I have been quite busy RT, and somehow missed this thread... which may be a good thing, since I would have neglected too much of my RT business... (is that Meta?)

I will say several things.... DtG is to be commended for trying to guide discussion/debate by referring to rules of civility. I did read his original link, and found it well stated and useful... especially this concept.
"Try your darndest to see the other side."

However, once you have decided you DO see the other side, the manner in which you respond to it defines YOU. There have been, for many years here, admonishments about 'reasonable behavior' in these discussions. This means...or should mean... discussing the issue, not the individual. I can't see any way to illustrate this except by one of the most obvious examples...
    Referring to someone's comments as "bigoted" IS essentially calling that person a bigot... which IS an insult, no matter how sincerely you believe it. This also implies you have the power to 'see' the intent and quality of a person's character- which is far beyond merely disputing his assertions or facts. This is one of the main reasons why threads get closed or comments deleted!
I have, on occasion, been admonished for NOT being harsher in my comments about certain people. I have also been called to task for NOT using a particular argument against 'my side' that I had used against 'the other side'...once in a thread I had not even ever opened!
There is a position called "righteous indignation", in which someone feels obligated to condemn some event, position, person or situation because.... well, because they feel "righteous" about it to the extent that they also feel no concomitant obligation to show restraint. I'm not sure what this feels like from the inside, but I'm sure that in many/most forums (fora?), unrestrained righteous indignation is dealt with by only slightly restrained moderation.

I have, for over 15 years, debated & discussed many issues here, and explained at length my reasons for my positions, as well as having explained my understanding about technical points of logic, syntax, reasoning and rhetoric. I intend to be here as long as Max allow this unusual forum to exist... even if it has to be limited to just folkish music.
I really hope that people with strong opinions can manage to 'share' those opinions using the approximate guidelines explicated in DtG's opening link. I will not hold my breath, as I don't look good when I turn blue....