All people deserve respect. Ideas are not people.

[Michael Torrie]

On 04/02/2017 05:10 PM, Ben Finney wrote:
> <snip>
> Ideas are not people, and are not innate to the person who holds them.
> An idea is not deserving of respect; that respect must not be assumed,
> it must be earned.
> 
> More importantly, ideas inform behaviour. That is what makes robust
> criticism of bad ideas so important.
> 
> Once an idea is expressed or demonstrated through behaviour, that idea
> or behaviour is not innately deserving of respect, and it becomes fair
> game for open criticism.
> 
> What we need to always keep in mind is that the *idea* should be
> criticised, without attacking the *person*.

Very well said.  Thank you.