You say, "Sorry, I don't have the bandwidth for this right now. I am closing this issue for now but it can be reopened if anyone else is sufficiently motivated

You say, "Sorry, I don't have the bandwidth for this right now. I am closing this issue for now but it can be reopened if anyone else is sufficiently motivated to submit a patch." > How do you stop people from being mad that you’re ignoring them? (IME these types of people are likely to take things personally and start harassing you or complaining loudly in other forums…) You don't (and can't) stop people from being unreasonable, mad, angry, or upset. That is their own choice. What you describe is bullying, plain and simple. Being nice to them because they might escalate later is counter-productive to your own mental health and gives them agency over your own time and energy. With bullies, the only way to win is to not play the game.