No where did we endorse any part of the port protests. The point of this blog is citizen journalism, people took pictures of things that were going on and posted them.

Nearly every gun thread I post has a local tie in, even Rick acknowledges that.  

You hold us (the docents?) up to the community forum ideal yet you aren't respecting the community when it says the gun talk is out of control or just plain scaring some people. Every time that is brought up you blow it off by saying you don't understand why they're scared.

Again, not speaking for anyone else's threads, it has been held that mine are pretty relevant.  The funny thing is nobody has had the backbone to express to me t hat they are "scared" , in fact if you will forgive me for saying so that is plain BS.  Anyone who is scared of a blog entry that does not openly or imply threats is plain crazy in my book.  Or lacks the nerve to stand up and tell the community as a whole what is bothering them and lurks around complaining to the docents.  I have a hard time taking these sort of outlandish statements seriously when I only hear them from you with nothing to back them up.  I will continue to post topics of local relevance with appropriate images.  I will avoid gratitous postings or images, but I do not think it is fair or just to silence anything of true local importance.  

I'm not trying to drive any person away, this about the atmosphere on the blog. People are coming to me, either in person or through messages and saying the blog is toxic for them. I'm tired of seeing people walk away for the same reason. 

Again, why can't they speak for themselves?  Kinda hard to take this sort of thing seriously.  

Rick's offer was a kind one, and I'd welcome teasers with weekly wrap-ups from your knew blog, or event posts or whatever, but I feel for the good of the blog the gun posts and images need to be toned down quite a bit.

I will not be silenced or driven out because I espouse an unpopular viewpoint.  I will post on local issues only on the subject of guns/defense or clarify a point if I think my knowledge on the subject of weapons would be useful.  In fact I will try to avoid images except when absolutely needed, or warn the more sensitive here about them first.
But you either accept the diversity I have to offer with everything I post about, include guns, or you don't.  It's an all or nothing package, you cannot pick and choose what a person will bring to a community forum if it is local.  

One loves to posess arms, though they hope to never have occassion for them.

Thomas Jefferson to George Washington 1796

who'd be so terrified of a post or a poster on a website that they unsubscribe?  Especially when they probably haven't even met the poster and the poster doesn't have a clue who they are or where they live?

That's crazy!

In all seriousness, there are a couple of people here I wouldn't want to expose myself to because I don't feel comfortable with their points of view but do I fear them?  No!  Would I unsubscribe from Olyblog because of it?  Hell no!

I am a wobbly at heart. Always have been. Think I always will be. - Olyblogger "Mike"

where is the part about kittens or daisies? 

One loves to posess arms, though they hope to never have occassion for them.

Thomas Jefferson to George Washington 1796

"I love my cigar, but I take it out of my mouth once in awhile"

Since High School I have lost at least 7 classmates to car accidents, most involving negligence or DUI. Out of respect for my feelings I would appreciate it if we never discuss cars, teenagers, high school or old friends.

My Grandma was a recovering alcoholic for most of my life. One of my Uncle's was an alcoholic who never quite recovered, plus he was a pill popper. Out of respect for my feelings I would appreciate it if we never discuss the Brotherhood or any other local bar.

The first time I ever called 911 was when my future ex-wife's first ex-husband said he was getting his gun (which we knew he had) from his car, after which he returned, ran upstairs and rammed the door open, knocking her and their three-year-old down. Out of respect for my feelings I would appreciate it if we never discuss guns or domestic violence.

I have lots of friends and acquaintances who were molested as children, I knew at least two women who had been raped in the past, I've known people who were HIV positive and one who died of AIDS. Out of respect for my feelings I'd appreciate it if we never discussed anything remotely related to sexuality including marriage, home life, and especially your kids which were the product of a union.

Sorry about that Merwyn. Good thing we don't talk much about fires here (oops, I just did). Sorry to say that some people are so scarred by life that it can be particualrly difficult for them to engage in typical, everyday interactions with others. If there was a genuine problem of that nature, I'd hope we could figure out some form of accomodation. Of course, some topics are so universal that it would be impossible to provide an atmosphere that is totaly safe while also providing a meaningfull experience for the broader community. Still, I hope such a person could find in Olyblog a place that, while not perfectly safe, is understanding and willing to listen most of the time.

For reasons I will not go into, there are occasions (though less frequently now) where I am nearly unhinged by the sound of someone knocking on a door. While I don't expect them to change their behavior, it would be nice if my friends acknowledged this odd fact once in a while.  Perhaps that is the best we can do.

As a recovered alcoholic/addict, I don't mind any discussion of The Broho, alcohol, other intoxicants, etc.  Other people's choices are none of my business, unless I'm asked.

 Fuzzy kittens and flowers...  BTW, I never said I wouldn't post gun images, but instead would make it very plain through notification or the title of the posting that such images are inside.  

One loves to posess arms, though they hope to never have occassion for them.

Thomas Jefferson to George Washington 1796