Is the NYT comment section just braindead? It seems like they are
Do you think that someone who says "X politician is an idiot, and their policies are stupid"... do you think that the poster of this should be fined or imprisoned? It seems like Germany is making a gradual return to totalitarianism, go figure
They are indeed.
Critical thinking isn't something that NY Times commenters are capable of. They don't stop and think to question if the author could be wrong or even deranged in what they are doing or writing about. But instead in this case, the readers blindly support anything that is 'current trend', even if it is a more totalitarian idea and witch hunting and arresting anyone under the suspicion of wrong-think.
The blind leading the blind here.