It is not productive to have a public forum where people get to attack and act inappropriately, so I can only say that Curtiss Reed Jr. did the right thing in shutting it down.
That there are people out there who express their racism by denying its existence or relevance is the crux of a problem we face in Vermont.
In a workshop I was giving, I had one woman say, “Just by talking about race we are being racist.” How's that for justification of shutting the door! We kept the conversation going over time, and there was a shift in her attitude, if only slightly as she joined the conversation.
So, to Curtiss: Keep the conversation going, and know that you are supported by others who feel your work is essential to the well-being of Vermont.