Take a look at this post, if you will. Then read the following:

Technique #2 - 'CONSENSUS CRACKING'

A second highly effective technique (which you can see in operation all the time at www.abovetopsecret.com) is 'consensus cracking.' To develop a consensus crack, the following technique is used. Under the guise of a fake account a posting is made which looks legitimate and is towards the truth is made - but the critical point is that it has a VERY WEAK PREMISE without substantive proof to back the posting. Once this is done then under alternative fake accounts a very strong position in your favour is slowly introduced over the life of the posting. It is IMPERATIVE that both sides are initially presented, so the uninformed reader cannot determine which side is the truth. As postings and replies are made the stronger 'evidence' or disinformation in your favour is slowly 'seeded in.' Thus the uninformed reader will most like develop the same position as you, and if their position is against you their opposition to your posting will be most likely dropped. However in some cases where the forum members are highly educated and can counter your disinformation with real facts and linked postings, you can then 'abort' the consensus cracking by initiating a 'forum slide.'

You wonder how special interest trolls manipulate online forums? This is how. The posting hints at the truth(correlation of violent crime with lower rates of gun control. That's it. No other facts to it. Correlation is not causation, and causation takes a lot more research to determine), but the premise is EXTREMELY weak. "Not based on mathematics(which it could be), but on my experience as someone studying this"

I can't say OP knows this, but I can say that article is specifically for initiating consensus cracking. Whether or not his posting history speaks for itself, I'll let you decide.

Please read this to see so many more of the tactics used by disinformationalists. If you want more info from me, just ask.