It was dispiriting indeed to read of the physical and verbal intimidation in Birmingham City Centre

that forced a group of Morris Dancers in traditional garb and black-face make-up to abandon their

performance.  Even more so, to read that the Shrewsbury Folk Festival seems to encourage this

ignorant behaviour by its decision to refuse to book such acts at the said Festival for 2017.

This failure to understand and support the origins and reasons for centuries old English traditions is

lamentable and only encourages the dimwits in our midst with their dumbdown agendas to attack

that which they do not - intentionally or otherwise - wish to allow.  The black face employed is a

reminder of the resort to facial disguise (blacking) to hide identity in times when participants risked

punitive punishment.  It is woeful that despite attempting to explain this to those attacking their

performance, the Morris Dancers in Birmingham felt obliged to abandon their display to

prevent worse happening.

If we cannot support our own traditions with sane and sensible discourse then what should

future generations make of our failure?  And what then becomes the greater reason for "taking

offence"?  One positive aspect: an online poll shows a 90% vote in favour to booking such acts.

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