Jane, beautifully said. And now I'll add my own two cent's worth--actually, more like a dollar's worth.
Jmentanko, I appreciate your message, but I want to add that most of us are not "outraged" because someone has "disregarded" what we have researched and shared on this discussion board. It's a bit more complicated than that.
Many of us, in fact, first became interested in the Romanovs and the Russian Revolution because we were intrigued by the mystery of Anastasia and wanted to believe in the possibility that she might have survived.
Since that time we have read voraciously on these subjects, consulting books, newspapers, periodicals, websites and other materials that offer a variety of viewpoints and approaches. We have watched a number of documentaries, as well as quite a few dramatizations. We are well-versed not only with regards to the personalities involved, but also the way in which they interacted with each other. And yes, we still will consider alternate outcomes--that's one of the reasons we check out this forum--because we try to be as open-minded as possible. Sometimes, in fact, our research takes us to places that can be emotionally/psychologically difficult to deal with, such as the material in the well-researched and well-documented Wilson/King book.
Many of us have made a lifelong study of this period in history. A few of us have ancestors who lived in Russia at that time, and so we bring that to the mix as well. Whatever the case, we are immersed in the story of the last Romanovs, and although we were not at the "House of Special Purpose" in July 1918, most of us have come to the carefully considered conclusion that the survival of one Romanov, let alone an entire group of them, would be highly unlikely.
All the same, if one of us came across reliable data pointing to an opposing conclusion, we would present that information with care, realizing that others would quite rightly review our information, detail by detail, not to mention question our source material. We would also understand those challenges, and even some skepticism, because the mystery of Anastasia and, in fact, that of the entire family, has engendered so many conflicting theories and possibilities.
We care about Nicholas, Alexandra, Olga, Tatiana, Marie, Anastasia, and Alexei, as well as those who died for them and with them, and we respect their memory. We also are aware of the many attempts to rewrite--with emotionalism and/or chicanery, rather than with measured rationality--this immensely unfortuate chapter in modern history. Revisionism is not something we disregard. But we appreciate a thoughtul sharing of ideas more than a wild-eyed promotion.
Finally, we realize that, just as rumors were spread about Alexandra, her family, and Rasputin, so too can unsubstantiated information cause damage today--perhaps not via this particular website, but certainly in the way we regard and treat each other and thereby, in ways both large and small, shape current world events.
And now, feeling also very exhausted, I bid you a fond goodnight!
