It is going to sound sad, but that is because reading books is not a mainstream time sink. Now, FB and Twitter? So many things to get upset about in real time.

we do worse than that nowadays, instead of censoring the offending text we censor the person whole

Slightly different. Blasphemers used to be executed back then, now you lose your job, ability to bank, go out in public etc. Slight improvement?

Blasphemers are still executed, it's just politically incorrect to criticize the countries it happens in.

It's at the discretion of the platform. Why don't you test the limits of HN? At a certain point you will be "censored" here.

And if that happens is it because dang hate's your freedom or you've pushed the limits of tolerable behavior?

Pushing the "limits of tolerable behavior" are why the books were band as well.

There's a vast difference between acceptable behavior for guests and making something illegal.

HN is a forum where we are the guests of pg, dang, et al. They have rules for behavior -- https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Not abiding by these rules can get you banned. Are you going to complain about that? Are your rights being trampled on?

edit: p.s., it's "banned", not "band"