Hear hear.

I often have disagreements with contributors to these Internet forums, but merely put my views forth in an exact and rational manner, and leave it to the listener to make up his mind.

I think what starts these flame wars, though, is that some are touchy about what they consider the boundaries of acceptable views, and when they encounter ideas they perceive as outside those limits, they feel the necessity to demonize those who espouse them, so that the ideas will not be granted normal attention.

Of course, someone who is truly confident of his own worldview would welcome a clear and exact statement of its opposite, so that he can argue against it. But the name-callers are not into argument. They are into the vague grasp of the currently hip opinions, and the self-alignment with them. But they are only at ease if they can feel that significant others are on their side. To leave the unconventional ideas uninsulted would cause them great worry.

Hence the attempt to rally opinion with sneers and ridicule. They sweat when the support is not forthcoming.

Rodney Rawlings
Stop the Persecution of Bill Gates and Microsoft - Stop the Punishment of Success for Being Success