It also could be that you just never saw a problem with it before since it was being done by "a lot of long time members", "I considered them to be good members" and "I consider it to be a great loss to Freerepublic."?
If that's what you mean, no. I'm not stunned by rude posts or flame wars. Flaming has been a part of Freerepublic as long as I've been here, and has been employed by all sides, including the "social conservatives." Although there are several departed who were not particularly prone to flaming.
It's not flaming that is a problem for me, but the glee and vindictiveness which greets the purging of people whom I don't always agree with, or do, but who are good conservatives.