"The constant fighting, I believe, turns off people who don't want to choose a side and defend a position, but that's pretty much what's expected what you get involved in a thread."

Bingo!

It turns also off people who would otherwise choose a side and defend a position, but who aren't prepared to subject themselves to the slanging and abuse. And it's precisely why the BS section is now down to a small handful of threads. Which, I have a sneaking suspicion, is what Max and the Mods wanted. The decision to close the BS section to 'GUESTS' was, in my view, a good one but, unfortunately, the group of members who lack any kind of filter-system are still busy driving people away.