# Is calling someone "close-minded" an insult?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [April 3, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265 "2014-04-03T16:21:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 4

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**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-calling-someone-close-minded-an-insult/685265/4 "2014-04-03T17:35:32Z")

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Tough modding…

FTR, I’ll quote the interaction in full. Starting on page 4 of the thread.

> [@Is there any good reason not to mandate national vaccination?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-good-reason-not-to-mandate-national-vaccination/684447/186):
>
> I don’t know if it’s been mentioned, but I’d say the abortion debate answers this question. We’ve established that medical decisions are between patients and their doctors and the government has no right to intervene. Nor can the government force people to undergo medical procedures. If you can’t force people to undergo ultrasounds, you can’t force people to have needles stuck in them.
> 
> Plus, people do die from vaccines. The risk is tiny, but in a large population, some do die, and making people buy that particular lottery ticket is not justifiable.
> 
> I think the anti-vax crowd has done the country a lot of harm, but we’re talking basic rights here.

> [@Is there any good reason not to mandate national vaccination?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-good-reason-not-to-mandate-national-vaccination/684447/187):
>
> > [@Is there any good reason not to mandate national vaccination?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-good-reason-not-to-mandate-national-vaccination/684447/186):
> >
> > I don’t know if it’s been mentioned…
> 
> Then why don’t you read the thread and find out? Why should we have to pretend that the conversation started when you arrived and that none of the previous points addressing your concerns haven’t already been made? Sometimes it’s like a take-off of that Sandler/Barrymore comedy, _Fifty First Dates_, only with this topic( and a few other I could mention) it’s _Fifty First Posts_.

> [@Is there any good reason not to mandate national vaccination?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-good-reason-not-to-mandate-national-vaccination/684447/189):
>
> Well, since we have actually established that we cannot force people to undergo medical procedures, I’d say it’s an open and shut case.

> [@Is there any good reason not to mandate national vaccination?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-good-reason-not-to-mandate-national-vaccination/684447/190):
>
> The topic is open, your mind is shut, and you have no case.

Speaking generally. Speaking generally, there ought to be some scope for member characterizations of other board member behavior that falls short of pittable offenses.

Also, I don’t know whether Czarcasm would have been modded if he kept the same sentence, but threw in a softener.

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