This is just to say that I feel very sad about
"the kind and funny old lady on the park bench."

I quite understand that a full-on discussion of ideas
is going to result in some categorical statements about
whether or not a point of view is valid.

Would any of us, however, if the park-bench lady (you know who I mean -- and she could stand for many other middle-age-or-older people)
were here in person,
would we fail to be gracious in manner to the person,
however much we disagree with her opinion?
That's all.