I will cease and desist as soon as Steemit, Inc. adopts first-amendment supporting reforms, especially strict limits on downvoting for users who do not provide content, and other reforms to current programming that allows "wealthy" users to crush newbies, minnows, and others with whom they may disagree..

There is a big problem with your request, mainly that steem (the blockchain) is not owned by steemit inc. They cannot enforce any rules that are not already part of the code. The code is run by the witnesses who are not steemit employees but representatives of the stakeholders (all the steem power holders who decide to vote on them).

Downvoting is a tool that the stakeholders have that allows self-governance. It's main purpose is (in conjuction with upvotes) to reach consensus and allocate the reward pool to content that the stakeholders decide is worthy of it.

If you wan't your content to be rewarded convince other stakeholders to vote on it or get your supporters from outside of steem to invest in steem power. No one is entitled to rewards here and asking to limit the ability of stakeholders to decide where the rewards go is also infringing on their right to decide where the value should be allocated.

If you don't want to see your content grayed-out you can simply use another user interface (steempeak, busy, esteem, etc).