If it helps, they can't possibly be as toxic as Lisp programmers used to be, where more or less any online conversation would start with someone new asking a question and Erik Naggum replying that they were a moron who should die.
Let's assume that the newsgroup is important. Legendary Lisp hacker Alan Bawden posted there just last week or so. Nobody ever mentions him.
In this case I think people should learn from history and that specific examples are the best way to do that. It's, like, effective pedagogy or whatever.
Supposedly Clojure people are nice though.
All too often you get ignorant remarks, jokes about parentheses or "contents of address register", or outright ridicule.
If you say anything frank at that point, chances are good you might come off as an asshole.
Just smile, nod your head, change the subject, and never return to it.
They've gotten way nicer.