Point though, if we’re talking about “severity” of insults, calling someone a maggot (or MAGAt) is IMHO a few orders of magnitude less severe than calling them Nazis. Yet (and with probably very good cause) we call MAGAs (note, still using my earlier distinction from Republicans as a whole for what it’s worth) Nazis in multiple forums on probably a daily basis.
Is it, as @miller talks about, a factor of the severity of the insult (vis “jackass”) or is it the comparison to a low-regarded animal (as before)?
Because for me (and again, that’s the only person I’m speaking for) I’m not trying to dehumanize MAGAs by comparing them to animals in an attempt to “other” them - I absolute consider them others, and in many cases, less than animals because many/most of them explicitly wish death upon me, my kin, and friends with ZERO pushback from their leaders.
I do understand and sympathize with @Babale’s and other attempts to take the high road, and avoid all such tainted topics, and give @miller’s point of tired jokes a wincing, rueful acknowledgement, but (again, IMHO!!!) we’re well past the point where being clinically polite and “detached” (if such things were ever possible in the first place) arguments are possible.
And, as the mods as a whole have confirmed it’s not banned under the existing rules, nor does it seem likely a new rule will be posted, I will continue to use the term with the homophone meaning intended although in general I’m polite enough to try to avoid it in the sort of “mixed company” that P&E implies.
TL;DR - yes, I’m using it, it’s a demeaning term, and to @Babale’s earlier point, I’m owning it, not dodging it. However others may use it differently, mean it differently, or choose not to use it all, and that’s fine for them unless the mods choose to make a change.