People react when they face an issue that affects them. Tone policing like this says nothing but that you value the appearance of civility more than you do the

People react when they face an issue that affects them. Tone policing like this says nothing but that you value the appearance of civility more than you do the harm people are complaining about. This is a fairly trivial example. But this is the same mentality that goes into telling NFL players not to kneel, so it's worth calling out. When you focus on style instead of substance you draw attention away from the core of an issue. It's an effective tactic when it's what you want to do, but anyone who wants to use it should stop and think about why they want to obscure the point instead of addressing it directly. If it's because you don't have a valid objection, perhaps you don't have a stake in the discussion and you should think twice about entering it. Digressions that address the civility of the participants always serve to defend the status quo. Is it a status quo worth defending?