Richard, of course you are not racist. Of all the people I know you are one of the furthest from that description.

I do feel though that whilst your academic investigation of the roots of blackface, and your careful conclusions do not address the real issue of what people actually feel and nor does it address the overtly racist modern development of border morris. It also misses the overt public racism of some border morris practitioners, i.e. Their co.uk website.

If anyone seriously believes that blacking up creates only imagined sleight in the minds of white folk then they are free to come to my place in Lewisham in full make-up. I won't stand alongside you but I promise to call the ambulance for you.