Wow. I'm away from the forums for a few weeks and I miss so much...
I'd just read the updated forum rules after logging on and commented on them in another thread before seeing ANY of this (that's why there's an odd fitting post from me in the 'welcome' section).
I've got to say, as ugly as all of this seems, I'm really glad of seeing people explaining their positions and decisions so clearly and inarguably. I may be the new guy, but it seems to me there's a fair bit of good sense at work here.