I've probably been one of Martin Gibson's major targets. Why, I don't know, other than about a year ago I had the audacity to disagree with him about something (politely, I might add). His response to my disagreement was the sort of thing he has since become famous for. When he started tracking me from thread to thread and followed my posts with references to what a pompous, boring old fart I am, complete with his presumptions about my lack of personal hygiene and inability to function sexually, I tried to turn the whole thing into a sort of running joke (e.g., the biographical sketch about how he started his pathetic life in a Dumpster). Although I found it an interesting exercise in writing and some folks found it amusing, it turned out to be counterproductive, and a general waste of time that I needed for my more serious writing projects, so I dropped it. This, of course, hasn't stopped Martin Gibson from following me around, but not quite as consistently lately, because it appears he had developed a much larger client list.

The policy I have since attempted to adopt is similar to what Jerry says above. I'm willing to converse with him civilly if he remains civil. But if he lapses into his usual mode of behavior, I'd simply regard him the same way I would regard static on the radio. Annoying, but not much I can do about it. I ignore him if I can, but if his static becomes too intrusive, I change stations (abandon the thread that has turned sour and go to another, or close out Mudcat and do something else). I will NOT, however, let Martin Gibson or anyone else drive me out of Mudcat. I refuse to abandon Mudcat to philistines. A few times recently, Martin Gibson has, indeed, posted a few reasonable and informative comments. I applaud this. I welcome this. Whether he and I can ever have a civil exchange depends entirely on him.

In my intensions to ignore him, I lapsed in the Pete Seeger thread, primarily because my respect for Pete is such that I found Martin Gibson turning that thread into another opportunity to stir up trouble highly offensive. By responding at all, I fell into his trap. I think his whole purpose there was to be offensive, and how better to gain attention than to bad-mouth Pete in a folk music forum? So, point for Marty. "A hit! A palpable hit!" But it won't happen again.

I know where Bob the Deckman is coming from. He does not suffer fools gladly. Gatherings at the Nelson maison are truly "pleasant and delightful." But this does not mean that there are not heated discussions sometimes. However, if someone becomes rude and offensive, Bob is perfectly willing and able to pick them up by the of the scruff of the neck and the seat the pants and throw them out through the door. More that one person has suddenly found himself looking at Bob's front lawn from very close up. But fortunately it happens rarely, because most people know how to behave.

Don Firth