Maybe I am, but I'm not a bully, and I don't use it as a cudgel to shame those I disagree with.

So you don't think white lives matter?

Point to my trollery and bad faith arguments. I'm not the one slinging insults and calling people names because I don't agree with something. Having philosophical differences and offering defense for them is not trolling; it's called having principals and standards.

Yes, it was ironic, but entirely awarely so.

Given that further clarification then, I guess that means you are essentially like the people you ostensibly despise, speaking in code in order to further an agenda. My point was not that people never do that, but that assuming that is always what's going on is not fair play. You are an admitted cheap shot artist,…

Thank you for proving my point and validating my position. I apologize for assuming you were referring to me, and given your clarification I will proceed in a good faith discussion where I take the meaning of your statements as written. I'm always pleased to be part of a productive dialogue.

I made an assumption based on available evidence. Is that suddenly not considered fair play?

"Disqus should stop letting certain people post here, because some people are too stupid to form a cogent thought."

I'm not talking about them, I'm talking about me. This person called me stupid.

Yes, why can't we finally live in a world where people who say things I don't like be made to shut up and stay in their place?

If I must, I will stand on this hill alone to my dying day, which may be tomorrow when someone decides that my principled stand for good faith debate is actually a smokescreen for my Nazi beliefs and punches me for it.

Who was I bullying?

Because the article didn't include Nazi flags or salutes, just some "you so ugly" jokes and a couple of admittedly ignorant but otherwise fairly mild sloganeering. The comments in response to mine gave further detail however, and it is appreciated.

But the secondary message you refer to doesn't have to be framed in hatefulness. I get where "white lives matter" comes from, and even in its most charitable interpretation it may be really insensitive and obnoxious, but you don't have to hate a collective in order to reject a narrative that surrounds them. There…

No, because it has, and I get it. Do you get what I'm saying?

I think when you start going down that road, you end up at a place where you can tie up legitimate and reasonable opposition in a tangle of allegedly poisonous code words and phrases, and "I know what you really mean" dismissal. I'm pretty sure I know what these people really mean here as well, but that doesn't make…

The rules of fair debate should never go out the window. It's ground zero for ones position having any credibility.

You know, you're not going to win a lot of people over if you resort to belittlement at any and every opportunity. But then I get the impression that isn't really your aim. I gather you're the type who gets off on bullying, and appreciates you get to do it under the protective umbrella of your righteous crusade.

Yeah, it's deeply disappointing that the reflex move when faced with ugly opposition is to make actual "you so ugly" jokes.

Okay, this is good. Some actual reporting from the commentariat. The additional context is appreciated. Thanks all!