The GUEST who posted at 28-Jan-02 02:54 PM (is this "from Venus"?) says, "With a moderated newsgroup, no one will be denied access to the expertise found in an advanced level group, because it can be read by anyone with Internet access. They just can't post potty humor, name calling, and personal attack messages."

But according to the GUEST "from Venus" post of 28-Jan-02 09:03 AM, there would be certain people who wouldn't be able or allowed to post anything, including "people with little knowledge... about the subject at hand expressing ignorant, poorly informed opinions" ....in other words, folk-music newbies or at least newbies to the particular topic of discussion. The GUEST "from Venus" supposes that these people are out to get attention, but I assert that a number of them are out to learn something or are at least willing to have their opinions challenged and refuted.

The forum that GUEST envisions would have the un-knowledgable person read the posts of the so-called experts without interacting, without challenging or refuting their opinions. If such a person had the audacity to post to the "advanced forum", he would instead be "politely referred to the FAQ, and the beginner forums on-line, or answered in the advanced forum where appropriate." I read this as meaning that he would either be told he doesn't belong there, degraded or otherwise treated in a condescending manner. He might be answered, but he wouldn't be invited to participate in a discussion of the subject, but to sit mutely and listen to the wisdom of the "experts" falling from on high. Please correct me if I'm mistaken, GUEST, but your concept does indeed sound elitist to me. By all means the participants in any forum should ascribe to certain standards of behavior; but it's the "standard" of "expertise", and the exclusionary attitude toward those who are not up to that standard, that leave me cold.

But if you know "some other like minded folk" who are willing to participate in a closed discussion of this kind, by all means create the forum you envision... and you'll have yet another "narrow" website such as the ones you find unsatisfactory.

Besides, if you eliminate "potty humor", you'd be eliminating any number of folk songs themselves along with discussions about their subject matter, wouldn't you? *G*

Sharon