"Blacked up" Morris dancers forced to flee during performance

[littlebabyjesus]

Not seen a single poster saying they think it should be banned.

 

[redsquirrel]

Good job no one on this thread has talked about boycotting/banning it then isn't it, oh great scientist.

 

[Pickman's model]

Not seen a single poster saying they think it should be banned.

So when you say you think they should stop doing it you think they should stop doing it on the basis you think they should stop doing it, rather than by persuasion.

 

[mather]

It's all good to say it's custom and traditional, but if it causes people doing it to be attacked I for one would be taking a serious look at modernising the performance. Hopefully to allow enjoyment by all.

Why should the onus be on them rather than the thugs who attacked these people. Is this what has come to, people get attacked by those who cannot act in a reasonable and civilised manner for doing no wrong whatsoever, let alone actual harm, yet some then say that those who were attacked are the ones who need to ditch their culture and change their ways. The Morris dancers tried to explain the context to these thugs but they continued to attack them regardless, most likely they were looking for a fight and this nonsense about them getting offended was just a convenient fig leaf for them to attack them.

 

[redsquirrel]

That's a terrible argument, it buys into the same political multiculturalism that has been so damaging, that because this is someones culture it must not be criticised.

Of course the physical attacks were wrong and probably counterproductive, no one has said otherwise.

 

[two sheds]

perhaps they could incorporate the chasing off into the distance at the end into the tradition.

 

[Gromit]

perhaps they could incorporate the chasing off into the distance at the end into the tradition.

Reminds me of a Prachett piece on tradition:

The Bledlows or "lobsters" are the policemen of the Unseen University. They are mostly former watchmen and soldiers, heavy-set and have quite a good turn of speed for their age. Like watchmen everywhere, they believe in the universal guilt of everybody -- in their case, the students.
They have a time-honoured and arcane ceremony at two in the morning which is akin to the Changing of the Guards in other cities of the Multiverse, only louder and more obtrusive, involving the Patting of the Pockets, the I'll Swear They Were Here This Morning, and the Stone Me, They Were Here All Along, and ending with the signing-over of keys between the incoming and outgoing porters. Attempts to get them to turn the volume down a bit are regarded as gross insults from people, who while they might know the value of a good night's sleep, have no respect for deeper values such as Tradition.

 

[seventh bullet]

Eh?

The anarkids in your pic. You don't take that shit seriously I hope.

 

[brogdale]

The anarkids in your pic. You don't take that shit seriously I hope.

Oh, I see...you saw the picture as an opportunity to take a pop at young people's direct action.
I was saying that face covering to avoid recognition can be done without any question of racist under (over) tones.

 

[seventh bullet]

Oh, I see...you saw the picture as an opportunity to take a pop at young people's direct action.
I was saying that face covering to avoid recognition can be done without any question of racist under (over) tones.

Taking a pop at 'direct action.' Please.

 

[brogdale]

Taking a pop at 'direct action.' Please.

OK, why don't you say what you were up to; I was responding to the OP about face covering.
This is odd.

 

[seventh bullet]

OK, why don't you say what you were up to; I was responding to the OP about face covering.
This is odd.

It was a passing comment on the pic. What was I up to?

 

[brogdale]

It was a passing comment on the pic. What was I up to?

OK; I was just a bit surprised to see such a socially conservative (off thread) comment; how would you prefer such young people to behave?

 

[seventh bullet]

OK; I was just a bit surprised to see such a socially conservative (off thread) comment; how would you prefer such young people to behave?

Socially conservative?

 

[brogdale]

Socially conservative?

It wasn't?

 

[seventh bullet]

I'm quite sure that out of a flippant remark there's a serious comment to be made about the class composition of your yoot who predominate in such activity and the dangers the police generally pose to people from, let's say, other backgrounds. But that's for another thread perhaps. Also, please do carry on making me out to be a curtain twitcher.

