A couple of times a few months ago I actually stumbled onto an illegal immigration thread and was able to ask questions and get answers. And I was able to post my issues and why I think the president's guest worker plan isn't the worst thing in the world. And none of us fought.
It was a rarity. I learned something from the thread and I think a freeper or two was able to think about the issues differently as a result of one or two of my posts.
We weren't trying to change each other's minds but were trying to learn something.
It's really unfortunate that we have some freepers who can't admit mistakes when they've been proven wrong (ie, Simcox) and it's also unfortunate that most times when I/we enter these threads, the feelings are so hardened on both sides that nothing is ever learned or actually discussed.
I don't remember FR being this bad before, but maybe it's because I stayed away from flame war issues before.
For example, I know there were different opinion about Elian Gonzales, and much as I had a strong feeling about it, nothing that happened with that unfortunate situation was going to affect national security.
There were well over a thousand posts, and over 10,000 hits on it, some really good ideas from all 'sides' of the issue, and only a few jerks (at least one of which behaved in the same rotten fashion right here on this thread).
It CAN be done.
We just need to weed out the people whose goal it is to disrupt and bash (not to mention any names, of course :), and the blind followers (no names there either), and we actually might accomplish something.
I do think it's helpful when people reveal their darker motives, as has happened here. There's been a real education on this thread for quite a few of us.
It's not necessarily pleasant, but it is instructive.