As far as I am concerned, he can be as direct and provocative as he likes. I think it's a mistaken approach to what he's trying to do and that it hurts his cause in the long run, and many of the comments here seem to bear me out, but it's his choice.

I do understand how annoying and irrelevant the tone argument can be when one is genuinely angry, and I wouldn't now advocate it in those circumstances. (I used to. I learned better.)