I don't think you understand exactly or have been shoutbox conversions for very long to know what that community is like (Maybe you have and I apologize if I'm wrong). The in game community is vastly different, I feel, from the sb/forums community. We argue, but not on levels people who don't use the shoutbox daily think we do. We recently had an argument/conversation about religion and it was so mind opening because I got to know different people better. This is not a daily occurrence, and some people who I don't regularly see in the sb only think that the sb is just a huge black hole filled with drama and hate. It's not. It's community, friendly, and loving. Without the SB, we can't be quickly updated or speak to each other as usual.
I agree, the SB is probably going to come back, but I also thing taking it away in the first place was a little over the top. A nice 30 minute mute could have made us all feel better.