Take the politics out of folk music and you lose a whole chunk. Traditionally, those politics have been left
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you miss the point

not arguing that politics be taken out of the song content but that the community be open to all expressions from all people in a spirit of tolerance not dwelling on the individual messages but rather on the art of composition. I find it hard to believe that people can dismiss songs and song traditions just because of lyric content a relativly minor aspect of the whole. I find it easy to disregard the original purposes and messages of the lyrics. Sometimes it takes me several listens to figure out what the message is in the first place.
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Politics have been left because communities of left thinkers have excluded others and have dominated. We need to watch out for intolerance of any kind even if it comes from people we agree with. If we focus upon the universal ground of language construction, rhyme pattern and arrangement of notes we will not have such divisions which keep others from joining us in the appreciation of traditions of all kinds and achievements of song creators and keepers through the centuries.

For example- celtic music If you listen to the celtic folks has come down from thousands of years (many would disagree but many still hold this point of view) If so then the ancient Irish Songs were produced by head hunters and those owning slaves- now under standards expressed in this forum we would never wish to play ancient celtic music due to these negative associations.

If we did so that would be a great loss. So lets get over it for other traditions and make them welcome not as political forces but as creators of musical treasures.

Conrad