I really appreciate you took the time to write this @drakos, because I think this clearly states the current situation in a way that everyone can understand. I have tried desperately to remain impartial since the announcement of Steemit Inc sale, as a Witness I fully supported the Soft Fork 22.2 as a preventive measure to prevent a potential hostile take over of the Steem Blockchain. It truly saddened me to see how it divided our community, with arguments for and against. And it really surprises me that after what it was there to protect against actually happened - there are still arguments that it should not have happened. The soft fork did not force this situation, all that happened was nobody realised how much influence over exchanges Justin held.
But trust can not be bought, it has to be earned. I joined the Steem Blockchain in March 2017 (my three year anniversary soon) which was still a year after inception. And since then I have followed many people, enjoyed posts and company made friends and generally found a social platform that is unrivalled. I also am aware of the majority of our Witnesses, and while I do not know them personally I know I trust them with the future of the Steem Blockchain. Through the last years we have seen the Steem Blockchain evolve and grow - and every step of the way it has required hard work testing, adjusting and fixing code - by yourself and all the other Witnesses at the very top.
And this makes me wonder, why would anyone support someone with no history on the Steem Blockchain, a very sketchy past history if you take the time to look, and who's only priority seems to be getting Steem sent out to exchanges in the fastest time possible? Maybe it's time to remove the rose tinted glasses and look at the Sun with a Welder's Glass #14 - so instead of being blinded you finally see the truth.