When Is It OK to Insult an Alternative Idea?

If you’ve been following my Twitter feed or have been reading the comments on my various blog posts, you’ll know that I’ve recently received a great deal of criticism for being too rude to alternative history speculators. According to several alternative authors and their supporters, it is wrong of me to describe the authors or alternative theories in non-neutral language, an apparent prerequisite for participating in “honest” (read: ineffective) criticism. To be honest, I didn’t think I was particularly rude to alternative theorists given what they routinely say about mainstream scientists, archaeologists and historians, though I do in fact use some non-neutral language from time to time.

I do that because the alternative authors themselves are decidedly non-neutral. Aside from their standard accusations against the evilness of skeptics and academics in general, they also, as a rule, tend to boil over with upset and vitriol whenever their speculations are challenged, no matter how politely. Erich von Däniken, after all, said that alternative speculators were in “a war we have to win” with skeptics and academics, and Graham Hancock claimed that he had no obligation to be fair or neutral and that he could and would use “innuendo and anything else that works” to blast skeptics and academics out of the water.

Against this, these alternative writers want to restrict skeptics like me to levels of polite formality that would inspire guffaws from even Victorian aristocrats. Of course, doing so means that criticism would be ineffective and would also create a false dichotomy whereby alternative ideas are granted prima facie equivalency with science. While they can use innuendo, rhetorical questions, fabrications, and ad hominem attacks, I’m supposed to pretend that they are dispassionate researchers with special access to truth who must be handled like visiting dignitaries.

Well, I don’t pretend. If I occasionally use less than polite language, take a gander what they have said about me; and I am not even among their greatest enemies. I’m not sure you can say my criticisms are any harsher than those offered by alternative writers themselves. I’ve restricted the following collection only to messages from published alternative speculators, or those who have appeared on television, speaking about how much they don’t like me. What they have said about more famous skeptics and scientists is very much worse.

Just the fact that you so desperately attempt to dismantle our theory proves that we are on the right track. Otherwise you would not feel so threatened by our theories! ... I will certainly not forward your questions to Erich [von Däniken], and his secretary has already been informed about your malevolent intentions.
- Giorgio Tsoukalos, July 29, 2003

Your other questions, by the way, are maladroit attempts to sucker me into saying something that you will be able to use for a work quite obviously designed to trash whoever and whatever does not correspond to your foregone conclusions. Sorry. I won’t play.
- John Anthony West, November 14, 2003

What else can I assume is inaccurate in this book [Cult of Alien Gods]? This guy just plain doesn’t do his research.
- David Childress, 2006

Stop talking nonsense. […] it’s merely to make [your] blog entry look longer than it should be. […] thanks – but seriously, I am not thanking you. […] Somehow, I feel I stir something in you that you so hate, that I feel that whatever I do, I cannot change that.
- Philip Coppens, October 2, 2012

I now realize that you and most of your followers are the very same people I have had issues with for years. I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but no longer. […] In the past, the strong negative reaction I've received was based on fear and I sense that is part of what is going on here. […] Based on the evidence provided by this blog, I've concluded this [is] a site driven by something closer to religious zealotry rather than truly scientific thinking. Paying lip service to "science" doesn't mean you practice it.
- Scott Wolter, January 27, 2013

Jason, before completing your book, perhaps you should read my book, "Itsapa, the Itza Mayas in North America." You can download for $15 […] I really could care less what you say, except you are misleading people by pretending to be an authority on something that you are not.
- Richard Thornton, March 19, 2013

Nicely snarky comment Jason. Rush Limbaugh would be proud of you. He uses the same technique to accomplish a similar objective. He sells advertising time by stirring up controversy. You're trying to sell your books by stirring up controversy. Limbaugh is a pundit. You're a pundit. Perhaps you could illuminate us with news of any spike in your book sales that your Scott Wolter muck raking has provided. Clearly you've had a traffic spike in visits.
- Steve St. Clair, March 30, 2013

Jason should get another job and let us do what we know. […] OK Jason I see I will have to help you on your stupid questions. […] What you say about Scott or the show is one thing but you do not know how to treasure hunt or review anything. […] If you are so good at what you do, then do your homework.
- Dennis Parada, March 31, 2013

You live in a glass house, Jason, so you ought to beware the "rocks" you lob from your Skeptical perch. […] Your research, so far, is no "better" than anyone you excoriate. We are ALL skeptics, Jason. Question is, are you a "Big 'S'" or "Small 's'" skeptic? An rank denialist or a critical thinker.
- Scott A. Roberts, April 7, 2013

And that’s just what the public figures say. Among their readers and viewers, the reaction is so very much worse. I’ve received a couple of death threats and absolutely sick psychosexual craziness. The following example is a pretty standard reaction (one of dozens of examples) from an alternative supporter. I have reason to believe this particular message may even have been sent directly by or on behalf of Sean David Morton shortly after I exposed his fake PhD:

Hey mother fucking Jason asshole... do not criticize other person's ideas & their proficiency. You said about Morton’s education background. […] You sunner da mother fucking asshole, listen to this... any person can gives their ideas about anything , as we seen in Ancient aliens T.V. series.. but mother fuckers like you do only criticize their ideas. Immediately close your website bitch.. and fuck ur MOM…& DAD and rube ur peeeenesss hey hey...
- supporter of Sean David Morton, March 2012

 Yup, I’m the one who’s beyond the pale in my outrageous rudeness. But, why limit ourselves to just me? If you’d like to share your favorite ad hominem attack from an alternative theorist, please feel free to do so in the comments. If I get enough of them, I will put together a special page contrasting their rhetoric about dispassionate inquiry with their nasty attacks.