Stilly River Sage, and Q thanks for your comments.
Re: your comment, Q that "For most people, avoidance is the selected response" with regard to cultural and interracial discussions that might conflict with a person's long established views, it occurred to me that were I not working from my home, I might not have the energy to engage here at Mudcat.
In most work environments people of color are a minority. And many of these work environments are hostile, or the people "benignly" clueless about the world that we live in, and how different issues, situations, and "even" art impact us differently because of our history, culture, and current situations. Unfortunately I have had personal experiences with the patronizing attitudes and racist crap that people of color encounter and have to put up with 24-7 to make a living {which doesn't mean that non-Black people don't have to put up with insensitivity and other crapola at work. However, it seems to me that there is an added amount of stress that we {people of African descent} have to deal with in interracial settings when we are far outnumbered. Overt prejudice is not the only thing that we often experience. As the 'only Black person in a number of settings in my 3D life, I had to "play pass" unintended ignorance and/or basic questions from those who have a real desire to know about Black people {questions like "Do Black people tan?" and "Why do Black people put hair grease in their hair?"-and an irritating questions such as "What do you people want?"}.
So perhaps during our down time, it may be a bit much to ask us to come to a potentially hostile environment for rest & relaxation.
It may be a bit much but I still ask.
I believe tghat Black folks and other people of color will come to Mudcat. The content need not be a deterrent, particularly since this is a Blues and folk music site {and the definition of folk music could include indigenous music from the English speaking Caribbean, and non-English speaking countries.
Members and non-members can start new threads about music and BS topics that are interested in, and post to most old threads. Furthermore, Catters don't have to agree on everything that is written here-we can pick and choose which threads we want to visit. So if some people are turned off by certain topics that others adamently support {such as blackening up and Morris dancing}, and neither side wants to learn from the other, a} they don't have to read those threads and b} if they engage each other in conversation, as long as they are respectful, it's cool & the gang and IMO makes for a more interesting site.
How to increase the diversity of this site?
We keep promoting the site by word of mouth.
We visit other sites and let people there know about Mudcat and invite them to visit {like Q did when he visited my site}.
We continue to be welcoming of guests and invite them to join Mudcat {like Jerry & Jeri did with me}.
We respond to guests and new members' basic questions about how this site works and where to find things in this site {as Brucie and WYSIWYG did with me}.
We continue to be accepting of multi-culturalism and continue to introduce different perspectives on the subjects being discussed as Stilly River Sage did with this thread and as others often do {I could name them but the list is so long that I'm bound to forget someone}.
And
We continue to be alert to racism that shows up on Mudcat openly and not so openly. And when "it" does show it's ugly face here, we strongly register our disgust and non-acceptance.
We continue to share knowledge, and show that we care what happens to people we have come to know through this medium even if we never meet them face to face. And we continue to have fun.
These and other actions & responses will see us through until soon and very soon we will which the promised land of a much more multi-racial Mudcat.