The discussion group… where no discussion is tolerated

I was recently made aware of a little fracas on one of the various FaceBook Boer War ‘discussion’ sites. It would seem the problem, however, was that someone had dared to discuss a few of the more cherished Holy Cows of Boer War myth:



I have never met any of the gentlemen involved, but, as you can see, this chap has been excommunicated, seemingly for the unpardonable sins of:

1) pointing out that the invading Boers looted and pillaged their way through Natal – though completely true, this does not fit with the reinvention of them as the innocent victims of the piece

2) daring to state that the war started because the Boers invaded British territory – see above

3) presumably refuting the usual, self-serving, old bollocks of the British army ‘massing on the borders’ – in reality, no British troops were ‘massed on the borders’, but it is the sort of thing certain idiots like to claim in a desperate attempt to justify the Boer attacks

4) pointing out that the side which declares war, attacks and invades the other, is traditionally considered to be the aggressor – again, daring to bring up the inconvenient reality that the Boers started the war is not the done thing, at least according to Defenders of the Myth™

It would seem that even those who swear by them, are beginning to fear that their much-treasured myths simply cannot stand any sort of scrutiny, and therefore, in truly Orwellian fashion, no such discussion will be tolerated on this discussion group. Indeed, the True Believers™ have clearly realised their preferred version can only be kept limping along a bit longer by frantically ‘cancelling’ anyone who dares to point out that the Emperor is not wearing any clothes.

What a truly bizarre way to ‘study’ history.