This is a fine article, as are the other front page stories on e-cigarettes in New York and cycling in the Netherlands. It's submitted by one of HN's most respected participants from a major US media source. While obviously "of interest to Hackers", it's far from exclusively so. It's also currently the top story on Reddit. I like the discussion of this topic better here than Reddit, but there are some good points on…
I too would ask - "et tu, tptacek?"
I thought it was a particularly good article that contained a thoughtful examination of an issue that was careful to present both sides, from a reported source. But I wouldn't have gotten mad had it been flagged off the site, either.