Encouraging, not stifling, debate

I want to take a moment firstly to thank members for their contributions in a number of areas on this forum. There has been a great deal of traffic in the forum of late, much of which addresses fresh and engaging questions. As ever, our new members are very welcome, and I look forward to their contributions.

I particularly would like to thank @tomholmberg who does such an incredible job of bringing a wide variety of media, across a range of topics, to our attention, creating an invaluable resource in the process.

I also want to remind folks of how we operate here: we disagree on things. That's a fact of historical scholarship. The notion that there is only one interpretation that is 'correct' is a fallacy. Forum members are perfectly entitled to their opinions, and this is a place where all views are heard, and discussed. This forum will never be an echo chamber.

In order for the forum to succeed in this aim, this therefore requires that members respect contrary views. Passionate debates are wonderful, but discussions must be reasonable. This has not always been the case. Posts must be taken in the spirit that they are offered, and facts should be appropriately verified, deriving from credible sources. If debates start discussing finer points that rely on figures, it is helpful to cite where those figures came from, to prevent grandiose claims being made based on flawed material.

It is also important that old debates should not be retrodden. Doing so stifles fresh, more engaging discussions and wastes members time. I would also ask that members do not repeat discussions which have been flogged to death in old forums, or have been discussed previously on this forum.

So in summary, thank you all for the great variety of topics that we discuss here, but remember that this is a place for respectful discussion, not trolling. Respect that someone has a contrary view to you, are perfectly entitled to that view, and discussions should not repeat the same old points which have been discussed elsewhere. Failure to keep to these basic expectations spoils the enjoyment of other forum users.

Warmest Best Wishes

Zack