The shortest way with dissenters

It's remarkable how many people who thrust themselves forward into the public gaze shrink whenever they attract a degree of criticism, malice or misunderstanding. What did they expect, after all? There are a number of ways of dealing with it, some such as this example from Quink (getting your wife to defend you on an internet forum). Others, such as the truly dreadful Madeleine Bunting, will insist on the right to answer her critics, but any criticism of Dame Maddy will be censored. (Is this at her insistence? A result of overzealous moderators? In any case its a ridiculous indulgence for an overblown idiot).

I prefer taking things on the chin or, better, fighting back. I'm usually more courteous than this, but Christopher Hitchens has the right idea. (Albeit in the second one he has an 'if I were a glass of Scotch I'd drink myself' expression).