Not to mention, it always becomes a dumpster fire. It is going to devolve because too much emotional baggage comes in with it, I am guilty of it, and every reader on HN is guilty of it. There are plenty of other outlets to vent ones political frustrations. It just poisons the pool here and is better left out. If someone really needs that outlet, Facebook is just a click away.

It is near impossible for a group to have a rational discussion about politics or religion. So it is better to just avoid the topic on a forum that values, pleasantry and support of one another as core values.

I'm not even specifying a topic.

I'm saying there's benefit to moderating off topic discussions regardless of the nature of said content.