"When does a tradition become acceptable?"
I think this is an extremely relevant point
I thing when it out-lives its original purpose and when that purpose is no longer offensive.
We used to crowd into King George's Park every year to see the bonfire along with Catholics, Prods, Muslims, Jews.... none of them taking offence, or even being aware of why the ceremony started - a wonderful get-together for the people of Wandsworth.
Not sure whet would have happened if the feller in the fire had been the Pope - or a Traveller (the park was 200 yards away from London's oldest Traveller site.)
Burning the Pope would certainly help oil the wheels for a permanent settlement in Northern Ireland at this time, wouldn't it.
We have the effects of another good ol' traditional ceremony to cope with here in Ireland, come the second week in July - look forward to it no end!
I'm sure there are those who would be happy to turn up for some of the old-time traditional customs of bull-baiting or dog fighting - or paying their penny to taunt the 'lunatics' at Moorfields, were they allowed to.
Good-days, eh?
Jim Carroll