I think the lightening rod idea has nothing to do with it. There are plenty of people with controversial opinions who are targeted with a lot of personal abuse here, just as I am, who have not had their posting curtailed. There are also a few people who habitually abuse other posters here (which is against the rules, while having controversial opinions wasn't against the rules, last time I checked) who have not had their posting curtailed. So that idea just doesn't add up.

But like I said, the people who run the forum can treat people however they like here, since it's their forum.