fox wrote:
"Sorry, R.L., but just at the moment, I don't want lurkers thinking you represent us, either."

Thats your opinion. R.L. is a world-class expert in what he does. Tom Brosz has been there for some of the best attempts at private space. I LIKE the fact that we have such a storehouse of expertise here. It means that I am getting answers from the best authorities in their field.

He also contributes stories from time to time and has a page up on album- which represents him much more than his flaming/who he flames.

So yeah, I want R.L. associated with this community. I would say he plays a more core role, in fact, than a large number of members.

fox wrote:
"So far, the consensus among the cooler heads seems solidly in favor of ignoring him."

Okay, well, so you say. It seems like to me you are simply running to the top of the hill and declaring yourself king. This is to say: you have chosen to describe your position and that of those who agree with you as "the cooler heads", indicating that the rest of us are irrational, hot blooded... etc.

I have flamed Sam all of twice, I think, and only recently- after months of him trolling here. So where in respect to the hill does that land me, Fox? a tepid head? Halfway up/down?

fox wrote:
"Have you read the rest of this thread? If Sam is a troll, you're giving him exactly what he wants - in fact, you may be the prime enabler. Stop feeding his habit and he'll go away."

Well, part of the point that I have tried to make, and I think R.L. was making is that a community is defined just as much by the behavior it abhores as the behavior it holds up and rewards. This is not a pretty fact, but I think it is a fact regardless.

I do agree that if we want Sam to go away we probably should shun him completely. I do agree that if this community flames him, it should be over on Flame (as per the posted by-laws of the community). However, maybe Sam is playing an important roll for us. For this reason I will do my best to ignore him. However, I don't really feel like I should try to *tell* everyone else here to ignore him, nor do I feel it is right to stand in judgment of those who do/don't.

The point I am making here is let everyone react to Sam as they choose, the collection of reactions/choices is what defines the community-qua-free-community IMHO, NOT the (sorry fox, but you earned this:) Condescention of the few to the many about how they should conduct themselves in public.

Davin L.