I read your letter and was kind of looking for an analogy to figure out what your thinking is. What I came up with is:
Say the topic is speed of completion of 50 milers. Say there's some arbitrary speed limit that's being proposed. Steph says she's heard everyone's opinion and doesn't want any more discourse. So, really, IMO, she's controlling the topic; the subject. What's her objection?
If you say "it's her living room and we're messing it up" I don't really agree. The fact that you host a forum speaks to your willingness to invite discourse. We all benefit from hearing various POV. I OFTEN resort to the delete key when, it seems, 50 people want to contribute to "exactly how I set my pad under the saddle." It seems rather arbitrary to me and somewhat along the lines of control of the media. I am not intending to make accusations, but I feel uncomfortable with hearing that certain persons are "non grata" in an open forum when they've done nothing inflammatory but merely exhorted others to take action on an apparent atrocity. Why would that be offensive? I guess I've lived in Berkeley too long and have "skewed values." :-)
Anyway, I value your opinion and willingness to think about it. Best to you,
