Tony Morris

I don't think that enabling and defending problematic people makes one "reasonable and fair". Sometimes there is no middle ground, and sometimes the middle ground is actually worse than the alternatives. To pin this all on a single person is hugely disingenuous as well.

I've come to similar, independent conclusions as Travis well before he posted that thing last year. And so did many other people. Mr. Pretty had inserted himself in the discourse as defending the problematic person and that is going to naturally upset some people. So it goes.

What this really boils down to is, in my view, whether or not we are able to deal with genuine criticism. Travis (nor I nor many of people in agreement with him) are not trolls but people would have you believe as such because we're "disruptive" and can't just "let things be".

What really frustrates me is that as I try to engage with people in various communities (Scala notwithstanding) there's such a resistance to learn, a resistance to empathize with people. "Tolerance" isn't the answer I think, but knowing what to be intolerant of.

Like, Travis especially (and most of the other people who would corroborate his views) don't exactly have power. Jon/John DO have power, albeit a relatively small amount (it's Scala, who are we kidding) and people have been calling on them to do the right things with it.

Never mind the extensive list of women, trans folk, etc. who have also expressed concerns (and who I won't tag here for privacy-related reasons). This is definitely a "while male" power problem thing like you say, but I don't think it's coming from the angle you perceive it as.