It's popular because it's effective. Paint yourself as so oppressed and vulnerable (but not fragile - that's for your enemies) that the wrong kind of criticism

It's popular because it's effective. Paint yourself as so oppressed and vulnerable (but not fragile - that's for your enemies) that the wrong kind of criticism endangers your very existence. You are just a few wrong words away from being assaulted and killed by violent mobs. Now if anyone says something that may endanger you, as determined by you, that's basically stochastic terrorism. It is reckless and irresponsible, and not legitimate debate (ignore whether or not it is true). The victim's veto.