I've been lurking for a couple of years, but don't remember the previous versions of the Showcase (the free for all), so I have no idea whether it would work here or not.
But, one of the other boards I participate in is more or less one giant unmoderated forum. No word filters, no standard of conduct, no bannings, etc. You might expect that such a place would descend into adolescent chaos fairly quickly, and there is a high proportion of such, but as it turns out most of the hot button topics (politics, abortion, and evolution) are discussed very openly. There are the usual "Jane, you ignorant slut" variety of posts, but most everyone ignores them and focuses on the topic at hand.
I've been surprised at how well it's worked. Which isn't to say it's perfect, it can definitely take some getting used to. And it's definitely not appropriate for a site that attracts younger folks.
Anyway, didn't mean to hijack. I was just curious about the nature of the Showcase, seeing as how it seems like a member who's restricted to posting there could potentially run off anyone who might want to discuss things with them.
thanks for listening...