Michael Weinstein, ever the critic, apparently doesn’t take kindly to criticism himself.

The Colorado Springs Independent reports Weinstein’s lawyers sent a “warning” to the publisher of the Colorado Springs Gazette over its recent editorial criticizing Weinstein’s attack on the US Air Force Academy’s prayer luncheon.

[Gazette Editor Wayne] Laugesen’s editorial scolded Weinstein for attempting to infringe on free-speech rights, and said Weinstein opposed McClary’s appearance “because he is Christian.”

“That is false, and I have no doubt Mr. Laugesen and the Gazette know it full well,” Dallas attorney Randal Mathis writes…, adding that “publishing the statement is obviously calculated to offend, scare, and potentially mislead to the point of inciting unstable people.” Mathis makes it clear his letter is a precursor to a lawsuit. Pope declined a request for comment.

Mathis’ statement is consistent with the language in the current Weinstein v Ammerman, the long-running personal lawsuit in which former Navy Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt is accused of “terroristic threats” in his use of a Biblical quote.

As noted previously, despite his own vitriolic (and often personal) attacks, Weinstein cannot abide a negative word about himself.  He has threatened “legal action” against a wide variety of people, some for remarkably simple and benign statements, others for obvious statements of fact.  The Gazette is no different.  In criticizing the (obvious) contradictions in Weinstein’s words and actions, Weinstein ended up looking like a fool.  Weinstein apparently felt the sting and reached for the ever-ready legal hotline.

Weinstein’s intent is clear.  If you have the gall to criticize Michael Weinstein’s attacks on the religious freedom of US troops, you’ll hear from his lawyer.  You’ll also likely hear him stoop to name-calling.  As a commenter accurately reported, Weinstein recently went on Freethought Radio and said “we refer to” Lt Gen Michael Gould as “Gen Ghoul,” and USAFA spokesman LtCol John Bryan as “LtCol Lyin’.”  Apparently he thinks calling people names grants him some kind of misguided credibility, or maybe it just makes him feel better.

Given his hypersensitivity to criticism, the man who tries to represent himself as some kind of fighting bulldog appears to be more of a delicate, wilting flower.

Of course, dispensing attacks while not abiding the slightest opposition is not an unusal character trait.  It’s just normally found in maladjusted people under the age of 13.