“You seem to forget that FR is an open forum full of infiltrators...especially during hot button debates.”
EXACTLY! MANY of those who posted clearly racist remarks were eventually found to be trolls, operatives, etc... and were dealt with accordingly.
We will NEVER be free of these people unless we severly restrict membership and sign-up procedures. I don’t think Jim would want to do that though as someone (or 2 or 3 people) would need to work 24/7 just to approve new people, and even then we couldn’t guard against imposters...
After all, this is supposed to be a site that celebrates Freedom of Speech and promotes the ideals of our Country and its Constitution. People also forget that with freedom comes responsibility, and it is everyone’s responsibility to present their ideas in a respectful manner — as it is also everyone’s responsibility to hit the abuse button when they see a post that is truly over the line... That’s why it’s there in the first place, because of this problem with infiltrators/agitators. And, it’s also why we have the VIKING KITTIES and ZOTS at our disposal! LOL
BTTT.
About those ideals....
We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.--- John Adams
Part of the problem of Internet anonymity is that it tends to make a fellow forget his manners and responsibilities. It's very easy to spew off a passionate and unreasoned response, which works to everybody's detriment.
It's much more difficult -- and far more important -- to avoid the temptation.