I was one of those moderators that was constantly banning Dreu.
It's true, he could wear you down.
I still have a personal file folder containing the PM exchanges that he and I shared during many of our heated debates.
Overtime we did become friends outside of CE&P, and we learned to genuinely respect each other, not as Poster/Moderator but was real people.
I've made friends here on JUB, and particularly from posters in CE&P, and I'm proud to say are now also my friends outside of JUB.
Many of whom I started out completely disagreeing with in regard to their politics.
CE&P hasn't found any strong posters to likes of General Alfie, and Andreus, who if anything gave this forum some real character, while at times being characters themselves.
That's not to say that CE&P doesn't have "characters" posting, we do.
There are some CE&P regulars who post here in CE&P, and have posted here for years who I believe still have the respect and admiration of many of us, not so much for their ideas or perspectives, but because of the level of respect that they show others in their posting styles.
There's also a "vocal minority" who want to do nothing more than to lob stinks bombs into threads, bait other members into posting responses, gang up on certain members for not towing what they perceive to be "the party line," and who consistently demonstrate that they're not interested in a true debate, or discussion of idea, but rather to press some outside talking points as if their own.
All the while truly not listening to what the other party is posting, or saying.
The
CE&P thread archives go all the way back to January of 2006.
I invite any number of you to take a look at some of those threads, and the posters who created them who's names are now unfamiliar to many of you, and see why many of their posts remain to this day.
If we're going to honor those who no longer post here, then honor yourselves by honoring those who share an opposing position by at least trying to find out where they are coming from.
That's the real challenge and one that I've found personally rewarding.