If you still believe in what you wrote I would say republish it. You know that's what you want to do or you wouldn't be asking for advice--you just wouldn't do it.

It's hard sometimes to stick with our beliefs when we know others are going to attack us for it, but my feeling is it takes far more bravery to be the writer than it does to be the commenter. Most of them do their dirty work anonymously, so they have no fear. They can say any stupid thing they want.

It's your story and they can't take it from you--which will be what happens if you pull it from view.

If you decide to publish it I'll be here to back you up, no matter what I think of your analysis. Because we're not writing for THEM, we're writing for US.