Of course people can be pleasant one day and a jerk the next. This seems so obvious to me I don't even know how to explain it.

It was far more than just "strong opinions you don’t agree with". I saw that he apologized for some of that, and my interactions were some years ago, so I'm not inclined to cite specific examples here – there's no need to drag up people's past sins if they're trying to move beyond that. But he really has been a right jerk at times in the past – to me personally, and to others – and from what I've seen it seems Drew today would agree with at least some of that too.

We all have our flaws; it's part of the human condition. What I always found far more objectionable is the exact opposite: people willing to make excuses for him because they agreed with his views. Your comment is a good example of that. I'm a simply guy: if I see someone being a jerk then I will think you're a jerk, whether I agree or disagree with you or not (that said, I have to admit I too have been biased here, and probably will be in the future as well, but at least I'm trying, and open to criticism and reflection on this).

I don't know the person under discussion other than seeing him occasionally mentioned on this site, so I have no basis for an opinion about him, but speaking generally, being a jerk doesn't mean some has to treat _everyone_ poorly; sometimes being a jerk to only some people is still enough to qualify someone as a jerk. As a made up example, a boss who plays favorites by letting their cronies get away with being lazy or not following rules but makes trouble for anyone outside their inner who slips up even slightly is a jerk, even though they don't act like one to their favored few (who would probably protest vigorously at the suggestion that their boss is a jerk).

In this day and age many people can't handle strong opinions.

In my experience Drew is a lovely person both online and offline so to each their own I guess.

People can be complex and multi faceted. You can be both - and some one elses opinion can include both.

I never said he is a jerk, just why some might state he is. There seems to be another comment replying to you giving more justification. Also just because I've personally found someone as pleasant doesn't mean that they can't appear to be a jerk to others. I have friends who think I'm absolutely wonderful, there are other people who don't like me at all. Part of that is differences in personalities/conditions under which we met/etc, and I don't have nearly as much of the public exposure as Drew has here.