I'm with dianavan on this one ~ why should I have to try to be polite when expressing an opinion with which some will agree and others will disagree? Sometimes I enjoy stating an opinion in the most extreme manner possible, just to see what the reaction might be.

Anyway, I don't think "misunderstanding" each other is much of an issue when it comes to controversial topics. It is an issue whenever someone tries to be clever or funny or, heaven forbid, ironic or even sarcastic. That's as likely to happen (more likely, indeed) in a music thread or a relatively uncontroversial discussion like this one.

Case in point: I still can't figure out the bit about the quotas/quoters and the ten bucks. But that's OK ~ don't bother trying to explain; I don't really need to know...