RE: Although subjectively downvoting posts to zero is anathema to me, the Layer 1 ability to do so must remain (for now at least)

Then why DV e.g. this post to zero?

https://peakd.com/pob/@frot/all-your-email-are-belong

The only explantion I have is that you did it for personal reasons against user @frot ? and not because of the content of the post. That is never something that should be done... or what is your explanation?