I disagree in part - and the forums are NOT unmoderated, btw

I disagree with you.  I don't think it was so much a matter of a moderator misusing their power to slant debate as perhaps it was a new moderator with little experience and guidelines jumping in a bit too quickly and yes, perhaps letting bias interfere in some instances but nevertheless being well intentioned.  I believe I can accurately state that I know the moderator much better than most of the rest who have posted here.  And I will state that I have faith in the moderator having good intentions and the ability to grow into the rather thankless job they were thrust into.  I will also state that continued complaints that re-state the same objections over and over and over are serving no good purpose.

I will also say that, contrary to what some may believe, I can assure you that the debate forums are not unmoderated at this time regardless of whether the latest moderator may be taking a short time out, a long time out or refraining from moderating forever more.  Thus I would not be too quick to say that any offender will be able to go back to name calling and get away with it.  There may be offensive posts up again, but that does not mean they will remain up.  If anyone here thinks that they can run off a moderator so they can continue misbehavior or otherwise bend a moderator to their will or agenda, they will find they are badly mistaken.  Though I cannot speak for the WM, it is quite clear to me that the WM made a statement by appointing a new mod for the debate forums.  Clearly, though the WM does not desire to micro-manage individual forums outside the small handful he exclusively controls, the WM does not like to see TOS violations and clearly he believes in his own statement at the top of each debate forum about attacking the message and not the messenger.  Thus the die has been set, regardless of how rocky the start for the new mod may have been.  And, as I said, other mods are now in play.  You may never see them identified, but you will see their actions.