I have almost no idea what you mean by "abusive". If you apply that term to that node, then it doesn't come close to meaning something that I think should be grounds for reaping.

I find that node slightly unpleasant. If we can't stomach that, then we have very weak stomachs.

When I try to come up with things I'd call 'abusive', the use of moderation to reap a rude node fits. That is an abuse of power. It should require very clear justification to do something as extreme as reaping, hiding away someone's words.

Whether something is 'abusive' or not seems a good example of a criteria that is quite unclear. I don't look forward to repeated debates about whether this or that node qualifies. But I also think it shouldn't matter.

Why should such a minor lack of courtesy be banned? I don't want to encourage lack of courtesy. If you don't want to either, then downvote it, /msg the author, and/or reply.

Using reaping on minor infractions like poorly constructed questions or nodes that are rude makes our community look childish, IMO. I've been sick of it for a long time. I'd rather the node's author look childish.

Update: Replaced an ambiguous "it".

All told I kinda agree with Arunbears comment. I dont think that was abusive so much as reactionary. And heaven knows we've all be that at one point. In fact in a sense I read Arunbears comment much as your own reply to his was. He was asking the community whether we really wanted to deal with a BS node. Personally I think he should have just considered it but whatever.