You're right, I'm not a mod. The only authority I have is the good will of other HN members. The community is capable of encouraging better behavior on its own

You're right, I'm not a mod. The only authority I have is the good will of other HN members. The community is capable of encouraging better behavior on its own behalf. As for deleting my comment, that would be out of courtesy to my parent. The point isn't calling out bad behavior, it's improving the site. The site is better off without my comment after it's served its purpose.