Please play nice

I’ve tried to post every comment that I’ve received here, especially ones that criticize me, because I don’t think that truly rational or intellectual discourse should be censored.  And I didn’t realize when I started this website how much I would learn from the readers’ comments and critiques.  Lately, however, I’ve seen a few posts in which people call each other names or engage in discourse that is overly heated, sometimes verging on irrationality.  I’d like to ask people to refrain from name-calling (particularly when it involves fellow posters), and try to engage in reasoned discourse.  If one of your posts hasn’t appeared, it’s because it violated one or more of these strictures.  If that happens, please edit it and send it again. I don’t want to see “flame wars” here.  Thanks!