75th Anniversary of VJ Day

Good positive start. For the first time we saw with Prince Charles not the usual 'white skinned' soldiers who fought on our behalf. With the backdrop of BLM may be, it was good to see and hear of the bravery and sacrifices of All the soldiers of all colours from the UK, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Yes, they were not just white soldiers who fought and laid down their lives in both wars, many thousands of them from the colonial countries of the Commonwealth.

Now we need to build on this, and begin to educate our children in particular and adults too, who need to know and acknowledge the unedited, unvarnished facts the past. These facts and stories need to be told and retold in schools, institutions and in the media as a whole, to consolidate these truths thereby begin to help remove the stain of racism. We need to be prepared for the long haul, for truth removes fears, truth minimises prejudice, truth enhances love and respect, truth builds strength in individuals, society and country. There is no need for half-truths and lies, no need for arrogance and superiority. Yes, good to be patriotic but no need for nationalism.

We always have been a decent nation with decent values and a decent outlook. So now we need to grasp this opportunity to build, to embrace the realities that we are presented with, be brave and honest going forward. The key is education, begin with our children share with them the truths of our past, good and bad, educate our institutions with honest leadership, encourage and insist of the political classes and the royalty to be truthful and transparent.

We need to grab this opportunity for all of us to think, speak and act with integrity and honesty and not keep having reviews after reviews, legislation on how to behave decently and respectfully, with our our fellow humans.