First, I will be happy to lead the songs of struggle workshop, Rita.

Second, I think that a soldiering session is fine. To suggest that songs spawned by struggle don't have a place at the table is an incorrect view. If I use my own ethnicity as a barometer, I would say that one of the most important lessons I have learned from the worldwide Mudcat membership is that there is great music on both sides of every issue. And issues are what spawn a very large portion of "folk" music. I think it wholly appropriate to have a workshop on these songs. As to promoting war mongering, I believe it wholly inappropriate for us, as a group, to decide whose music has validity. What I might consider a fight for freedom, you might consider songs promoting terrorists. To some, Nelson Mandela was a terrorist. But I would happily sing the songs of his movement.

Mick