Randy_M comments on Open thread for December 24-31, 2013 - Less Wrong Discussion
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hmm, I'm going to try to calilbrate my view of the community here by guessing the reasons this is currently at -5 karma:
45% Misusing 'rational' for something that isn't particularly about rationality
40% Overly american-centric linkage with patriotism, freedom, and rationality leading to percieved contradictions
10% Contrarian sticking up for Christians for the unsubstantianted hypocrisy charge
5% Past quarrels bleeding over
To me the most plausible explanation of why anyone would write that comment is trolling. I can't quite imagine someone writing it using the same words for different reasons.
As a comparison, here is a (fictional) comment I could even upvote if I saw it in a Group Rationality Diary:
It seems similar, and here are the removed parts:
Obviously, they are applause lights. Just not really appealing ones; and too concentrated. Either someone is really clueless, or more likely just mocking; both of these options deserve a downvote.
The American patriotism thing is not a problem per se; it is just another evidence for trolling. If it was the only suspicious thing in the comment, I would just skip it as a cultural difference.
Also, there's a possible reason to use those three colours to symbolise freedom that has little to do with American patriotism. (Not that it's particularly better.)