 

[brogdale]

I'm quite sure that out of a flippant remark there's a serious comment to be made about the class composition of your yoot who predominate in such activity and the dangers the police generally pose to people from, let's say, other backgrounds. But that's for another thread perhaps. Also, please do carry on making me out to be a curtain twitcher.

Agreed; would be shame to de-rail this thread about blacking-up.
btw I didn't say I thought you were a 'curtain twitcher', merely that I read your comment as socially conservative, and one that I'd expect to see within the comments sections of the tabloid press.

 

[seventh bullet]

Agreed; would be shame to de-rail this thread about blacking-up.
btw I didn't say I thought you were a 'curtain twitcher', merely that I read your comment as socially conservative, and one that I'd expect to see within the comments sections of the tabloid press.

Then you need to step out of whatever milieu you're in.

 

[brogdale]

Then you need to step out of whatever milieu you're in.

Again, surprising.
Anyway...on with the thread, eh?

 

[Smokeandsteam]

My only issue would be 'how fucking stupid are the Morris dancers to go into Birmingham?'

I was in Birmingham yesterday on my bi-annual visit, and the same question could be asked of me - Birmingham is, was, and always will be an utter fucking shit hole of a place, it can never and will never change, apart from getting worse, so why do otherwise sane, sentient people decide every few years to 'give Birmingham a try' as it might have become somehow less shit.

It hasn't. It's as shit as ever. Fucking Allepo looks good compared to Birmingham. And Birmingham stinks of piss...

If you don't like it here don't come. You won't be missed.

 

[brogdale]

If you don't like it here don't come. You won't be missed.

As a Croydon resident I know this feeling; people think that throw-away rubbishing comments are alright forgetting that such places are our home-towns.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

As a Croydon resident I know this feeling; people think that throw-away rubbishing comments are alright forgetting that such places are our home-towns.

The comparison to Allepo is particularly classy. The rest of it reveals that they actually know fuck all about the place.

I don't know where Kebabking lives but he/she can fucking stay there. It's not the first time they've had a pop at the city by the way.

 

[bi0boy]

As a Croydon resident I know this feeling; people think that throw-away rubbishing comments are alright forgetting that such places are our home-towns.

Your throw-away rubbishing comments about most of England outside of the big cities have been so numerous on here that I felt compelled to hereby post about your hypocrisy.

 

[Reiabuzz]

Never actually watched morris dancing - I quite like it

 

[brogdale]

Your throw-away rubbishing comments about most of England outside of the big cities have been so numerous on here that I felt compelled to hereby post about your hypocrisy.

Apart from bemoaning the tendency of those voters living outside the big cities of England to deferentially vote tory, I really don't recall rubbishing the countryside; I rather like it.
But hey, no doubt you'll prove otherwise

 

[kebabking]

...I don't know where Kebabking lives but he/she can fucking stay there. It's not the first time they've had a pop at the city by the way.

Having lived in Birmingham, I could have a pop at it 50 times a day for the rest of my life and I'd still not be approaching peak abuse.

 

[Athos]

I like Birmingham.

But, to be fair, I'm from Luton.

 

[likesfish]

That's a terrible argument, it buys into the same political multiculturalism that has been so damaging, that because this is someones culture it must not be criticised.

Of course the physical attacks were wrong and probably counterproductive, no one has said otherwise.

But of course your a terrible racist if you critcise any non europeacentric culture but morris dancing being traditional english is fair comment.
Blacking up should fade away even if its not meant to be racist it comes across as.

 

[likesfish]

Having lived in Birmingham, I could have a pop at it 50 times a day for the rest of my life and I'd still not be approaching peak abuse.

Fox news did claim it was a no go area.
Leading to mostly people making jokes about how truly awful Brimingham is
Brightons quite nice its just the people.

 

[JimW]

If you don't like it here don't come. You won't be missed.

Brother has just moved up to West Brom for a job and he's loving it and the city.