I don't think I was around then. But in any case as long as things don't turn into personal attacks debates CAN be civil. It's hard when you have the anonymity of the Internet though, I think we've all done it at one time or another.
Then again, as time goes on that anonymity you think you have isn't all what you thought it was. Just about anybody these days can be called out, found out and dragged through the mud pretty darn easily.