[conspire] In case we were not already clear about was NextDoor, Inc. is

[Rick Moen]

Yesterday on my local NextDoor, a kind person in Menlo Park invited
contributions to help a couple dropped off in Redwood City by their 
(I gather ex-) employer, just pushed out of a car and left, with
nothing, needing food, shelter, and clothing.  The kind person had
helped their immediate needs but seeks help.

Numerous people joined the thread to assist.  And, by the way, if anyone
wishes to help, they are on the "Samaritan House" list of people seeking
assistance.

I am being careful to not directly quote anyone else from that
discussion, or give names, as that might violate NextDoor Guidelines.


Another thoughtful person noted that there was a "laughing" emoticon
applied to the item, and asked in revulsion what sort of person would 
post such a repulsive emoticon.  I replied:

  [name], what sort of person?  An Athertonian.

  No editorial, just reporting the fact.

The emoticon showed as having been applied by an individual (whom again
I will not name) with residency indicated as "West Atherton".



I posted that brief comment early this morning.  A few minutes ago, I
saw that it was flagged as "hidden" on grounds of "discriminatory",
which links to the ND policy against "racism & discrimination" at 
https://help.nextdoor.com/s/article/Do-not-discriminate?language=en_US

Aw, the poor Athertonians don't like the light of day?


I have appealed the "hidden" flagging to NextDoor, Inc.'s corporate
reviewers, with this comment:

    Stating that the person who applied the laughing icon is an 
    Athertonian, and making no comment whatsoever, could not
    possibly qualify as "discrimination":  Even if residents of
    America's richest town qualified as a "protected and marginalized 
    group", I made no comment whatsoever, just said without editorial
    in what town the person resides.


The person who flagged my comment, who again shall go nameless here, 
attempted to chide me in the now-hidden subthead for indulging an
"opinion" [sic], which, paraphrasing, he or she feels impugns everone 
in a specified area, and therefore (per him or her) is "discriminatory".

I did not post further into the now-hidden subthread, but instead 
posted to the _bottom_ of the public thread, as follows:

   [name]:  it was fact, _not_ opinion (not mine or anyone else's), that
   the person who applied the "laughing" reaction was from that town.  I
   notice that the person now appears to have hastily removed that
   emoticon.

   Your claim that my statement of fact answering the question about the
   person's town of residence was "discriminatory" is under review by ND,
   Inc., and I have some significant hopes that corporate will do the right
   thing.

   The idea that the richest town in America is a "protected and
   marginalized group"
   (https://help.nextdoor.com/s/article/Do-not-discriminate?language=en_US)
   and that mentioning that someone lives there is "discriminatory" against
   that person sounds astonishing.  We'll see whether NextDoor, Inc.
   concurs with your view.


I have pretty low expectations of NextDoor, Inc.'s inclination to
rationally apply its user guidelines, and in general the service
_is_ a cesspool of entitled, acting-out racists and bigots, but we'll
see what happens.