HN is a "marketplace of ideas" the way Mao's Hundred Flowers campaign was. Post article on controversial or flamebait-ish topic, wait for users to take the bait, then yell at them.

Their house, their rules, and IMHO the good outweighs the bad... but make no mistake, calling HN a "marketplace of ideas" is inappropriate.

The other side in this situation is far into the barrel.

But it's mistaken to say HN is a free marketplace of ideas.

I could give some substantive points in support of this statement, but it's an old conversation and I've gotten in trouble for the ways I've expressed it in the past.