Nah. I've been through forums who did do the "free-fer-all". It doesn't work. When things get too hot, posters need to get away from the board. Go live. Do your laundry. Go to the bathroom. Get on with the everyday tasks of living. Come back refreshed. It's called "self-control". And that's apparently what most all of us in FR want the US to do in re illegal immigration: control ourselves.
You are probably right. A FOOD FIGHT thread wouldn't get it out of their systems, it would just get their blood up.
Self-regulating means that FReepers themselves need to express disapproval when someone goes over the line.
Dip a finger in indelible ink and post "TIME OUT" to someone who has not respected the:
NO profanity, NO personal attacks, NO racism or violence in posts
plea.
"Posters need to get away from the board." I agree. As a newbie and someone who doesn't have alot of time to post, I try to be civil. I think that some people are so emotional about a subject they lose self-control. I know I can be that way about abortion for example. When you know you can't convince them it's time to take a break.
I'm first generation American, my parents came here to escape Communism. They were so proud of being Americans, my father wouldn't let us speak anything but English. He was against any government assistance and often worked two jobs. But they would be shocked at all the illegal immigration today. They never questioned the fact that they had to prove themselves and earn their citizenship. I imagine that many people like me, whose families earned the right to be citizens, oppose illegal immigration and the rights these people are given, not earned.