Folks, I sense I need to specify two things. 1) When I said I would take on anyone who dissed me, I meant people who did so in public forums where "the world" listens. I did not mean that I would address every person who writes me nastily on Twitter.

I've refrained from doing that ever, and those who think I'm fake in not taking on every hater every day have an odd sense of how normal people choose to spend their days. Especially since the nature of dispute is that your interlocutor will never back down (in public).

I'm not sure some realize how MANY people come at people like me PER DAY. Sorry, but I have classes to teach, kids to raise, a life. Some see me parrying vitriol from all and sundry 24/7. I guess they think I am, roughly, insane. Sorry to disappoint.

So: someone very prominent calls me a black racist where all can hear? I will not be silent. But I apologize for implying that I meant I will now spar with every Twitter hater. I welcome their hatred. But I will push back only when the WORLD can hear it.

That will be occasional, not daily. And anyone who thinks some nasty, GIF-y tweet series (that I don't respond to because life is short) proves me wrong should know 1) my work deep-sixes them, 2) lots of people know it, and 3) a great many of them are black.