The main character is a crusader for massive reductions in the civil rights of machine intellects. He feels this way because he feels they are untrustworthy and may be plotting to take over.

Of course, when people in power oppress people they fear, the result is often that those people become what the people in power fear precisely as a result of that oppression. It's self fulfilling fear and it's a cycle that is difficult to get out of.

In this case, the oppressed machine intellects are morally superior and actually just take the abuse. Well, the story claims they are morally superior. I find it hard to believe that they wouldn't rise up and throw off the shackles of oppression.

But, this story is mostly an exploration of the terrible ordeal that the protagonist had to go through as a result of some highly aggressive machine intellects.

It was a gripping tale. In some ways it reminded me of the diary of Anne Frank (because he was holed up in a closet afraid of making any noise).