This is something I have observed over the years on the internet forums. Be it yahoo games, chat rooms or emails. Ones words do not necessarily come across the same in print as they do face to face. I have had people come totally unglued by my expressed thoughts where in actuallity they were not meant in the manner in which the person took them. I am not saying this is the case with you as I haven't read the thread to which you are referring.
And yes, a thick skin comes in handy and not everyone is of a like mind. Some here have an agenda of their own and will carry on the same no matter what the subject matter may be. And as previously mentioned, there are threads that I will NOT touch and others that I can warm right up to. There are some here that have hardened their hearts towards the feelings of others and from those I distance myself.
I am sure that if ALL of us that post here were to have a giant party we would find a number of people that we won't get along with while others wil be like people we've thought we've known for ever.
Oh, by the way, I am a great admirer of you and your thoughts. We are all in this thing together, one way or another. We have been victimized and we don't need to be treated in that fashion any more.
My 2 Cents worth.
NMG