area’s glassmaking industry.

Thousands of flags have been sold since its launch and have been spotted at England football matches, Glastonbury Festival and at the former British Armed Force’s base in Afghanistan, Camp Bastion.

Mr Vernon’s comments have caused outrage among MPs and top councillors on the eve of Black Country Day tomorrow.

Dudley North Labour MP Ian Austin said: “This is ridiculous nonsense. The Black Country Festival brings everyone from our diverse communities together. If he had come to Stone Street Square this weekend he would have seen people off all races and backgrounds enjoying the fun. It was an example of what makes our society something to celebrate.”

Dudley South Conservative MP Mike Wood added: “While we need to be sensitive, we should not be trying to re-write history. Chainmaking is part of our identity and industrial heritage. It is a history we should be proud of, not one we should be running away from.”

West Midlands UKIP MEP Bill Etheridge, who posed with the flag in the European Parliament in Brussels with most of his party colleagues last week, said: “This is political correctness garbage. The chains represent the chains built for the Titanic and in that spirit, Mr Vernon’s comments should be condemned to the bottom of the ocean.”

And former Mayor of Walsall Pete Smith said: “Chainmaking in the Black Country is world famous. It is part of our history. There may be parts of our history we are not proud of but to say the chains are offensive is far-fetched.”

Black Country Festival organiser Steve Edwards said: “The truth is, there is no offence intended to white people or black people in the flag design because like the flag, the festival is for everyone. We live in a proud multicultural society.”

Mr Vernon, aged 54, was made an OBE in 2012 for his work in tackling health inequality and supporting black and ethnic minority communities. In 2010, The Vernon Hall at The Chalkhill Health and Community Centre was named in recognition of his work in Brent. He said other cities like London, Bristol and Liverpool had publicly recognised their roles in the slave trade and that he would like to work with festival organisers and the Black Country Living Museum on educational programmes about the Black Country and the slave trade.

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2...sm-campaigner/

I could POTENTIALLY understand where he was coming from if the flag was from that era and stood for it ala the Confederate flag but it's something that's quite new and it's design choices have clearly been explained and justified. I think the whole point about shaming the Black Country for the chains used in Slavery ships is silly as well. Should we shame the counties that built boats too? How about the ones that provided supplies? The food? It's ridiculous.

The whole thing reeks of self promotion tbh.

[arista]

He has a Point
Its a Flag - So Change it
tell them why

[Marsh.]

PC gone mad. Yet again.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

PC gone mad. Yet again.

But we have gone over that line


Now Everything
is going to be Exposed.

Soon Outside PC Police will enter Tibb
and try and take some of us down

[LeatherTrumpet]

I have always hated bricks

Did you know the gas chambers of Germany were brick built



Essentially if you live in a brick built house you are a Nazi sympathiser

Also i don't ever use a knife, just a fork for me as ISIS use knives to decapitate people

If you use a knife to spread butter you are effectively a filthy IS State supporter

Its actually vile and disgusten

[Ammi]

The flag was designed two years ago by schoolgirl Gracie Sheppard, now aged 14, who attends Redhill Secondary School in Stourbridge, in a competition by the Black Country Living Museum. The chains represent its chainmaking and industrial heritage while the red, and black colours on the flag are a reference to the description of the Black Country by Elihu Burritt, who said it was ‘black by day and red by night’. The white cone shape represents the area’s glassmaking industry.


....hmmm, I agree with Dezzy, this is a recently designed flag and with no representation of slavery in it, it was designed by a 14yr old child...it's a difficult one though I think because I also don't think that it's PC gone mad either, in fact I hate that expression because it's just used so often to dismiss so much as nothing, when in fact it isn't always nothing at all...I can understand why he's sensitive to it, although I think in this case it's misplaced, but I do still see his sensitivity ...I think that you only have to watch things like the KKK documentary last night to see how much black oppression and prejudice are still very much alive and kicking and totally not a thing of 'history' at all...

[arista]

Originally Posted by Ammi

The flag was designed two years ago by schoolgirl Gracie Sheppard, now aged 14, who attends Redhill Secondary School in Stourbridge, in a competition by the Black Country Living Museum. The chains represent its chainmaking and industrial heritage while the red, and black colours on the flag are a reference to the description of the Black Country by Elihu Burritt, who said it was ‘black by day and red by night’. The white cone shape represents the area’s glassmaking industry.


....hmmm, I agree with Dezzy, this is a recently designed flag and with no representation of slavery in it, it was designed by a 14yr old child...it's a difficult one though I think because I also don't think that it's PC gone mad either, in fact I hate that expression because it's just used so often to dismiss so much as nothing, when in fact it isn't always nothing at all...I can understand why he's sensitive to it, although I think in this case it's misplaced, but I do still see his sensitivity ...I think that you only have to watch things like the KKK documentary last night to see how much black oppression and prejudice are still very much alive and kicking and totally not a thing of 'history' at all...

But can it not get a Remix?

[arista]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

I have always hated bricks

Did you know the gas chambers of Germany were brick built



Essentially if you live in a brick built house you are a Nazi sympathiser

Also i don't ever use a knife, just a fork for me as ISIS use knives to decapitate people

If you use a knife to spread butter you are effectively a filthy IS State supporter

Its actually vile and disgusten

I love Bricks
they Build so much
they are special to me.


And Bricks were around long before the Nazi's used them,

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by arista

But can it not get a Remix?

...sorry I don't understand Arsta..?../but I have to go now, you have a good day sir...

[arista]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...sorry I don't understand Arsta..?../but I have to go now, you have a good day sir...

Re -Design the Flag

[jennyjuniper]

Anyone anywhere can take offence at something meant to be unoffensive.It's time to stop pandering to political correctness and giving in, everytime some numpty utters the racist word.

[arista]

Originally Posted by jennyjuniper

Anyone anywhere can take offence at something meant to be unoffensive.It's time to stop pandering to political correctness and giving in, everytime some numpty utters the racist word.

Its the Chains



This from the TV series "Roots" 1977


It should be shown again on BBC1

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by arista

Its the Chains



This from the TV series "Roots" 1977


It should be shown again on BBC1

kun ta Kinte!

I loved Roots

[arista]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

kun ta Kinte!

I loved Roots

Yes its on DVD
Great Music

[arista]

[Ninastar]

No

[LeatherTrumpet]

calling a place The Black Country

now that is racist

[Moosething]

Roots!
I remember watching an episode every History lesson

[arista]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

calling a place The Black Country

now that is racist

But it goes back to before Africa
mattered

[Livia]

Was slavery the only thing for which these chains were used? No. They were used in every section of industry. Mr Vernon needs to find another hobby horse because this one is ridiculous. Furthermore, I would remind Mr Vernon that although this country has a shameful history regarding slavery, this country was also instrumental in bringing about an end to slavery, thanks to people like William Wilberforce.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Livia

Was slavery the only thing for which these chains were used? No. They were used in every section of industry. Mr Vernon needs to find another hobby horse because this one is ridiculous. Furthermore, I would remind Mr Vernon that although this country has a shameful history regarding slavery, this country was also instrumental in bringing about an end to slavery, thanks to people like William Wilberforce.

Yes Chains are used in everything
even Motor Bikes

I assume its his own anger he feels
alone.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by arista

Yes Chains are used in everything
even Motor Bikes

I assume its his own anger he feels
alone.

Ne needs to get over it. You can't blame this generation for the sins of the father.

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

kun ta Kinte!

I loved Roots

aka Toby.

[Kizzy]

So much for never forget... but surely chains have other uses also, the depiction as representative of the town which manufacture these chains was designed by a child and has no malice?