No one is talking about the musical pedigree of minstrelsy. Fact is, dressing up to mock another culture is racially offensive. That's why they took it off the telly. That's why some of the Americans here have said you could probably get arrested for doing this in the states. And that's why people like Cat, bless him, have become apologists for the practice (it was only ever about disguise, and the afro wigs were rainbow-coloured - course they were, love).

"cultural practices and artifacts related to or derived from minstrelsy are inappropriate and should be ended."

nope - just the bit where you dress up as a caricature of another racial group to belittle, stereotype and demean them. Umm, that would mainly be the offensive bit. Oh, and the songs which are racially offensive. You better hang on to those, too. But anything else, I'm good with. All your sources for the positive impacts of minstrelsy are just a smokescreen, because what we're talking about is specifically the BLACKING UP. That's the bit we're interrogating. I was specifically challenging the assertion that blacking up, in Padstow and elsewhwere, was not about indulging a racist pastime, but was a completely unrelated practice, to do with miners, and disguise. Now, there may well be some truth in that. But what there is also incontravertable evidence of is that, at some point, Darkie Day became associated with a different kind of blacking up - the kind that is a nasty, offensive racial stereotype. Now, once this becomes clear, the idea of perpetuating the practice of blacking up in 2007 has completely different sociopolitical overtones, and it's not just about the people of Padstow. it's about the wider context, and what we, as a SOCIETY, are prepared to tolerate.

Don't tell me it's none of my business because I don't live in Padstow. The traditions of this country belong to everyone. It's our cultural heritage, and it's one I want to be proud of.

"I would not introduce "blacking up" into anyone's school program - and noone has suggested it should be."

No, no one has - but that wasn't actually the question, was it? You've chosen deliberately to twist the question so that you don't have to answer it, and I can only presume that this is because you have no answer. Which is fine - but at least be honest.

Finally, can I ask you to keep your comments on topic, and not resort to personal insults and offensiveness. Thank you.