I love the excuse that because someone belongs to a group that has been historically persecuted, they have the right to be offended. Is it because persecuting Christians is more of a rising phenomenon that we do not have the right to be offended yet? What about the fact that Christians were horribly mistreated and executed by the Romans 2000 years ago? Perhaps I get a "Get Offended for Free" pass for that. Or what about young, thin, white males who still get bullied? Do they get no such card because they don't fit any approved demographic? What about the fact that Mormons have historically been persecuted, even killed and illegally evicted from Missouri by the governor or had their property liquidated by the US government because they practiced an "alternative lifestyle" of plural marriage (illegalized after the practice was already going), and to this day are branded as non-Christians/cultists by the a large portion of believers? Even though my personal persecution has not been so harsh, do I have a special right thanks to the historical persecution of Mormons? Or does the fact that I was often criticized and even threatened as a Mormon missionary in a very Protestant part of the country give me enough leeway to get offended? What about the fact that Christians are still persecuted in Islamic countries? Surely that guarantees the right to get offended on the Internet. Or what about the fact that in the most populous country in the world where (shockingly) atheism/agnosticism holds the highest number of affiliates, there is institutionalized suppression of religion? Surely I can get offended by proxy.

I see no problem with asking for a greater level of consideration to others' feelings. I've seen it done a lot around here. In fact, if I were to point my finger at one person who stands far above the rest in urging restraint when it appears that tempers may be rising, a fellow who goes by Bing O'Wings (you'd think he's Irish with a name like that, but he's actually a Scotsman) seems to often be the one making calls for kindness.

No, I'm afraid that I and everyone else have the right to be offended on the Internet. I think I've read most who are presently participating in this conversation getting offended at someone else. You know, it's just one of those things that still matters, even if we are hundreds or thousands of miles apart, even if we never see each other's faces. I still respect each of you, no matter your distance or how depersonalized the Internet has made you. Therefore I'd expect to attempt to engage with each of you in a respectful conversation. I hope you will all agree with me.