[jet]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Maybe so but it's not that long since the majority of western people incorrectly THOUGHT that they were, a couple of centuries at most, and of course there are still a few pockets of people who think that way. So my point I guess is that while the people actually dressing up might have no ill intent at all, there's always the risk of a misunderstanding of those motives. I mean, you can say "Well if they misunderstand and get angry that's their problem", which I guess it is, but it's also not an attitude that's actually going to improve the situation as a whole... Where constructive dialogue about the reasons for doing it might.

Basically instead of a town saying "It's tradition so we're doing it and if you don't like it, tough!"... They could give out information about the history of the event to give it proper context and say "It's a longstanding tradition that we feel is positive, here are the reasons we have for continuing it, we hope people aren't offended by it."

There's a world of difference there without anything else actually having to change much.

As someone in the article says, if those people were petitioning against racism in schools it would be more helpful than picking on a long standing tradition that isn't meant to be in any way offensive. It's a question of picking your battles.
As the Zulu said:
“So far, based on the information I have, I haven’t [seen] anything racist. I was flattered to see there were people trying to look like me as opposed to saying it is wrong to look like me.”

What an enlightened and sensible man. I sometimes cringe at the way black people are patronised - sometimes I think they must say to themselves
"they think that they are superior to me, that I'm not normal like them, so they have tip toe around me and watch they don't say or do anything to offend my tender sensibilities". I'm maybe not putting that very well, and maybe that is just me, but maybe you can get an inkling of what I'm getting at?