It was, evidently, demoralization that killed Aaron. Ed took away moral support. So don't say he doesn't partly bear some responsibility.
Whether you think he deserves a measure of blame or not depends on whether you think his original remark was just or not. Evidently some could not tell ahead of time that the remarks were unjust, and evidently, this sort of person makes up the majority on HN, and it is just this sort who is making excuses for the original remark. They refuse to look in the mirror.
Or are you simply saying the act of making the original post on HN amounts to taking away moral support and consequently Ed bears some responsibility?
If so (and please correct me if that's not what you are saying) then I don't agree with that. What you are implying is that people can't speak their mind in a public forum about how they feel about something. (That has already happened with this issue as I've gotten some bullying behavior by someone simply because I questioned something because everyone is so worked up over this.). Or, perhaps people who are thought leaders (and/or top commenters on, say HN) need to be especially careful of what they say. Specifically what their opinion is which others are free to use their mind and agree or disagree with.
I'm saying that IF you believe Ed's initial post was unjust, then you believe he's responsible for an unjust -- i.e. immoral -- action. And if you believe that his statement possibly led to removing moral (and financial!) sanction from Aaron, then you're going to have to hold him responsible for that too.
The argument that he could have had the foresight to not do what he did is a separate matter.
"IF you believe Ed's initial post was unjust, then you believe he's responsible for an unjust"
I think I understand but to be clear you are saying that because he is a top commenter, and can change the opinions of others, on HN he needs to be especially careful and restrict what he says?
(For the record I don't have a problem with what he wrote as I read it.)
No, I'm not saying he needs to be "careful," I'm saying he needs to be just, and I think else everyone does too (including those who upvote unjust remarks). It's certainly not just him I'm talking about, and if it were only him who engaged in immoral behavior like this, then Aaron never would have been in the spot he was in in the first place. We live in a sick, depraved culture, and Ed's remarks are just one among millions.
Whether you think he deserves a measure of blame or not depends on whether you think his original remark was just or not. Evidently some could not tell ahead of time that the remarks were unjust, and evidently, this sort of person makes up the majority on HN, and it is just this sort who is making excuses for the original remark. They refuse to look in the mirror.