Monsieur Mollusk, I believe the point that Ruth is making is summed up in the adage that silence in the face of nonsense, particularly malevolent nonsense, implies agreement. Someone should speak out in opposition, even if there is no hope that the author of the nonsense will be persuaded to change his thinking.

And I most definitely agree with GUEST, jim, that WAV is in way over his head when, with his four years of acquaintance with folk music, he is arrogant enough to try to lecture people who have spent their entire lives deeply involved in folk music as a profession and a serious study, some of whom are knowledgeable and talented performers who have been entertaining and educating audiences for many decades.

WAV is rather like a very green cabin boy on his first sea voyage who, having read a few Horatio Hornblower novels and rowed a small skiff on a pond, acts toward a thoroughly experienced crew of crusty old sea-dogs as if he were the bloody captain.

So what's the point of speaking out against what he says? Well, among other things, suppose some neophyte logs into Mudcat and reads some of WAV's misinformation and there is no one there to say, "That's wrong!" The neophyte may assume, since everyone else seems to agree (with their silence), that WAV knows what he's talking about.

Don Firth