Living in cloud-cuckoo land will not help. The reality is that this (sadly) is a moderated forum. Many posters have editing imposed upon them by just posting in an entire thread that is deleted or closed, where vounteers can't be bothered to take the time or make the effort just to edit the few offending ones.

The bullets are being fired by our volunteers, but the casualties and the only ones that are being affected by this single measure, are just the ones standing too close or being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Posters like the one's we have lost (not forever I trust) are encouraged by this so-called moderation to think that the forum can be maintained or improved by this single reactive measure. It is pretty clear to anyone that this moderation has had no effect at all upon the intentionally unpleasant postings that has caused many posters to leave and continues to inhibit many others.

And what is the reaction to these recent losses? Calls for yet more judgement and more measures to be imposed! Many may agree that the current editing measures have not been very effective in addressing the problem it was designed for but I would go even futher. The current moderation actually encourages the unpleasantness that so many object to.

There are many reasons for this, the first is that it is seen as a challenge - a red rag to many bulls. But the example given by our (mostly well-intentioned) volunteers, is one of expessing a judgement of the worth of invited contributions. This example is followed and everyone seems to think they are entitled to judge everyone else's postings and request that editing action be imposed upon the postings of other's in order to shape the forum.

Some volunteers set the example of bringing the thread to the top by insulting right back and being just as offensive as the posting they are reacting to. How can volunteers have any credibility for combatting personal attacks - when they think their volunteer status entitles them to make personal attacks or to react in kind, if they feel they are under attack. No one forces these volunteers to undertake this editing and if they do not like receiving criticism (founded or unfounded) - they are not the right people for the 'role', or the role needs to be redefined.

The starting point is that no one has any control over the postings of others and chasing about trying to get rid of those that are thought to be damaging - only draws more attention to them, which is the entire reason why these posts are made in the first place.

Meanwhile back on the music threads, mostly life goes on and the vast majority of people are unaware of the unpleasantness going on and the hysterical reaction to it, mostly in the BS forum. Which is exactly where it should be as this now mainly acts as a safety valve. So if folk are offended by the BS they find on the BS forum - who have they got to blame?

I have been posting here for a long time (after a short departure and return) and I have the only EDIT button I need. I like the forum as it it, reflecting all the contributors. I may not like many of these but no one is forcing me or anyone else to even open any thread - are they?

Perhaps our recent departures will continue to post as an unamed guests? I hope by self-moderation and a by a better example being set by all of us and especially our volunteers - that our forum will be a place that these fine folk will feel they would like to contribute to again.....