The Romans colonised the rest of Europe and England, and took slaves wherever they went, with a fine lack of racism: their slaves were African, Arab, Greek, French and German. Even fellow Romans could be slaves if they couldn’t pay their debts. The Barbary pirates raided American and European shipping in the Mediterranean to take and sell slaves, most of whom were white. Many were used as galley slaves rowing the galliots for their brown-skinned masters. I fail to see how this is any less evil than brown-skinned slaves being mistreated by white owners.

It is a logical fallacy, so I agree with Svetlana. She is clearly on the right side of this argument, Mr Whiteside.

If “The Scramble for Africa” sounds like hard work, try reading the “Master & Commander” series by Richard O’Brian, especially “The Commodore” which includes a mission to Africa to enforce the abolition of Slavery, by taking Slave Ships and releasing the slaves in Sierra Leone. It makes grim reading; slaves were treated like livestock or worse, and it was an evil trade. We at least agree on that.