# A pitting of Liberal and the Mods that let it happen. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 18, 2007, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723 "2007-02-18T17:54:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/81 "2007-02-18T20:28:28Z")
[QUOTE=crazyjoe] Ok, I’ll give you five hunred dollars if you will agree not to get married. The difference is only a matter of degree. [/quote] Do you really think so? Wow. My marriage is on some sliding scale equivalency with posting on the SDMB in your twisted little world? Give me a fucking break. > [@](#): > > I would expect you to refuse even if you hadnt already sunk money into your wedding. Ya think? Maybe because I’m madly in love with my fiance and want to spend the rest of my life with him, have children, grow old and die with him. The SDMB? That’d be like giving up my lifetime subscription to Rolling Stone. Not like giving up my marriage. Fucking stupid analogy, really. > [@](#): > > Some people derive a lot of enjoyment from t his board, and aren’t as hard up for money as you are. I derive a lot of enjoyment from this board too, but if someone hated me enough to want me gone, and would actually give me $500 to go, I’d take it and consider myself well shut of the place. Unlike PRR, I wouldn’t go for the 2 year wait, though. Cash in hand or no deal. > [@](#): > > I am no millionaire, but Idon’t have problems making my car payments, and I could go right now and buy a 500 dollar cake for a special event if I wanted to. Some people place value on different things than you do. Calling them fucking morons is really quite intolerant and foolish. Intolerant? Huh? People are ridiculing PRR for taking money to leave here, and I think he was smart. Why not make some cash to leave a place that was full of hate for you? I think the intolerance is coming from other quarters, like the person who was so intolerant of PRR that he’d PAY HIM $500 to leave. Why not attack him instead of dragging my marriage into your bullshit, wrongheaded analogy-making nonsense? I make my car payments and I’m buying the fucking cake. But I’d still take $500 right now to end what is just a form of entertainment and diversion to me. I’m glad you’re rolling in dough, and it must be nice. If this place is so important to you, I kinda feel sorry for you, and I’m still entitled to my opinion, right? Even though I’m not fucking married to the SDMB… > [@](#): > > (PS, That wasn’t really a genuine offer. If you’ll take 500 dollars to call off your wedding, you’re a moron) Gee, thanks for the affirmation. However, I think you’re a moron for equating my marriage to a membership on the SDMB. There you go. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/82 "2007-02-18T20:29:26Z")
[QUOTE=Rubystreak] Would you say no to $500 right now to give up posting on a message board? [/QUOTE] Well, actually, if confronted with someone dumb enough to make the offer in the first place, I’d probably refuse, saying “$500 is not enough for me to abandon my principals!” Then I’d carefully read my posts and the buyer’s response posts to determine which actions have mine prompted him to make the offer. Then I’d repeat and intensify those actions (being careful not to earn mod warnings along the way), all the while repeating that I won’t sell my ethics for $500 (specifically stating that amount, implying that a higher amount might be more acceptable). The goal, of course, is to push the offer ever higher because the buyer can’t stand me having the appearance of holding the ethical upper hand and will also have a burning desire to claim that I _can_ be bought, proving me wrong. I figure if $500 is the starting offer, I should be able to get at least $1000. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/83 "2007-02-18T20:34:58Z")
Just for the record, in terms of the lost fees for the READER: - I didn’t study the terms of the deal, I got a headache somewhere around the middle of page 3, but the deal was not posting. My impression is that PRR can continue his subscription if he so chooses. - The lost membership fee is no different than if one poster had got mad and said they were leaving the boards because of such-and-such (perhaps mad at a moderator ruling, say.) The loss of revenue for the READER is not an issue that interferes with moderating. Paid members have been suspended or banned. We do value freedom of speech and exchange of ideas here, even if the ideas are stupid or devolve into a pissing contest. We try to limit rules to the minimum restrictions so that we can all enjoy the boards. If one member had threatened another member (“If you post again, I’ll hit you with a stick”), that would be a different story. The moderators DO discuss situations (however surreal) that arise. Our discussions sometimes take a while, and events can move faster than our discussions. However, in this case, we don’t think we would have acted differently even if we had the time luxury of doing so. