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I don't see anything dysphemistic about it. The moderators theoretically being able to defy him doesn't detract from the fact that he wanted to cut himself off from certain opinions, some of which he held and holds himself. If nothing else, your original question "what can (/could) you say here that you couldn't say on ACX" is 100% answered.
Is it more liberal? I've just been told by someone else that any act of repressing information is the fault of illiberalism. You're right it all feels very "no true liberal", but probably not in the way you intended.
What would Scott have had to do to avoid being perceived as illiberal?
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