Max,

I sympathize with your position and am sad for the frustration that it causes you. I agree that there are people out there who only want to push others around with their ego and their resorting to vindictiveness. This is so unfortunate.

But Mudcat remains as a beacon to true democracy (which needs to be returned to the U.S.) I enjoy hearing about what's going on in the other countries as well as here and am grateful for the contributions of those from "across the ponds".

I think that the best thing to do is to totally ignore certain people who are not offering anything constructive to this forum.
There are certain names that come up and when they do, I gingerly skip over what they have to say because I can predict the mean-ness of their posts. Others I listen to very carefully because their wisdom is gratefully received. In a forum such as Mudcat, it's almost impossible to censor a passionate outcry even if it takes on mean and scatalogically immature references.   We live in a world where there are all kinds of views and some of them may appear completely nutty to others of us.

I completely understand your frustration and you certainly are entitled to it. I tend to pick and choose whose posts I read and find it a lost cause to react to some and will address others that I deem are sincerely opposed to my views if I feel there can be a constructive dialogue that can take place. Eventually we get to know the "players" in the Mudcat cast and can accept or reject on the basis of how they respond.

Keep up the great work! Mudcat is so important not only to the folk music community but for the very idea of fostering the free information in a democratic environment. I am so grateful for Mudcat and hope that I've been able to contribute something useful to it.

Frank Hamilton