Why? Well, that's Richard's way. He'll do an occasional self-righteous stomp as though his truths are self-evident, but very rarely, if ever, will he go any further and actually explain himself or his various objections, much less enter into a discussion on them.

All in all, these things make this site a far less pleasant place to be

I guess by these things he means those personal opinions & perspectives that differ from his own: those little inconveniences to any shade of fundamentalism that, out here in the real world, make life all the more interesting, and Folk Music such a diverse & fascinating area of cultural experience however so (evidently) contrived it might be.

As Folkies get older, so the more curmudgeonly they get. I know some choice old grunters in real life & cherish each and every one of them even though we differ on everything apart from our love of Traditionasl Folk Song & Balladry and the sharing thereof. I think it's entire permissable to love the same things for different reasons, and if in one's researches one comes to differing conclusions to the entrenched orthodoxy then so be it. What is interesting is how quickly people are prepared to turn that difference into a cause for more personal attacks which is, I feel, less forgiveable.

You know you're dealing with a religion when you get branded as a heretic by the would-be priesthood.