It is obvious that a future resident of Floyd County is pissed off at the reception he received here when he added his opinion to my original post about the attitudes of the Floyd Town Council regarding tourism.

Were residents of Floyd County too harsh on Jeff? That’s a subjective call but it does raise the question of what can, and does, happen when a debate turns harsh or the level of criticism ramps up. I’m not the right one to judge when a debate turns too harsh because my debate style is rough and tumble and I don’t take offense when the other side dishes it out.  I can see why someone might be upset at the tone displayed in some of the posts here and it illustrates the need to make sure that all points of view are welcomed and treated with respect.  The need to show respect works both ways. Jeff got a harsh reception from some and he came back with a chip on his shoulder and it escalated from there.

But the issues that Floyd faces cannot be solved with rancor or a superior attitude from either side of the debate. Everyone has something of value to offer in a public forum and it is important that we hear them out without cavalier dismissal or an assumption that they speak from an uninformed position.

Jeff, if you feel you were treated harshly here, you have my apology as the operator of this web site. We welcome opinions from all perspectives and I hope you understand that comments posted here come from passion for preserving the unique quality of life that is Floyd County and not from any personal animosity.

I’m sorry you chose to depart in anger (or to depart at all). This site exists to be a forum for discussion and news and it works best when all points of view are represented.