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/84 "2007-02-18T20:36:11Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] I’m also shocked that so many citizens of the Richest Country in the World are so desperate to get their hands on £250! It’s not peanuts, but it’s not exactly a fortune… [/QUOTE] “So many?” How many, exactly? A couple dozen, out of 300 million persons? Holy faulty statistics, Batman. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/85 "2007-02-18T20:41:36Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] Well, actually, if confronted with someone dumb enough to make the offer in the first place, I’d probably refuse, saying “$500 is not enough for me to abandon my principals!” [/quote] Is PRR abandoning his principals? I don’t think so. He’s taking money from a chump to do what he should probably have done anyway after this debacle-- leave the SDMB. As Liberal knows better than fucking anybody, it’s often hard to just walk away from here, no matter how good an idea it is. This deal, sealed with $500 of Liberal’s cash, forces PRR to follow through on leaving. The exit is sweetened by Liberal’s $$$ and probably makes the whole thing easier to swallow. It’s not ignominiously being drummed out of town-- it’s an idiotic nutjob giving up his precious allowance to get you to do what’s best for you anyway. > [@](#): > > I figure if $500 is the starting offer, I should be able to get at least $1000. Heh. I totally agree. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/86 "2007-02-18T20:46:24Z")
[QUOTE=Una Persson] “So many?” How many, exactly? A couple dozen, out of 300 million persons? Holy faulty statistics, Batman. 😉 [/QUOTE] I think you’ll allow me to take the proportion of desperate people from the total number of active posters on the SDMB. Furthermore, a potentially representative proportion of people in the US who are at least literate and have an internet connection, many of whom are quite well educated. Who should, really, be a little less desperate. (I admit to some prior history here: I base my disdain on the shockingly high proportion of “poverty-stricken” whines a few years ago about the initial subscription charge of $7.50 or whatever the hell it was.) ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/87 "2007-02-18T20:46:39Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] The SDMB has just become a thousand times more surreal, even since that asshole tried to sue it for defamation. [/quote] _:: Perks up ::_ Really? I’m intrigued. Which asshole would that be? If you’re willing to dish but not on the board, please e-mail me. ---
**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/88 "2007-02-18T20:50:26Z")
[QUOTE=monstro] I think **Liberal** is scummy for making the offer, especially in such a public manner. It must be nice to have so much cash that you can toss it away so meaninglessly. The “ignore” function is free. So is coming up with a rational argument. But **Liberal** took the easy way out and bought off his opponent. No respect there. [/QUOTE] I’m not sure Liberal did it to get rid of the guy (though I’m sure he regarded that as a perk). I think he did it to expose that PRR’s “Yeah, I’m nasty, but I have to be because the cause is so important” stance was in fact dishonest. If PRR really felt that it was that important, no amount of money could stop him from posting. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/89 "2007-02-18T20:54:15Z")
[QUOTE=Ensign Edison] If PRR really felt that it was that important, no amount of money could stop him from posting. [/QUOTE] I think you’re overestimating the importance of the SDMB. Charming a place though it is, it’s not like leaving here is equivalent to quitting a job at a newspaper or shredding a manuscript or torching a library. How much advancement of the atheist cause do you think prr thought he was making around here, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/90 "2007-02-18T20:54:29Z")
[QUOTE=Jodi] Actually, it took me a minute because I couldn’t _find_ the coding error. Frickin’ missing forward-slash. [/QUOTE] Helpful tip: Add the closing tag to your spell check dictionary, but not the opening tag. It’ll find them for you. ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/91 "2007-02-18T20:54:51Z")
I think Liberal, Libertarian, or whatever else he has called himself is a crybaby and a cretin, but I honestly don’t see anything wrong with offering another poster some cash to disappear. If he has the money to spare, and that is what he wants to do with it, more power to him. If he doesn’t have it to spare, well that would be funny, and hopefully the spectacle he made is worth a coming up a bit short with the bills at month’s end. Liber~ is all about the spectacle. Now if the fucker would only offer me $1000 I’d disappear in a heartbeat. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the dope. It’s just that a message board does have pretty limitted value. My principals are worth a whole lot, but I don’t think buggering off for some quick cash violates them. Especially since that makes the 30” monitor I’ve been eyeing within easy reach. Cheers. W. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/92 "2007-02-18T20:54:57Z")
