Having read the memo, I disagree. I think the censorious response was warranted, and I think there was little subtlety in his arguments or worth in debating them per se. Obviously, these issues are worth discussing, but why on this one disgruntled software engineer's terms?

There is an equal and opposite danger to the one you're describing, which is that one cranks musings get vested with undue dignity just because the mainstream media does condemn him.