The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #155810   Message #3669167
Posted By: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
14-Oct-14 - 07:00 PM
Thread Name: Black-faced Morris dancers
Subject: RE: Black-faced Morris dancers
Yes, being objective, the black face makeup in the Cameron photo does look very 'good';
in the sense of a disconcerting other worldly theatrical masked persona.

I like the look of it.

But, in a modern Britain of over-reactive social media
and oportunistic scandal & confrontation driven news journalism agendas;
is it really worth it for a bunch of old time dance hobbyists,
braving all the inevitable disdain and aggro to be expected from 'blacking up' in public ???

Even if it is not the concious intention, 'blacking up' is very likely to be widely received
and perceived as an act of overt rectionary provocation.

Yeah, let them carry on fighting for their right to freedom of cultural expresion.
Yeah, why not...

Why should morris be forced to make concessions to us hairbrained lefty 'PC brigade'.

Yeah let them be as stubborn as they like.
They are all grown ups,
they can accept total responsibility for how they portray themeslves in full public view
to a baffled multicultural populace.

It's not as though traditional British folk customs are being at all
appropriated as an inspirational rallying cause for the E*L & B*P....??????