Would a black morris man have to wear white face paint for the same reason?
Do you know, I bet it’s never come up.

My father is foreman of the Welsh Border Morris Men (“beware pale imitations”). His brother in law is very much of Afro-Caribbean decent. My father has on many occasions encouraged him to “white up”. However because he is a trendy London type he told my dad to folk off.

It’s odd that frequently it’s white people getting all offended on behalf of those who, more often than not, really couldn’t give a shit.
Which is patronising and condescending, and offensive in itself.
It’s implying that other races are incapable of working out for themselves whether something is actually offensive or racist, or whatever, and that they quite possibly don’t have a sense of humour; one of the members of my brother’s bike club dressed up in KKK gear for one of their bash parties – he’s black.
I wonder how many white Guardian readers would get offended by his actions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwarte_Piet

This all sounds a bit familiar, it’s the same discussions.

It’s odd that frequently it’s white people getting all offended on behalf of those who, more often than not, really couldn’t give a shit.

I ask myself would the place be better without a lot of contentious events (take your pick: blacked-up morris, hunting, shooting, corridas, grand national) taking place? I tend to think probably not, but then some people like prairies and that glowing warmth of being puritanical and scoring points en route. Middle class violence.
For ‘taking offence’, read ‘self-righteous bullying’.

that glowing warmth of being puritanical and scoring points en route. Middle class violence. For ‘taking offence’, read ‘self-righteous bullying’.

This is roughly what I imagine the debate was like when they started letting women join in / started getting bullied by women…

It’s odd that frequently it’s white people getting all offended on behalf of those who, more often than not, really couldn’t give a shit.

Thats bollocks you really think, that in the main,black people don’t object to white folk “backing up”. WHat next women dont really mind sexism its just men pretending on their behalf.

That some folk can empathise is no real reason to mock them.

TBH its always surprising to see how many of the folk on here are stuck in the 70’s and mocking those who challenge the gentle racism of a bygone time

TBH its always surprising to see how many of the folk on here are stuck in the 70’s and mocking those who challenge the gentle racism of a bygone time

yes and it’s a bigger issue than ‘political correctness’ IMO. Incorporating, but not limited to –

– should the almost completely white folk scene try to entice a wider audience, and if so is blackface compatible with that?

– is folk music/dance a living breathing culture that responds to changing times, or is it a historical document that simply echoes a bygone age and must never change?

– in an increasingly diverse society, are we ok with examples of the dominant culture dressing up as / perhaps mimicking the minority cultures for the lolz (as a cultural precedent/direction, not just based on whether person X happens to be offended or not)?

– etc etc

it’s part of a fairly big issue, and I don’t think that reducing it to a question of either common sense vs. bedwetting do-gooders or common sense vs. backwards middle England really pushes the debate forwards all that much

The complaint originated from one ‘Jonathan Hyams’ representing something called ‘Fresh’. who are they? The 70s and 80s were characterised by many people campaigning against the NF, supporting the Anti-Nazi League and RAR, a much less comfortable experience than churning out patronising comments on the net about ‘bygone ages’. Any of your friends get prison for their views and activities?

???

I did my turn on the front line of anti racism thanks for asking – did you – were you blacked up for the laugh?

……patronising comments on the net about ‘bygone ages’.

Good point.

Lenny Henry thought appearing on The Black and White Minstrel Show was funny.

Mind you he regrets it now :

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/lenny-henry-admits-regrets-over-6311582

So perhaps not such a good point after all.

There were some soldiers out on Hankley the other day with faces like the Morrris Dancers in the photos ^ and for the same reason – albeit practical not traditional. Really offensive but they had guns so we didn’t challenge them. Just rode off shaking our heads