[rlmorel]

It is one thing to have a difference of opinion. It is quite another to insult people, ostensibly people who theoretically should be on your side, because they differ.

People can disagree passionately on things without resorting to unpleasant things like ad hominem attacks, profanity, etc. When people make that jump in a conversation without any real provocation, that tells me that the likely underlying reasons are:

• They are uninformed and don't know what they are talking about. The aggressiveness is a cover for a lack of mental faculty.

• They are emotionally tied to a narrative for a reason. The unpleasant person is presenting a shell because they don't know how to intellectually defend an emotionally-based viewpoint.

• They are provocateurs who are not what their presence here would normally indicate, and are simply looking to misinform/malinform, or sow hate and discontent.

• They are mentally disturbed (I did not say "mentally ill"...mentally disturbed could be anything from a personal crisis like a divorce or loneliness to a bad day at the office)

• There is alchohol or drug abuse involved.

• The person is simply unpleasant and obnoxious. We have those.

When I told one of these types of people the other day that I frequent FR so I can take part in reasoned discussion of issues, the person responded that "There hasn’t been “reasoned” discussion here for years."

I looked at that response, and in his or her case, I had to assume that was absolutely the case for that person.

There are a few people that it is simply never worth the effort to engage, even on a subject of relatively minor import, because they don't seem capable of controlling their emotions and remaining civil. I know some Freepers keep lists. I guess we all do whether we write them down or not.

[joesbucks]

There has been forum infighting since Jim opened the doors to allow use by others. One of the largest was the Luccianne departure in the early days. Others have happened along the way.