After getting vulgar comment online, PA's first openly gay state Congressman called troll's grandma.

[Saviolo]

3. That's amusing and a great way to handle that situation, but...

Yeah, there's a "But."

The world might be a better place if everyone stopped before they judged, harassed, attacked, or smeared another human being and thought:

'What would my grandma think?'

This strikes me the wrong way entirely. I think the world would be a better place if everyone stopped before the judged, harassed, attacked, or smeared another human being and thought: "This is another human being."

I don't treat other people in general society with respect because I fear retribution or punishment, I do it because everyone is worthy of respect until they've demonstrated that they are not. Random strangers with whom I have had no interaction aren't worthy of respect because I might get an earful from a parent, but because they're another human being in the world.

Of course, I do not extend this respect to people who openly and gleefully express hateful, violent, or disgusting opinions about others. I'm not talking about treating enemies with kid gloves, etc... I'm talking about basic human decency. I have no place in my mental environment for bigots of any stripe.