Ah, there is nothing so amusing as social critic defending his own traditions. Of course, blackface is offensive to black people. The "tradition" may or may not be malicious but it is not their tradition. We faced this same situation in Philadelphia where we have held a Mummers Day Parade every New Years Day for centuries (The practice originated with the Romans, by the way). When these traditions began, America and England were not the pluralistic states they have become. The dominant ethnicity (white, protestant) was free to say whatever it wished to about other peoples without fear of offending. So, in the USA, we had Minstral Shows, Wild West Shows and the like. We still call the NFL team in our capitol, the Redskins, and we pretend that we don't mean any offense by it. OH, every once in a while, some sourpuss tribe complains but we don't pay 'em no mind. After all, we have tradition on our side.