I can't find a rant in the link. Was the link changed or did I overlook something?
I wouldn't call it a rant, but rather a polite request for HN policy to change.
Which is made by blocking people with no ability to do anything about it.
That's hardly "no ability to do anything about it".
Consider it like this:
1. I think, "oh, that looks relevant, let me open that link".
2. I get a screenful of objections to HN moderation.
3. I shrug and close the tab.
Since I'm just a normal user who can't change HN moderation, the outcome is that HN doesn't change but I walk away with a worse opinion of the Asahi Linux folks.I also doubt they really care whether or not any particular HN reader has a positive or negative opinion of them.
It was called Startup News at the beginning. Of course, it's gonna be interested in money and money making. Duh.
The response given in Arkell v. Pressdram is appropriate.