Well, Jeri, this is a discussion forum, and people like to discuss things. I don't actually think there has been a great deal of personal abuse among those 700 posts, although I agree there has been some, mostly from the usual suspects. That's regrettable, but I don't think it reflects the majority of the posts.

There are also occasions when threads can turn into bullying, but I don't think this is one of them - robust debate, certainly, but mostly well-argued rather than abusive. I certainly don't believe this thread has turned into bullying, the reason everyone is on the opposite side to Conrad is not us ganging up on him, it is simply that he has failed to persuade a single person that his views are correct.

Conrad began this thread by making some strong criticisms of the way folk festivals and folk events are run and making some radical suggestions to improve them. Since then it has wandered around a variety of related topics. Most of the replies have been attempts to get him to put forward arguments to support his unsubstantiated assertions. We have also been rebutting them by pointing out that they are mostly based on invalid assumptions and explaining why his solutions would not have the effects he claims (and in some cases would make matters worse). In the course of this discussion we have had some interesting, passionate and well-argued explanations (from Don Firth in particular) of why Conrad is so mistaken. That's why this thread has continued for so long.