I don't think users should be down-rated because they've expressed their opinion of the new site design.  

Down rating any criticism of the site a bit sketchier than expressing one's criticism, I think.  In fact, most sites make design changes from time to time, and they always come with some negative feedback.  It's a fact of life.  And most sites want to tailor their sites to their users needs.

Actually - now I am super creeped out.  

It's not like he was trolling or making personal attacks.  The new design is profoundly aesthetically displeasing to more than one person.  

You live in a world where not everyone is going to like everything you do.  Get a backbone.  

Take the opinions of others about your design into consideration or ignore them.  But you can't just give people low ratings for that.  It's not a personal attack.  It's a a longtime user and contributor commenting on the usefulness and tolerability of the design, fer crying out loud.  Take it or leave it.  


"Talking nonsense is the sole privilege mankind possesses over the other organisms." -Dostoevsky