I say things that many people disagree with all the time on HN, but pretty much the only times that I am downvoted into the gray are when I am not civil. For instance, the only comment of mine that has been grayed in this discussion is this one: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9169426 That comment is little more than a personal attack, and was therefore downvoted.
This one is not civil, as it personally attacks another commenter: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9169613 "That says a lot about you."
This one is in defense of the less-than-civil comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9169781
I say things that many people disagree with all the time on HN, but pretty much the only times that I am downvoted into the gray are when I am not civil. For instance, the only comment of mine that has been grayed in this discussion is this one: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9169426 That comment is little more than a personal attack, and was therefore downvoted.