I mean you're saying "That could be." regarding "I saw some of them get banned while politely, if forcefully arguing their points in the face of unbelievably rude and sarcastic comments from their opponents, who were not banned." as if it's some new thing or something.
I'll grant you that "the glee and vindictiveness which greets the purging of people whom I don't always agree with, or do," is a bit unseemly, but, that isn't anything new either, which you know since as you pointed out "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."".
What goes around comes around.
You are probably right that some of the folk who are gone were no doubt pleased and vindictive at certain bannings in the past, but I don’t see that as particularly characteristic of them. Perhaps not really characteristic of the folk who are so happy now either.
I wonder if the freepers who are so glad to see the departures have always been at odds with those who are gone, or are just caught up in the fury of the moment.
In any case, I don’t see this purge as a good thing for FR.