I suspect, but don't know any more than you do, that most blacked up sides do it because of the fashion started by the Bedlams in the 70s and do not do it to offend.

Yes, I think we're all agreed on that.

Some here insist on believing it is either racist or done with intent to offend and will accept no other explanation.

No. It's a fact that blackface makeup has a racist history and racist connotations. What non-racist history does it have - 20 years of dancing, maybe 30 at the outside? What non-racist connotations does it have - "we do it like this because we like doing it like this"?

Going back to the swastika armbands, if punks were told they were dressing offensively, they could answer that the entire point of the look was to be offensive. Is the point of blackface to offend? If not, what is it?

And what is the problem with using a different colour?