Cynic wrote

The political "noise" is seriously depressing

Then do the decent thing and hang yourself.

and is the underlying reason groups on usenet die on their feet.

Nope, the reason for that is that hardly anyone knows anything
about usenet, so no new people ever turn up on usenet.

There used to be a universally accepted motto "Don't feed trolls".

It was never ever universally accepted.

Pity both sides of the warring factions don't adopt it.

You wouldnt know what a real troll was if one bit you on your lard arse.