While I understand your desire for civil discourse in the case of good-faith disagreements, I don't get how you interpret a strong response to racist postings as 'flaming.'  Fairleft is the only one downrating anyone in this thread, which, frankly, doesn't bother me.  I'd be ashamed to stay silent or polite on this issue.  Flamewars can be destructive when engaged in over issues, but when it comes to racism on ET, then it seems to me counting the troll-ratings after is not a bad thing.  Should the community politely ignore it?

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes