I empathize with your concern about the tone. Without trying to dispute your feelings (which are yours and I respect that), I'd just like to point out some considerations that may or may not make any particular comment an exception to the rule:

1. There is a difference between being uncivil to a fellow HNer in a comment thread and being uncivil to a third party that is the subject of a post.

2. There is a difference between kicking a dog when it is down and kicking a giant that topples.