To start off, I'm honoured it's no longer Weasel's fault, and that I'm the culpret
Anyway, speaking as one of the few remaining original active members (there are some who were around when I was, just not as active), I think I'm safe in saying I've watched this forum grow, as well as the people who post here.
I think that both CE and Than are right in what they are saying, though, its not so much a lack of community, or the presence of. It's more the illusion of a community, held together by basic agreeances. IF anything, and I've said this before, GB, specifically SYM, has become quite clique-ish, in that it is difficult for new comers to break into this 'community', because the groups that have formed have become so tightly knit. So tightly, in fact, that even some people who have been around for sometime fail to fall into one of these groups (to name two, Xandax and myself).
I think we just have to take GB at face value: It's an online forum, which many of us go to have fun, get some insight on world politics/news, and kick back. With that in mind, we have to understand that this is leisure time, so while we may have differing views, we don't want to be accosted by such opposite views, presented in a displeasing manner. As has been mentioned, net anonymity is a key factor in this. That doesn't mean we should try and get along with everyone. I mean, I make it no secret that RT and myself do not get along for the most part, but we've also settled into a mild sort of truce, where we tolerate and accept each other, rather than flame each other openly. This sort of relationship is common, and needs to be accepted, but it also shows good tact, that is shown in real life, and should, hopefully, be shown online, as many people on this forum do, whether they have amicable relations, or mutule tolerance.