Fair enough. But I'm quite sure that you can understand that when the subject is a serious one, such as the denial of civil rights to a particular group of citizens who are guilty of nothing other than offending the sensibilities of some (not too different from someone of a different ethnic group or religion moving into the neighborhood) when that life-style truly has no effect on those others other than they don't like it, that someone breaking into the discussion and acting the clown can be just a bit annoying.

It's especially annoying when the jester, especially from a position that at least appears to be one of lofty superiority, takes people to task (no matter which side of the argument they are on) for having strong feeling on the matter. One tends to think that the jester fails to see the issue for what it really is. Either that, or just doesn't care one way or the other.

Don Firth