i do see what you're saying, BC, but i think i'm simply of a different opinion/perspective...

and part of what concerns me should i choose to join is the whole "Us vs. Them" kind of thinking, whoever "Us" is or "Them" are, as expressed even in your above comment [not picking on you as i can appreciate/respect your viewpoint]

i pretty much keep to myself because i know that this site is a hornet's nest for socio-politico crap, and though i mayn't know a whole lot about what goes on here because i try to avoid those things as much as possible, i'd have to be very unobservant to not notice that perception & then gossip/word-of-mouth plays a role on this site... and i'd have to be equally as unobservant as to not realise that some people are highly susceptible & concerned with how they are perceived...

my suggestion for a Forum instead of doing things through the Galleries, i feel, could take care of a number of things that were mentioned in this thread more readily, plus it could possibly make things yet mentioned non-issues...
it was simply a suggestion...   

what i want, truly truly want, is for something like what Karen is trying to set-up to be as successful as possible... and i do see success as not only a matter of how many people join & participate, but how effective it is, how the idea is perceived in its intent so as to encourage others to come & join and feel comfortable doing so, how emotionally and intellectually rewarding is it, etc.?

i want the focus to be about ART, about learning & growing, about sharing and investing in positive ways to the overall community... and it would be quite nice to have as few negative stigmas, whether real or perceptually speaking, attached to it as possible...