Define "safe" - No I don't think it would be safe from trolls if we didn't move it to the GI side. As all the non-political discussions move slowly over to the GI side, we will begin to stand out like a sore thumb if we don't move it, and over the months to come, more trolls will feel they have license to bash us for continuing it on the News side. And that would only be true if the thread was not eventually deleted. Have you seen the flame wars happening already because people don't think the War on Drugs belongs in news? Tolkien book discussion doesn't have a chance here, and I would rather move to the side that will not only play nicer, but has topic guidelines that explicitly condone it.
I have not given up completely on the idea that the whole thread can be moved. Don't worry, I am very concerned about moving it the right way... and if it can't be re-designated, with ecrubh's help we will cut paste and move the important discussion that has already been had over there before we resume.
By "safe" I meant are we in danger of losing it completely. (I don't lose sleep over trolls!) Moving it is okay as long as I know where it is.