[Sabertooth]

I agree with you. As a matter of fact, I enjoy a good rough and tumble exchange of ideas now and then. I don't even mind the name calling because that just proves that I've won the debate. The only time anyone resorts to name calling is when they can't defend their position.

At a certain point, however, the namecalling overwhelms a thread and it gets moved to the Backroom. While rougher language is allowed there, the effect is far from a free exchange of ideas. The Backroom is where nasty threads get hidden.

There has been a faction on the site that prefers it that way, so instigating flame wars to get threads nuked or moved became their M.O. Their intent has not been rough and tumble, it's been to stifle debate.

Another effect is that a lot of posters who don't care for all of the btterness have avoided the Illegal Alien threads altogether.

Civility is an enabler of the free exhcange of ideas.

[Kevin Curry]

Civility is an enabler of the free exhcange of ideas.

You've apprently never studied the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention of 1787.

Great ideas and solutions are frequently forged in the heat of rancorous, sometimes personal, even highly unpleasant disagreement. If the matter at hand is important enough, if it is vital enough, it is almost certain generate this heat.

Beware the idea-barren tyranny of conflict-avoidance favored by mewling mediocre minds.

[Ima Lurker]

Civility is an enabler of the free exhcange of ideas.

True. This is why is said I enjoy rough and tumble exchange of ideas. But your point is correct though because when the name calling starts I get bored and move on.

[Constitution Day]

Another effect is that a lot of posters who don't care for all of the btterness have avoided the Illegal Alien threads altogether....Civility is an enabler of the free exhcange of ideas.

Sabertooth,

Those words struck a chord in me.
I have stayed away from the illegal alien threads for that very reason.

In the spirit of what you wrote above, I've had the following quote on my FR profile page for a long time now:

"The slaves of power mind the cause they have to serve, because their own interest is concerned; but the friends of liberty always sacrifice their cause, which is only the cause of humanity, to their own spleen, vanity, and self-opinion."
- William Hazlitt (1778 - 1830)

All the best to you.

CD

[ClintonBeGone]

Another effect is that a lot of posters who don't care for all of the btterness have avoided the Illegal Alien threads altogether. Civility is an enabler of the free exhcange of ideas.

One of the most disappoint exchanges I had was the other day on one of Pubbie's threads. He seems to think that because he started it and decided to label it 'activisism' it was somehow immune from question. Those are not the seeds of good debate.

[Publius6961]

There has been a faction on the site that prefers it that way, so instigating flame wars to get threads nuked or moved became their M.O.

I can't buy this. That tactic can succeed only if others take the bait. When I see someone, as the mod put it, "primed for a pissing contest", I retire wordlessly. That response is 100% guaranteed to render flame baiters ineffective. Who the hell wants to talk to an 8-year-old mind?