Something that came up in an exchange with Frank on that navel-gazing Community thread you want to avoid is the practice of posting on Flame in anticipation of controversy.

Don't do it. Self-censorship is bad.

"Maybe it will not generate any heat and can stay here?" The presumption ought to be that a post will stay where it's posted unless: 1) it's in the wrong topic category; or 2) it accretes posts containing personal attacks on you or another Zoner. In the case of #2, then it can be moved to Flame.

Saying something uncomplimentary about a politician doesn't constitute a flame as far as I'm concerned. Nor are you guilty of flaming if your comments about a politician result in a supporter of that politician losing control and flaming you. It's only a personal attack on a Zoner that makes it a flame.

Oh, and come to think of it, what makes this post suitable for OffTopic? It's politics, politics means CurrentEvents. At least until such time as we get a Politics board to take the heat off CE.

People seem to be afraid to post on CurrentEvents, but posting in the wrong topic category or posting on Flame (the wrong behavioral category) isn't the answer.

Another big part of the thread you want to avoid like the plague is the allegation that I show favoritism to Liberals. Anticipating a personal attack here, let me point out that I've said the same thing to Tom, and in fact I've said that I blame him for starting this fad of self-censoring preemptive posting to Flame.

So now I'm bending over backwards to be even-handed. Not a pretty sight, is it?