Death threats are obviously inexcusable. This shouldn't even have to be said. But this is a classic PR strategy. When you do something that makes many people very angry, all you have to do is wait for someone to say something incivil. Then make headlines with whatever it is they said. Then the message shifts to how you've been wronged. And any time anyone complains or argues against what you did, associate the critic…
I don't agree with this at all. I am a person. I have never had a death threat. If I get a death threat, I would probably be rather upset, and inclined to say something about it. I don't think there is too much else going on here.
Death threats are simply background noise. As a hosting provider I don't think a day goes by we don't get one about something or other from some crazy. Most of these people send these off with about as much care as folks post on 4chan, and really don't put much weight behind the words they are typing.
Used to bother me, but you get over it pretty quick. Cost of business of doing anything that gets even a remotely large following on the Internet, bonus points if you get some controversy.