If you rode here you would ride like me or you wouldn't ride on the roads. Taking the lane while doing 10-20 in a 55 is not a matter of being militant, selfish or anything else. It's simply a matter of there being nowhere to move right on a two lane NOL and still be on the road.

If a motorist gets behind me with oncoming traffic and he's in a hurry, tough. He should have left earlier.
Not my problem.

As to Owltooth's OP. Forget the cager and keep doing what you're doing. He obviously doesn't know what he's talking about. Probably one of these people that never rides roads, only trails, and considers himself a cyclist. The only thing I would probably do different, is ride further to the left on your two lane streets, but that depends on how wide the lanes are.