I agree with you. While the tone of the message matters in terms of how effectively it is conveyed (and how receptive readers will be to the ideas presented), it's not something to get too focused on.

I find that people are much more likely to perceive value judgments and look for hidden meanings in things when they are feeling insecure. Did that guy just insult me? Is he trying to imply that I don't move the industry forward? How dare he?!