Wharvey,
No - I'm not a lawyer, but I DID stay in a Holiday Inn Express once

While I would give credence to your suggestion, my observation is that we've had the "take it up in email" suggestion forever - and it isn't followed worth a whit. The "Hot Debate Room" is, I think, a way to accomodate human nature while making it clear to those with more fragile sensibilities to "enter at your own risk". You know, some people enjoy arguing minor points to the death with GREAT passion Others are made tense by it. So it offers clear choice and a way to say "take it outside" that's under OUR control.