Last time I disagreed, I was accused of Attacking a Great Conservative Icon. I don't even remember what the argument was about now.
I see your point about people from other countries getting into our internal arguments - and I feel the same way about people of other religions getting too involved in the Catholic or Episcopalian discussion threads.
On the other hand, I'm not sure that any of us should feel we're unable to disagree with another FReeper just because the other person is better known. Should we think people are infallible because they are better known? The rest of us do have a disadvantage if we disagree with Mark however - he makes his living arguing his side of things; most of the rest of us are amateurs! ;-)
I don't mind disagreement, as I'm can be very disagreeable myself so I allow such in others.
I just don't like nasty little pricks with no respect who question the credibility of very credible people. Especially if they're a foreigner who nobody knows that hasn't established one iota of credibility.