Fuck the authors. Put the @ back on. Make it clear that you think that flagging is not cool. Make it easy for people like me to use your lists to mute these accounts. You can even come out and say that you intend to make it easy for people to MUTE the accounts that you list.
Support for your initiative will grow. Do what I ask when you feel strong enough to assert yourself in this way.
If someone else agrees with you and has enough SP to help me in upvoting the comments every day to keep them visible, I will add the "@".
Fair enough. I understand and respect the care and openness to feedback with which you are proceeding.
Thank you, your support and input is very much appreciated!