With regard to your story last week, titled 'Racist' songs claim hits sour note, the fact that when George Formby sang his songs in the Thirties society tolerated/enjoyed them does not lessen the fact that they contained racist sentiments (OED: A belief in the theory that all members of each race possess characteristics distinguishing it as inferior/superior to another race).
The use of words such as chinky, yid, nigger, paki, wog, kaffir etc. etc. were all accepted and the attitudes expressed towards other races by huge numbers of society were seen as the norm.
However, as a society we have, thankfully, moved on. Thes
e sentiments and the language used are no longer accepted by society.
Mr Kilpatrick seems to consider the use of this language as "innocent" because they're "humorous and affectionate". That makes it alright then. I suggest he tries some of this language in parts of multicultural Britain (as opposed to largely monocultural Kelso).
Just because a "hysterical, New Age, politically conscious" couple try to reflect the feelings of society at large they are labelled, stigmatised and, in effect, ridiculed (Sound familiar? See above). Perhaps it would be better to be "Old Age, politically comatose"?
To suggest that if some of George Formby's material was banned this would lead to the banning of music hall, delta blues and Dixie minstrel etc. is a poor attempt to muddy the waters. Delta blues was passionate, very rude sometimes, possibly misogynist, but when was it racist?
As for Dixie minstrels, I'm sure no-one wishes to see the return of the Black and White Minstrel Show to our TVs which was thankfully removed from our television 30 years ago because "the show's premise began to be seen as offensive on account of its portrayal of blacked-up characters behaving in a stereotypical manner. A petition against it was received by the BBC in 1967, and since cancellation it has come to be seen more widely as an embarrassment, despite its popularity at the time" (Wikipedia).
For most of us, society has evolved.
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The full article contains 357 words and appears in Southern Reporter newspaper.
