text: you wouldn't get off with that answer in court, but hey, it's not court and it's sunny outside, so you are excused....I'll pretend we had a civil debate and you can exit pretending you acquitted yourself honorably....as for your last attempt to tar, here's the thing....Ms Southey and Hitchens both made a living off of unvarnished critique...Hitchens was far smarter and far more well read of course, but essentially both assumed the right to skewer....you can easily find immense and harsh critique of Hitchens' foibles and inconsistencies against which he often defended vigorously...Ms Southey it appears to you, required special care, lest the pointing out of her inconsistencies would act to mar faith in her virtuosity...sorry, but you owed her more respect than that