As a non-American, the intellectual infantilization around bad words is completely insane to me.
I'm totally in for discussing this, if you dont like it about nationality, then make it about culture/language?
I guess an equivalent might be what'd happen if a well known persona started wearing a toothbrush moustache. It's not illegal (presumably!). Would it create retaliation, sure.
The words are not regulated by law as you suggest, but insults are.
"Comments should get more thoughtful and substantive, not less, as a topic gets more divisive."
and this one:
When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. "That is idiotic; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3" can be shortened to "1 + 1 is 2, not 3."