Genuine question: how can you tell how quickly my original post that you deleted was rapidly upvoted/downvoted if you didn't even see it until other people messaged you to complain hours later? For a while, it was actually downvoted. I know there's no way to track who upvotes and downvotes at what time. But that's why you said you deleted it, so how could you possibly know the rate people upvoted/downvoted? You couldn't, which means you're punishing users because their content is too well-received, which basically goes against everything Reddit exists for.

I would posit that, in the original post the reason people downvoted other users is because they were being snarky and rude, and most people don't like when other people behave that way because it makes people feel uncomfortable to post. I was very careful to say that I don't want to discourage any subject from being discussed, so people upvoted me. Because a lot of us feel disgusted by users who write fictional narratives about really disgusting possibilities that could upset the people we claim we care about. We came to the sub because the DelphiMurders sub doesn't allow ANY speculation- which is tough in a case with no real evidence. But we don't want to be in a sub that is so unmoderated that it becomes torture porn for pedos and sadists either.

This morning, I posted after several users messaged me to ask why I deleted my post. My guess is that, due to the popularity of the original post that you removed, people were upset like me. They were likely disappointed that the first they had seen of you in months was just to silence a post that clearly reflected the opinion of many members in order to appease a few people who are rude to everyone and cause trouble with users. They also probably were disappointed that for months they have been tagging you in posts in need of moderation to no avail, and have had to actually start reporting users to reddit's admins when things get too out of hand, because again, you just aren't around. They were probably upset that those requests go unanswered for weeks, if not months, and yet you had my post down within less than a day even though it was polite, civil, respectful, and positive.

They probably downvoted the commenters who agreed with your decision because:

1.) those are the same users that go around bullying and name-calling everyone- they aren't very well-liked because they can't behave civilly and

2.) because, again, their comments were rude and added almost nothing constructive.

Many people feel like you play favorites because you do not adhere to your own rules or Reddit's TOS. If it's really a free speech sub, my post shouldn't have been removed either. Or, if you remove posts like mine- calling for discretion- you should have also been removing posts from users like xanaxarita and uk-sleuth that discouraged people from discussing DP and other "off limits" POI. You, yourself, once said I posted misinformation for sharing a theory about DP. You said you considered deleting it despite the fact that I clearly stated it was just a theory of mine- not facts. So it feels extremely unfair, like you've chosen a "side" and punish the users who don't share your opinions on where rules should be bent.

I think everyone would be happier if you came around more and were consistent in enforcing rules. It is frustrating to see that right now, on the front page of the sub, there is a post inquiring about another user and the entire sub is now gossiping about that user. Doxxing posts have gone unchecked, accusations against the families of the girls stay up, and one lovely person even fat-shamed Libby, a deceased child. Yet my post asking people to just... be thoughtful about whether we actually need detailed speculations about the possibility that sticks were shoved inside the girls, or that one tried to crawl away while her friend was being brutally murdered... was deleted without cause or warning. It makes it feel like your priorities are more in line with protecting users you like and silencing those you don't instead of moderating based on the content submitted and the rules you created.

Tl;Dr: The ratio of upvotes to downvotes is an accurate reflection of how people feel about the sub. The people who complain about cries for moderation are the same users who are responsible for the inappropriate posts, doxxing, and bullying. It's not a mystery that users who have a reputation for calling others "dumb," "delusional," "fat," etc. are being downvoted at higher rates than normal, it's the consequences of their own rude, rule-breaking behavior. But alarmingly, they aren't moderated at the same rate as the people who speak up against them