In my opinion, and my satisfaction, it's important to be able to express oneself even if one's beliefs aren't popular with the "whole."
It's well and fine to have a moderator to step on people whom they see as "out of line," but a forum is only as good as it's moderator(s) and their view of conflict as opposed to discussion..
I've noticed that in forums I've belonged to, there are certain people who are favorites with the management who are allowed to go further than those that are not. This game of favorites may be based on how much a poster posts or how much the poster adds to the forum. I've seen new people get the he** kicked out of them for having new ideas because they are an unknown entity.
I think that to truly solve conflict, there needs to be some leeway allowed to posters who disagree but not to the extent of personal insults and slights.
Often a topic is stopped right when it gets interesting because of one or two posters who have taken things personally and let loose of all decorum. We must all remember to practice decorum even when we disagree and we must be allowed to express out view no matter how out of line it is with the masses.

That to me is real discussion and also, how to solve conflict...that is, talk, (type,) it out with open minds.

That is the ideal, anyway.

Dancer