Since I haven't visited this forum much for quite awhile, for all I know this thread may be moot, as either such a board may have already been added without my noticing it, or a decision may have already long ago been made against it.
But since this thread, which I've never noticed before now, has been bumped, FWIW, bearing in mind what someone else said above about this being a supposedly "adult" forum, while I personally would allow topics to get as "hot" as anyone wished on any subboard until/unless it was determined that it had escalated beyond the pale, as it were (and in such cases warning or disciplining only the truly "offending" parties and resisting actually closing or locking any threads for as long as possible), knowing that many (if not most) adults seem to have difficulty rationally discussing serious topics and having beliefs they've held since childhood challenged, a separate "hot topics" board might be the next best thing, assuming that the hypersensitivities of the ultra-thin-skinned are deemed worthy of pandering to.
I suppose the existence of such a "dedicated" board might actually help create greater interest in the board for some, while, at least in theory, persuading others to leave. But, while I'm inclined to agree with others that, at least in my own experience, online discussion of such "hot" topics can and often does degenerate into little but mindless flaming, as others have also suggested, having a separate board for such topics won't force anyone to involve themselves with same, and IMO they have only themselves to blame for entering the kitchen if they can't stand the heat, to coin a cliche.
Otherwise, I know I pretty much completely abandoned one still very popular forum (also related to a "specialized" topic, if one much different from this one), which had a "dedicated" board for such "hot" topics, when the board owner eventually decided to close that sub-board, based on what I felt was ultimately nothing more than the opinions expressed on same which challenged his own personal biases/beliefs (as only those members whose beliefs conflicted with his own seemed to be censured - and often highly censored as well - by a less-than-objective moderator, even though others posting much more rudely were conveniently ignored), since which that forum has seemed much too light weight and childish in nature for my preferences. On the other hand, unlike this board, it wasn't specifically designated as an "adult" forum but was intended to be "family friendly." But I guess, likewise, it's up to this board's owners to decide how "lightweight" they would prefer this forum to be.
Nobody can be forced into a whole seperate sub-forum against their will, so the only ones affected will be those who chose to go in and watch/participate.
lol
