thanks for the responses, guys.
i'm indeed heartened to know that this isn't something intended by subsim and that the prevailing spirit of the hobby here is still one divorced from politics.
(well... real-world politics at any rate... "modder politics" is another matter as you gentlemen, i'm sure, know all too well in having to moderate some of our oh-so-lively discussions around here... at least there are no banner ads for some of the "competing" mod package "positions"... yet... )
thanks again and cheers
hc