What is force, in a voluntary association such as a forum?
I think persuasion is a more meaningful measure of force, and I think leading with "you don't know anything" is not very good persuasion technique. It is actually classically bad persuasion technique and an almost textbook example of how to get your audience to close up and go defensive, rejecting your ideas en mass. As such, I don't think you can legitimately claim that it is being done to state things "forcefully enough". The forceful way, in this context, is to persuade, which generally means not leading with an attack.
Using a more moderate approach would be more forceful.
All very true, but it would depend entirely upon the willingness to listen, and the willingness to learn, of the person who is to be persuaded.
The poster here did not start a thoughtful discussion containing a specific misinterpretation or an error of detail. Such an input could be addressed with "ideas", or more accurately, with rational explanation. No, this one, which came from someone who has been with us here for a year but who has not posted frequently, was simply a glib and
terribly incorrect, and oft repeated, general assertion on a subject that has the potential to lead to loss of life, prosecution and imprisonment, and/or very serious civil liability. Should the poster wish learn about the whats and whys, we can help with that, but step one is to
stop him or her
now, before he or she goes to another URL, from erroneously believing something that could lead to terrible consequences. There is also the issue of the risk that another reader ,skimming the discussion but not really interested in the subject at hand at present, may remember the "sound bite" and assume it is correct without wanting to read further. I'm sure that such a person would greatly appreciate having been corrected effectively with brevity and yes, even with bluntness. I certainly would.
We have had discussions on the Texas law in question go on for pages. Not everyone who needs to know the answer (and all Texans do need to know it) will read more than a few words.
Want to know how fore-end screw adjustment, glass bedding, barrel temperature, or variations in bullet weight can affect accuracy or point of impact in the shooting of a rifle? By all means, go into detail. But if one were to express an intention to use smokeless powder in a gun with damascus barrels, DON"T start responding with a discussion of pressure curves. And when someone makes a really serious error regarding use of force laws, there is nothing at all wrong with saying that that someone does not understand the subject--as long as there are no personal attacks on the person's intelligence or education, etc.