Children, children sigh.I don't understand why the English (and I do mean English - the Welsh, Scots and Irish all respect their traditions) seem to be the only country in the world who deride and ridicule their own traditions rather than trying to understand and cherish them. Mr Rock knows not of what he speaks. The border tradition is the one usually associated with black faces as a disguise (as Chris says). My understanding is that the dances accompanied begging during the winter when farm labourers were out of work and the disguise was to avoid the shame of this. I have been to a muslim country with a border team and the locals recognised the black face for what it was - a mask to hide identity. They were not offended in the least. As to Mr Rock's other comments - has he ever seen more than one morris side?
I despair.