I taught my children that the participant in an argument who resorts to name-calling, personal attacks, and ad hominem arguments (and/or a raised voice) is the person arguing the weakest point. With solid, unimpeachable data to back a position up, there is no need to sink to mud-slinging to (try to) win an argument.
Shutting down/silencing the opposition, or attempting to, does not eliminate their standpoint or any validity of same.
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"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win."
- Mahatma Gandhi
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