The poster stated nothing of the sort.
You're conflating "expressing opinions" (by clicking a button) with: making it less likely for the poster's expression to ever be seen.
You're conflating "expressing opinions" (by clicking a button) with: making it less likely for the poster's expression to ever be seen.
What all this concern trolling really sounds like isn't an actual defense of values of free speech, but rather sheltering someone from the speech of others.
You seem to be of the opinion that the downvotes are more important than the comment they are downvoting: They are not. They are at best, equivalent, and deserve no more special recognition than the comment itself; yet the fact that a comment gets buried as a result, gives those downvotes a weight greater than that of the subject comment.
Because if that weren't the case, you'd recognize that those downvotes are ALSO apparently entitled to a private platform.
If it's good for one, it is good for both, and it is equivalent to argue that the downvotes aren't entitled to a platform either, and you're left at square one, without a meaningful conclusion.
Maybe, just maybe, that isn't a useful approach to take.