I’ve noticed more and more threads where people are using the [ del ] tag. Bear in mind I have not seen a specific example of this being used inappropriately [del]yet [/del], but I’m concerned that once this catches on [del]being the mimicking monkeys that we are [/del] soon I’m going to see something in a non-Pit thread along the lines of:
"[del]You’re an idiot[/del] Great question! I think you’ll find that if you do a Google search, [del]moron[/del], you’ll see that this [del]nonsensical bullshit[/del] theory has been disputed many, many times.
In conclusion, although it’s a [del]ridiculous[/del] good point, it’s simply not true."
I’m assuming this is still considered an insult, regardless of the ol’ “You were supposed to ignore that, I used strikethrough” defense.
Wow, I never knew that’s how it worked. Thanks for the hint. I will now be using this device
[del]to ridicule the posters I disagree with[/del]
[del]to make stupid posts for my own amusement[/del]
as respectfully and appropriately as possible.
I saw a mod call someone on this recently, but I have no idea where I saw it. Basically, the mod said something along the lines of, “Any halfwit knows that strikethrough doesn’t cancel an insult which would otherwise not be allowed outside of the Pit.”
It may have been me. I pretty much said Pubs, as in republicans, then crossed it out, and put in pugs, as in a kind of small dog. I was warned for it, and since I thought that it is no big deal too refer to a group rather then a person, I emailed for clarification and the position was clarified for me.
They are a mod, and I am not.
::shrug::
Personally, I think it is very useful for things like:
"I don’t see how the arguments doesn’t apply to [del]persecuted group from along time ago[/del] newer persecuted group.”
If I may leap to the 30,000 foot level. We do not want, and have never wanted, to have a flurry of rules as if we were a legal system. We don’t have the time to write them up, and we’d just have [del]smart-ass[/del] bright lawyer-types trying to find loopholes to justify evasion. So, we don’t address specifics unless we have to.
The general rule about no public insults outside the Pits mean no insults. We don’t feel the need to add regulation 17(b)(ii) to cover insults hidden by delete lines, or regulation 17(b)(iii) to cover insults hidden in a spoiler box, or 17(b)(iv) for whatever else.
So, we understand Dooku’s fears that the delete line may be used as an attempt to evade the rules, we’re not really concerned. The first time that someone tries it and gets whomped on the head by a Moderator… well, it’s like the British Army of the 1700s, where miscreants were shot to be example to the others.
And, of course, as always, we rely on your diligence if you find such evasion attempts, to please hit the REPORT POST button (the little exclamation point in the upper right corner or each post) to call it to our attention. If you are the target of such an insult, please, please, do NOT respond in kind, but use the REPORT POST button.