... Being called cretin is not so funny. But what is the best response? Generally I look to Winston Churchill for advice in being rejected. He would say .... well what he would say is pretty obvious and I'm not doing him any honor by repeating it in this present context. That's my advice.
And here's my own advice: Hang in there. Do what you think is right, but avoid worrying about any conspiracies against you. Bop if banged and bang if bopped. Don't save up any bops and bangs for later use -- they don't age well at all. And you don't have to bop or bang back when banged or bopped a lot of times. Don't send someone else to do your bopping or banging for you. If you can't do it yourself, don't bother at all.
This is a ramble, I'm up too late.