I usually stay out of the BS threads because they really are horrible, but every once in a while I dive in and see if I can sway the thing into making sense.

I tried that Saturday in the "International Brigades" thread, and I got in a whole peck of trouble. Hell, somebody even wrote a song about me. I used only logic and the truth. I didn't use my "delete" button at all, because I don't think it's fair to edit a thread if I'm participating.

It appears to me that there are well-intentioned people who see the BS Forum as the site of an epic battle between Good and Evil, and they're going to make sure that Good wins every time. There is no room for questioning, or for opposing opinions. If the Bad Guys speak, whatever they say must be objectionable, and must be beaten down.

It's a shame, but this necessity for Good to win over Evil, leaves no room for discussion. There's all sorts of interesting stuff that could be discussed about the International Brigades and the Spanish Civil War, but there's no room or time for that because the need for Good to win over Evil is all-important.

I wanted to talk in the "Brigades" thread about Franco and his obsession with the El Cid myth, but there was no room for that in the discussion. I wanted ask about Franco's popularity and how it was that he was able to rule for so long, but there was no room for that, either. I wanted to ask about the International Brigades and what motivated those untrained soldiers to travel to Spain to fight a war they probably couldn't understand. And there's so much more we could have talked about, if only people were willing to allow discussion, and questioning, and opposing views. And I wonder if it might be possible for a poster to be mistaken about something, without being beaten to a pulp by the dominant forces.

Take a look at the International Brigades thread, and take the time to analyze the dynamics of what went on there.

-Joe-