I am a moderate; I only get voted down when I make a mistake or post wrong information. I get corrected and I learn. I think there are other moderates here as well as even conservatives to prove that HN is not too liberal.

Your last comment is as follows, verbatim:

  Europe's only innovation is issuing fines to american tech companies

It is flagged and downvoted because forums don't want this type of ad-hominem comment. Have you considered that what you call "thought police" might simply represent people who demand higher standards for conversation and respectful discourse?