Again, seconding erinptah, I re-read the thread recently and don't recall anything abusive (pointed, yes; abusive, no). But if I grant that some people were abusive and some people weren't, then a blanket response seems really counterproductive, as the people who were abusive learn nothing about where the line is and the people who were doing their best to be constructive receive the same perceived rebuke for their trouble. And I'm clearly not "the only person to have drawn this conclusion," either, that the letter came across as a rebuke, given the controversy that's ensued.

And if the bar for having your comments be wanted is higher than "from [your] point of view, constructive," then I'm really frustrated.