Steve the best way to avoid animosity is to come to a debate armed with info that supports your POV. You are a master of that approach. We have had heated discussions and I doubt we agree on much politically but I'm confident we now better understand each others positions and do so respectfully.
Lets face it Fred, I have come to the debate armed with good comments but each time I just get back more stuff that doesn't make sense to me and I get tired of dealing with guys that will not see both sides. They just don't want to and instead have the folks on the site that support your point of view come in and over run me since they over run the site as we are seeing right now. Probably not the majority of folks on the site, but definitely the most outspoken ones.
After 4 years of turmoil, I just don't need any more. And I am not going to waste my time trying to convince anyone of anything. I am content with my life, have plenty of joy and I am also grateful for what I have been allowed to have in this life. I don't want to get prematurely old by being around a lot of hate and animosity anymore. That just isn't me. For me, it is simple, if the politics doesn't end, I am just leaving - not out of hate but just because in retirement I don't need any more stuff that brings me down needlessly.
I had to fight endless lawsuits in my previous job with some very high power corporations, had to be present in 12 hour long depositions, and had to provide testimony before a 14 member Board in order to defend what we were trying to do. I usually always won, and that is fine, but I didn't come here to have more fighting, hate and so on going on every day when I just came here to enjoy the car hobby and be friends with some of the people on this site (and I now have many).
So however it turns out I will not take away any grudges and the folks I have become friends with around the world all know how to contact me outside of this forum.
I just don't need to be called a whiner or cry baby or whatever, as I have been through the mill enough in my life and I just don't need any more of it. I came here to enjoy cars and friends, and if that isn't possible to do anymore, it is just another door that is closed and I will find something else to fill the void. The spillover that Joey talks about is the problem and I don't need the effects of it anymore in the rest of my days.
I have nothing more to say.
Thank you my friend.
Steve