Dave V. ND3JR @ND3JR@octodon.social

Tone policing as a technique to suppress the voices of marginalized people by demanding "decency" from a position of power is a real and reasonable concern, and deserves awareness.

Conversely, an individual person's right to extend two middle fingers to someone who seeks to interact with them against their terms, abusively, or in bad faith is equally valid.

Initiating an interaction aggressively doesn't change whether or not the accuser's point is valid, (indeed, invalidating a point because it was made rudely is the very definition of tone policing) but it certainly does not incline one to be receptive, or obligate one to engage just because the interaction was initiated forcefully and with conviction.

The nuance here between validity of argument and consent-based interaction is indispensibly important.