I’m not saying you need to engage with him or show him respect — that’s entirely your prerogative. I just thought it would be helpful information for you. Because, even if Chris is really the one being an asshole here, you’re still engaging with him. It hurts the credibility of your arguments, both in your comments and in your article. If you’re confident in your message, why would you bother engaging with him just to say that you’re not going to bother engaging with him?