Is that really necessary?

Today, my mother-in-law, who apparently as I have just found out, doesn't like me very much wrote me some REALLY hurtful things in an e-mail. Most of her attacks were on me as a person, and my only thinking is... is it really necessary to tear someone down to make a point? Why do people do that? It is perfectly acceptable not to agree with someone, I do it all the time. However, there is NO reason to degrade someone in the process. It is just fine to say "Heather, I think you are a little controlling and sometimes you need to lay off a bit." However to attack me as a person and to say "You're a control freak, always trying to control everybody and everything! I'm tired of you always trying to make Jake out to be a second class citizen and act as if he is inferior to you and your family. You put him down every chance you can (in front of people)!" is just mean and nasty.

If you don't like the way I'm acting tell me... but DON'T attack me as a person!! And more importantly, if you have not had a conversation with me in a year and four months and have not seen your son, or me, in that same year and four months... butt the HELL out!! How do you know anything about our relationship when you have not been around??

Just a thought. :-)