Thank you to everyone who has contributed. As I said it is not only at me and not always specifically directed negativity. All your words are encouraging.

It might be useful to have a link to moderators for the newbies in the FAQ area. We don't know who they are. Maybe it is there already. My plan for today is to go through the FAQ area more thoroughly. It is so easy to jump into this forum with both feet, not realising you may be landing on someone's gouty toe.

....if a person follows you from one thread to another bringing up the same or similar points....

Azizi, that's a bit scary. One who contacted me mentioned being stalked and felt racism was suspected. I am not sure I understood this person correctly and there wasn't much exchange. Just one of those things that lended to the creation of this thread.

For my part, I have to agree with the light-handed approach to moderation of the threads. If I felt that moderators were cleaning up after us, it would feel too much like big brother is watching and the free exchange would die.

When opinions are stated in even impolite, and/or bigoted ways, we all find out about each other. As well, we learn something about ourselves through our reactions.

This has to be the best tool for helping us open closed minds (our own as well as another's), and for teaching us to not only tolerate but embrace everyone's right to opinion. Maybe we will even change our opinions as we learn.

In future, if I feel put upon, I will try to remember to check out the person's other posts, learn who they are in context to others before I react. I will offer the same advice to others who contact me with anxieties.

I hope I grow up to be a gentle, helpful, Jellicle Cat.