I wasn't planning to respond to the off topic comments here. I thought very hard to fight my instinct to "fire" back. Under philosophy that I would only be "adding fuel to the fire" I tried to hold my tongue. But I realized that it is SILENCE that is the goal of those who are so aggressively attacking people in this forum. Should I allow myself to be silenced, they would win by default. Courtesy is only courtesy if it NOT required. That is what makes it special. That is it is given. If it is demanded it is no longer courtesy, but at the very least regulation, if not tyranny and censorship. Respect is like courtesy in that it cannot be demanded, or it fails to be respect. Respect can only be requested and earned. It is earned by communicating with others and building a common ground where others can understand the negative feelings they are causing you. Then letting them chose NOT to do that. However tormenting people into following YOUR rules, while bringing a similar result, does not earn you respect. It only causes fear and with fear, comes resentment. What is really disturbing to me is that here, in an art community where freedom of expression and opinion is expected to be the norm, there is growing movement to impose a few peoples opinion by fear. Fear of conflict, fear of verbal assault, fear of reprisal, and fear of exile should you righteously fire back those attempting to silence you. I don't care if this is Politically Correct to say or not, but this tactic of scaring people into silence is wrong. It is EXACTLY the same type of philosophy that allowed the Black Shirts to take over Nazi Germany in the 30's and 40's. It is the same logic that allowed religious fanatics to come to the conclusion that it was THEIR RIGHT to fly planes into the World Trade Center on 9-11-01. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. What I find offensive is that it is becoming "OK" to berate and attempt to silence some one whose opinion you don't like. It is a deliberate personal attack to get their way not by convincing people of the validity of your opinion, but by scaring them into silence. WELL I WILL NOT BE SILENT. If you claim to be an adult, then you should be able to discuss WHY your opinion is more valid than mine. Simply proclaiming that "I" am some how bad or evil and I must restrict myself because "SOME ONE" finds it offensive is not a valid argument. THAT LOGIC is what won't wash. I will not be terrorized by people who think they can simply shove their opinion of right and wrong down my throat. I AM open to discussion. I will ALWAYS respond in some way to REASON. But if the "SHUT UP cause I don't like what you're saying" crowd is allowed to continue with the behavior they have shown here, this isn't a place I want to be. Don't let the fact that they use the words "courtesy", and "respect" fool you into thinking they have SHOWN those traits. Sooner or later the staff or Renderosity will be forced to choose a side. Are they going to allow fear rule this forum, or respect? Will we all get to decide how much courtesy we show, or will we regulated? It might as well be sooner. If they are going to side with those who are exercising a campaign of verbal terror on this community, then I have lost nothing by expelled from here by taking my stand. I'm sorry I had to add fuel to this fire. But maybe this way it will burn itself out quicker and we get back to normal forum life.