Hurtful people

Why is it that some people just can't stop themselves from being hurtful? In real life and in this cyber world, we have all come across people who just don't seem happy to respectfully disagree or to let something go. It seems they're constantly on the lookout for any perceived slight or opportunity to attack. I have a person in my real life who has this attitude and Molly has recently been attacked on her blog by someone over what began as ...I can only describe it as a difference of opinion. Have there always been this many rude people running around? I'm just constantly in awe of the things people feel entitled to say.
I think most of you know where we stand on the whole quiverfull thing, but I have never tried o make anyone who disagrees with me feel stupid or vilified about their beliefs. I also would never intentionally look for an offense where none was intended. And I pray I've never done it unintentionally either.
I've heard a lot of comments since we announced that baby #3 is on the way, but it's easy to tell which ones were said in jest and which ones were meant to be a little (or not so little) jab. I've been much less concerned with the jabs this time around, but I recently found out that I've been missing the worst of them. That's right, some people around here have nothing to do but bad-mouth me behind my back for having another child. I mean I know this is a sleepy little town, but my word - get a hobby.
I guess I've always known that following God's will isn't meant to be easy. I just imagined that persecution would be more ... glamorous somehow:) Not this petty little drip, drip, drip of annoying rudeness.
I think a lot of us could use a course in manners - especially the conversational variety. But maybe the main thing is we need to start taking seriously the Golden Rule.