That's not what I read Bunn as saying: I thought she was saying that wishing ill on people is pretty unpleasant anyway, but hard to distinguish from joking. Then she's said that's it's worse to kick someone who's down, which implies that if you're kicking anyone it's marginally better to kick someone who can at least understand what you're doing and respond appropriately.

I agree with that. Which may be because I'm reading my views into what Bunn's said, but I don't think so.