If the site you are unwilling to mention is BritishBlades Simon, then no it isn't the place for it. BritishBlades was created as a resource for knifemakers, not as a political lobby group. A cuckoo style hijacking of an established group in order to force a political agenda on the membership, might be convenient for you, but it is not the right thing to do. The right place for this would be a serious and credible site that was created - from scratch - as a political lobby group.
Either way, accusing someone of cowardice because they wont stick their heads above the parapet on your behalf, is unlikely to produce any positive results. On the subject of political responsibility, It's a little like not being bothered to vote and then complaining because your party didnt win. If you feel so passionate about the issue, I would suggest you register a domain, rent a web host and do it yourself. I know you have the skill to do it, you just need to find the motivation.
There's a rather humorous scene in "First Blood" Where the local troopers have cornered John J Rambo in a cave. Their captain volunteers one of his men to go in to the cave and get Rambo, "Hell, I ain't going in there!", and so the captain picks another guy, "No way, Captain!", and so on and so forth. I'm rather reminded of that scene.
stick their heads above the parapet on your behalf
has become a rather convenient catchphrase to hide behind. Considering I've written to the Home Office a number of times already; To the Home Secretary twice, To the Minister of State for policing, security and crime 3 times, and my own MP plenty of times as well as plenty of others in both houses. I'm not sure anyone could accuse me of not wanting to stick my own head "above the parapet".
Imagine the scene in the trenches of World War 1 and some bright spark of a captain suggests that, instead of all charging out together to try and claim some ground, we should go "one by one". What would happen to that one?
"Go on son, your turn"
"No way I'm going out there on my own!"
Captain picks another.
"Ok son, you go then"
"Uh uh, not me captain!"
It only worked because everyone went together.
BritishBlades was created as a resource for knifemakers
Yes, but how much of it is
still that?
20%?
10%?
Obviously I've my own opinions but "no-one wants to hear my opinions" do they.
What better resource could there be for knifemakers, what greater cause, than to provide a place where mature discussion (without the transactional pitfalls of a parental attitude) can take place and where an action plan can be developed in order to protect the interests of the various fractions of those interested in blades as tools, as artwork, etc. Everyone's more or less there, in one place, already.
Your suggestion of a specific site is fine on principal, but how many times has it been tried already? The problem it seems to have had is the "I'm not sticking my head above the parapet" syndrome.
The "I'm not going to stick my head above the parapet" action plan doesn't appear to be working.
Not that I am saying you haven't done your bit. "Your site" has created a place for discussion that has moved things forward in a very positive way (although the growing masturbatory element that left a bad taste in the back of my throat holds it back some what)
The only alternative is to join the Ostrich society and hope you get left alone.
Exactly.
Or to put it a different way;
Successful defence becomes habit (schema), habit moulds style. These familiar tactics become second nature; when psychic pain confronts us, we fall back into their soothing arms. What may have been at first a serendipitous discovery in the battle against anxiety comes to define our mode of perception and response to the world. Becoming adept at such strategies means we favour some parts of experience while blocking others. We set bounds on the range of our thoughts and feelings, limit our freedom of perception and action, in order to feel at peace.
Daniel Goleman "Vital Lies, Simple Truths; The Psychology of Self Decption"