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Read other letters about this article
My last word on the subject because to continue is pointless.
Calling someone a racist is an insult. Are you shocked by that? You act like it.
Name calling is not some high-level concept that needs to be parsed to the point of absurdity. Name calling is insulting, period. Sugarman, Payne, Manos meant it as an insult, an intentional one, and you are too intelligent not to know it. And not only did you not call them out for it, you agreed with them and encouraged them. When your "allies", as Sugarman put it, used the term racist, did you explain to them that they are racist too? Everyone is? No you didn't. Did you ask them not to use such inflammatory language? No. You used it yourself. "I think you are a moron, I'm not labelling you a moron, I just think you are. But I'm willing to talk to you anyway." Give me a break. If you can't see how outrageous this is, then there is no point talking. You can try to make some slick semantic case, but I don't buy it.
"I, likewise, will promise to try not to become offended to the point of shutting down dialogue."
Sorry, intentionally insulting people tends to shut down dialogue. And you just did.
