The best analogy are the claims sometimes posted that a private business is "censoring free speech". The time to worry is when the government begins cracking down (or in this case, when Jim begins banning people simply for supporting Rudy). I've seen no indications that he intends to do so; hence these claims of persecution are totally unfounded.
I'll raise my hand before I post next time.
No one (at least on the Rudy side) is claiming "persecution." But there is a large segment of FReepers that would just as soon see us gone.
That's not playing the victim. That's verifiable.