While the thread certainly was not one of the finer moments, I believe that there can be a lot of lessons learned from the contents. Disagreements are going to happen, they have been happening since the beginning of time. But it says a lot when the disagreement can be discussed, even though it be heated at times, and mutual agreement is reached.... certainly better than the alternatives.

What happened in the thread boils down to 'conflict resolution'. Conflict resoulution is not always pretty and there is lot more of it needed. Hopefully it can all be kept behind the scenes but sometimes it does and needs to come to the surface to get resolved. Un-resolved confict can really become a problem and lead to some really violent reactions...

It is a proven fact that people can grow from confict if it reaches a resolution

Does this statement address the point???

With most conflicts, it’s important to find a resolution. This seems like a statement of the obvious, but many people suppress their anger or just ‘go along to get along.' They think that by addressing a conflict, they are creating one, and simply keep quiet when upset. Unfortunately, this isn’t a healthy long-term strategy. For one thing, unresolved conflict can lead to resentment and additional unresolved conflict in the relationship. Even more important, ongoing conflict can actually have a negative impact on your health and longevity.