> [@](#): > > think he did it to expose that PRR’s “Yeah, I’m nasty, but I have to be because the cause is so important” stance was in fact dishonest. If PRR really felt that it was that important, no amount of money could stop him from posting. Even if the stance is important, it’s not particularly important to keep espousing it on some completely uninfluential message board. Liberal didn’t expose jack-shit. ---
**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/93 "2007-02-18T20:55:09Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] I think you’re overestimating the importance of the SDMB. Charming a place though it is, it’s not like leaving here is equivalent to quitting a job at a newspaper or shredding a manuscript or torching a library. How much advancement of the atheist cause do you think prr thought he was making around here, anyway? [/QUOTE] I’m not – he was. He repeatedly implied that his aggressive attitude was part of a need to confront the religionist majority wherever it may be in order to bring it down. To be clear, I’m not sure whether he succeeded in making the point. I just think it’s the point he was trying to make. Correct me if I’m wrong, Lib. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/94 "2007-02-18T20:58:08Z")
[QUOTE=Ensign Edison] I’m not sure Liberal did it to get rid of the guy (though I’m sure he regarded that as a perk). I think he did it to expose that PRR’s “Yeah, I’m nasty, but I have to be because the cause is so important” stance was in fact dishonest. If PRR really felt that it was that important, no amount of money could stop him from posting. [/QUOTE] Or, it could be that **prr** thought it was important, but only five-hundred dollar’s worth of importance. And he’s going to use the money to set up his own website. But you’re right. If that’s why **Lib** made the offer, then that’s not as weasle-ly as paying him off to make him go away. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/95 "2007-02-18T21:01:40Z")
[QUOTE=Ensign Edison] Correct me if I’m wrong, Lib. [/QUOTE] It was a decent nutshell verions overall. The way I see it personally is posted [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8272602&postcount=383). ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/96 "2007-02-18T21:01:53Z")
A $500 payoff? Pfish. That’s such a weenie way out. A good old fashioned duel would have had the same effect (assuming Lib’s a better shot) with so much more _panache_. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/97 "2007-02-18T21:03:59Z")
**What Exit?** , buddy, I like you. Don’t always agree with you. Think you’re usually somewhat to the left of my position–but not part of the lunatic fringe. You express yourself well and are a generally pleasant poster. Not gonna hug ya or anything, but you’re ok in my book. That said, I disagree with you on this one. **Liberal** is not one of my favorite posters. Don’t think I’ve ever crossed swords with him, so I’m neutral as far as he’s concerned. However, in this instance, he’s done a service for the board. **PRR** really didn’t bring anything positive to the table, and I’m glad he’s gone. **PRR** did not appear to be on his way to banned camp, so buying him off was the only way to get rid off him. I’m pleased **Lib** was willing to take one for the team and pony up the funds. From a practical standpoint, **Red Fury** , **Valteron** , or anyone else that wants to rid the Dope of Oakie…bidding is now open. $500 prolly won’t be enough, but there is a figure out there I’d accept. Message boards are a dime a dozen. Hell, I own one and admin on another. This one is pretty good as message boards go, but it ain’t the only game in town. ---
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/98 "2007-02-18T21:04:45Z")
[QUOTE=Terrifel] I had no idea annoying other posters could be so profitable. Something to think about. [/QUOTE] How do you think Liberal makes a living? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/99 "2007-02-18T21:22:17Z")
Does anyone want me gone badly enough to pay off my mortgage? ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723/100 "2007-02-18T21:22:07Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] I think you’ll allow me to take the proportion of desperate people from the total number of active posters on the SDMB. Furthermore, a potentially representative proportion of people in the US who are at least literate and have an internet connection, many of whom are quite well educated. Who should, really, be a little less desperate. (I admit to some prior history here: I base my disdain on the shockingly high proportion of “poverty-stricken” whines a few years ago about the initial subscription charge of $7.50 or whatever the hell it was.) [/QUOTE] I think your last point hits it. The SDMB is not representative of the United States as a whole on a political, economic, or social basis. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-liberal-and-the-mods-that-let-it-happen/392723.md?page=6)