Conflict escalates when people use the same words to talk about different things. People agree about their ideas and have neither need nor room to compromise. But because they use the same words to discuss different perspectives, they don’t agree.
“Explaining” is not “excusing”. “Politeness” is not “pandering”.
If I don’t like you, I’ll feed you, not because I’m afraid of you, but because that’s what Christians do to enemies. If you mock me, I’ll listen to you and thank you and love you because that’s what a wise man does to a fool.
Ask yourself: What Would Fools Do?