Sometimes insult is offered gratuitously, as in the case of the weak, the old, the cripple and other unfortunates who deserve pity rather than mockery; the quality of contumely of this sort is brutal and fiendish.  Others will say for justification:  “But he said the same, he did the same to me.  Can I not defend myself?” That depends on the sort of defense you resort to.  All weapons of defense are not lawful.  If a man uses evil means to wrong you, there is no justification, in Christian ethics, for you to employ the same means in order to get square, or even to shelter yourself from his abuse.  The “eye-for-eye” principle is not recognized among civilized and Christian peoples.

This gross violation of personal respect may be perpetrated in many ways; any expression of contempt, offered to your face, or directed against you through a representative, is contumely.  The usual way to do this is to fling vile epithets, to call opprobrious names, to make shameful charges.  It is not always necessary that such names and epithets be inapplicable or such charges false, if, notwithstanding, the person in question has not thereby forfeited his right to respect.  In certain circumstances, the epithet “fool” may hold all the opprobriousness of contumely:  “thief” and “drunkard” and others of a fouler nature may be thus malicious for a better reason.  An accusation of immorality in oneself or in one’s parents is contumelious in a high degree.  Our mothers are a favorite target for the shafts of contumely that through them reach us.  Abuse is not the only vehicle of contumely; scorn, wanton ridicule, indecent mockery and caricature that cover the unfortunate victim with shame and confusion serve the purpose as well.  To strike one, to spit on one and other ignoble attacks and assaults belong to the same category of crime.

The malice of contumely is not, of course, equal in all cases; circumstances have a great deal to do in determining the gravity of each offense.  The more conspicuous a person is in dignity and the more worthy of respect, the more serious the affront offered him; and still more grave the offense, if through him many others are attainted.  If again no dishonor is intended and no offense taken, or could reasonably be taken, there is no sin at all.  There may be people very low on the scale of respectability as the world judges respectability; but it can never be said of a man or woman that he or she cannot be dishonored, that he or she is beneath contempt.  Human nature never forfeits all respect; it always has some redeeming feature to commend it.

CHAPTER LXXXVIII.  DEFAMATION.