"had he or she read earlier posts they would have found that I have stated quite clear and logical reasons why abuse or incivility is sometimes necessary. I suggest that a measure of civility would be having read what has gone on earlier in the thread before raising questions that have already been answered."

It's a long thread, so I haven't checked, but what I understood you to say was that there are circumstances when, being human (as most of us are, I surmise), we allow ourselves to make those kind of replies, but that it's not really the right thing to do. I can't recall any clear and logical reasons why it might actually be necessary.

I would completely agree with that. I cannot conceive of any circumstances where abuse or incivility is actually the right response. That includes circumstances where we are up against bigotry, or verbal or even physical abuse. But of cours, we are human. Pope Francis was criticised recently when he said if someone insulted his mother he'd probably punch him, and I imagine most of us might do the same.

But I think that in a setting where we do not have to respond instantly, a greater degree of self-control should be expected than in a face to face confrontation.