[random_visitor]

This kind of comments are really difficult to get rid of, especially so in a site that doesn't strictly tie with your real self.

Also, that kind of behaviour is extremely hard to curb. If moderators lay guidelines on what kind of talk is and isn't allowed, people attack the mods and the subreddit for taking away their freedom. If mods are lenient, this and much worse happens. I used to moderate a popular sub (top 100 subs on reddit), and I hate to say that these are mild by reddit standards and about what you should expect on a popular post (the key being "reddit standard"). I'm pretty sure mods are cracking down on these comments, but a mob of people can generate them much faster than a dozen or so volunteers can delete away

[mettamage]

> especially so in a site that doesn't strictly tie with your real self.

I never realized it so clearly, but this is definitely the case for me on HN and probably for more commenters on HN.

[pwillia7]

Use handles that can be traced back to you everywhere reasonable

[m463]

> especially so in a site that doesn't strictly tie with your real self.

In the bigger view, that isn't really something to fix. In fact it might be a good thing - let people make mistakes, be downvoted, see what enlightened people commented and maybe learn.