Comment by latency-guy2

To be fair, I wouldn't put a whole lot of blame on them

The position is either self serving as you say, or perception based where other people determine the value of your argument based on your implied race.

The people on HN probably have a good percentage that align well with the latter and think that way, e.g. your opinion matters more if you're X race or minority. That's just who these people are, highly politically motivated people and just are PC day in day out.

It's one strategy out of many to reach these people from their world rather than everyone else's.