"Besides which - I don't leave my humanity (much less my ethnicity) at the door when I go into a Folk Club;"

Sorry, I wasn't clear in my meaning. I'm not suggesting such songs are immune from criticism due to their ancient historical origins, but that folk clubs and in particular their *membership* exist in a *1960's* anachronistic bubble.

In the same way that I wouldn't bother telling my Grandfather off for using the term N*gger Brown, I see the folk club context as something almost 'alien' belonging to a generation who are fading out, and thus taking those kinds of songs (which will not be remembered apart from as examples of almost kitch or quaint forms of ignorance) with them.

You say you don't leave your humanity at the door. Well neither do I, I see these people in terms of a context. Not intrinsically racist, but examples of their time. One that is now, an anachronism. It's not for me to take it upon myself to wade in and 'enlighten'. Thus as you said yourself, you tolerated it. Which is in effect what I'm saying too, though with some qualifications as to *why* I might do so.