> You may have noticed that Cde Cox is routinely insulting.
> He says "incoherent" and "foolish" the way some people say
> "good morning."
Mmmm. I haven't actually noticed that, certainly not at the level you describe, though Carrol is certainly very forthright and blunt. But even granting your characterization for the sake of argument, there's a distinction. To describe a line of reasoning as incoherent or foolish may be wounding or tactless but it's not personal. It's not quite the same thing as drawing a spiteful little word-picture of your antagonist in his small town or rocking chair, with the implication that the small town or the rocking chair suffice to dismiss what the guy has to say.
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Michael J. Smith mjs at smithbowen.net
http://stopmebeforeivoteagain.org http://fakesprogress.blogspot.com http://cars-suck.org
When one does a foolish thing, it is right to do it handsomely.