Get over it. Are these people new to the Internet? Where were they in the days of Usenet flame wars? The Internet is an anonymous medium, it is relatively free, people say all kinds of stuff. It's not pretty. It never has been. That can be a flaw or its strength, depending upon how you look at it. Sounds like a bunch of people got nervous when their internet blatherings didn't receive the decorous response they were used to on their school newspaper or debating team. My advise: if you receive serious threats, report them to the police. Better yet, if you have a nervous temperament, confine yourself to print media, use a moderated mailing list, or just blog under an assumed name.