Lucille

I was beginning to tire of posting and getting slammed. Honestly, the post where someone was intentionally nasty over an ordinary conversation involving a time zone change was the last straw.

I think that it would be good for those concerned with collateral damage to perhaps step back and take a look at the big picture and recognize that there is some collateral benefit going on here as well that may not be apparent at first glance.

I for one am finally beginning to post more of my ordinary and I hope enjoyable posts in the Welcome Room and other forums, confident that I will not be slashed for ordinary conversation as I was for a while.
I think there may be more like me, those who love reptiles, appreciated the site and the BOI, yet simply did not enjoy some of the shark mentality and nastiness.
Those nasty posts will be here forever, and I am sure that when those who posted that sort of thing finally mature and become courteous and responsible, they will blush with shame to see some of the gratuitous hurt and garbage they so freely bestowed.

There are costs and benefits to every rule, every law. But considering the whole picture, and the fact that for a few bucks you can go to hell and be as nasty as possible on this very site, I think the changes are positive and the risks of inadvertent warning points relatively small.

Surely those who want to be part of the community will come together and recognize that no matter where you go in life there are rules of behavior and the benefits here way outweigh the slight cost of minding what one says.