[ToucanLoucan]

> It really does, that's the entire point. If you go find somebody and physically attack them for what they've written on HN about for example medicine, that makes you the law-breaker.

Yeah if I did this thing you completely made up, that would be illegal. Just like if the parent commenter was imprisoned for the post he made, that would also be illegal. Have you considered basing your politics on real things?

> I understand from the way you write that you might consider it your right to do such things to other people who don't have the same opinions as you,

Oh don't flatter yourselves. I have no interest at all in going to prison for slapping the shit out of COVID deniers. I'll happily tell you you're wrong though.

> but freedom of speech protects them against retribution from you or anybody else, including from the government.

Correct, but it doesn't protect them from social consequences, in this case getting downvoted, which is what they were pissing and moaning about.

[carlosjobim]

I wouldn't say that a hacker down vote is much of a social consequence, and the other poster wasn't pissing and moaning, he was joking about it. But you were already so full of hate against "the others", that you couldn't see the humour.