> unimpressed by disrespectful and nonconstructive talking over of someone right in front of them.

What are you, the etiquette police?

"Talking over" is something that just doesn't apply to one reply on an asynchronous threaded forum.

does it detract from op's point and instead attempt to steer the conversation somewhere else? (which, incidentally, is also derogatory?)

when people behave that way in live conversations, i'm equally unimpressed.

The harm to a live conversation of talking over someone is clear. There is no harm here, only a digression that can be ignored or not as participants wish. The OP had as much time and space to make their case. Again, threaded forums are not live, linear conversations, and have different characteristics for what is healthy and useful. Replies, even contradictory ones, are not interruptions. There is not one conversation going on, but many, and the conversation cannot be steered unilaterally without agreement from others to not engage in the original conversation.

In general, there is nothing wrong with detracting from someone's point (though there can be in specific instances). The point may be ridiculous and need detracting!

There is also nothing wrong with being derogatory when appropriate. Some speech is indeed bad and should be called out -- were you not doing just that? (Though I, of course disagree that the speech you were objecting was in any way bad).

so there's talking over in the sense of literal interruptions and talking over in the sense of belittlement.

google might be a giant corporation these days, but even so, it's pretty ridiculous to belittle their reps in their own threads.

as i said before, i've seen this behavior in person before (with no interruptions used in delivery, no less!) and i've seen it online. in all cases it's impressive, but not in a good way.