As this topic is on the Meta board, could someone please explain in general exactly who has the ability to delete whole threads (moderators + thread originator)? and perhaps from a moderator's point of view why this would be done in practice - i.e. a whole thread and not, for example, a particular piece of offensive content?
As the OP says, regardless of actual intent, this could be perceived as censorship and surely ought to be a last resort on an open forum.