Unsubbed after my comments were removed and I received a "warning ban" for arguing that two cases (one involving a student expelled for racist Snapchat activity, and one involving people breaking into two black girls' dorm room in the middle of the night and attacking them) were not the same severity, and that one particular user who had called for both to be punished the same way was an extremist who would likely breed more racism.

I appealed the ban by messaging the mods, trying to make the case that if we act like the right wing claims we act, we're playing into their hands. Received a reply to "stop using 'we'" and to "reflect on [my] shit." So I asked they make the ban permanent.

I've worked with community integration non-profits for years. I am a second-generation Mexican-American and was raised in arguably one of the most racist states in the union. And I was accused of racism and my calls for moderate perspective removed, because I thought it would be better to try to teach people to be less racist (a tactic my organization has used, frequently and on a large scale for decades), instead of write them off on the first offense.

I initially joined because I found their send up of gamergate hilarious, stayed for the activism. Just this week, though, I guess the mods have gone full crusader. Sad, but whatever. While they complain about the fact that we don't crucify people anymore, I've got a weekend police and community block party to help organize.

Update:

Got a message reply calling me irrational and saying that because I argue with racists online, I don't have a right to think that jail is too excessive for unpleasant speech. The mod then told me I shouldn't call a PoC extreme, implying I'm white, and then muted me so I can't respond.

To say I'm disappointed is so last hour. Now I'm just baffled.

Update 2
Apparently they "know [I'm] not Hispanic because [I] talk white." Hooooly fuck.

Final Update
So now I've blocked all contact from all mods from that sub. I recognize a couple who weren't in on the dog pile, and haven't weighed in either way, but I don't want to deal with any possibility of further near-harassment.

I'd just like to point out that my posts calling for a less knee-jerk reaction, comments pointing out the hypocrisy of extremism, were upvoted before they were removed. My frustration is that it seems my comments were removed and I was banned not only because I was disagreeing with one particular user, but because I was "winning" in the court of subscriber opinion. I imagine if the person I was arguing with had received the lion's share of upvotes and I was firmly in the negatives, we wouldn't be talking about this right now.

I never believed the right-wing cry that "if you disagree with them, they'll call you a racist". Always thought that was nonsense. But here we are.

I've devoted my adult life to fighting racism and working with inner-city social dynamics. I'm not giving up my work. I guess what I'm trying to say is, nobody gets to define my opinions but me, and I'm not going to just fade out of activism and let someone more violent replace me. But I do think I'll take time off of Reddit for a while. It's a time suck anyway, and I'm kind of tired of trying to fight the astroturfing by Stormfront and having my only reward being called a bigot by people who are letting their anger drive.