>Earning “cred” for past accomplishments doesn’t give someone a free pass forever to be a loud mouth.

What the ... ? Sorry, but you don't have to earn that. I suggest you familiarize yourself with human rights, particularly if you won the lottery and were born in a country like the US; it is very clearly written, in unambiguous terms, the rights their citizens enjoy.

And still, I'd rather listen to geohot rambling about whatever he wants to say, than some randos on the internet who have accomplished nothing but "arguing". Respect is not a right, it is earned, he's earned mine.