Stop this here

Right above the comment box is a bullet point saying "Is the comment on-topic for the article and LWN?"

The article in question here is about Asterinas. Were the first few comments on whether independent OS projects will become more common in the face of current politics on topic? Yes, just. But by the time the discussion got to the international balance of power and history of empire — without any reference to OS development — it stopped being on topic.

I do think it's genuinely important to discuss these things, especially with people who don't share your views. But not every discussion has to happen here, specifically. There are lots of places to discuss these things on the internet, and if we don't all make some amount of effort to sort things by topicality, it gets much harder for people to find the discussions in which they are interested in participating.