# Accusing a Group of Malice in GD

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accusing-a-group-of-malice-in-gd/1006062>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [August 22, 2024, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accusing-a-group-of-malice-in-gd/1006062 "2024-08-22T20:42:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 165

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**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2024, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accusing-a-group-of-malice-in-gd/1006062/165 "2024-08-29T04:34:52Z")

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> [@crowmanyclouds](#):
>
> Have you noticed that no mod that’s posted agrees with your reading of said rule?

I’m of the opinion that they aren’t being consistent. And this is the place for me to make that claim.

For example consider this mod note, and this goes to @superdude’s point as well (thank you for making it):

> [@Nuclear-fusion power plants](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-fusion-power-plants/933368/65):
>
> **Modnote** : @Ruken: the “fear-mongering” line is also attacking the poster and not the post.
> 
> > [@Nuclear-fusion power plants](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-fusion-power-plants/933368/58):
> >
> > Bringing up irrelevant source materials constitutes fear-mongering. They’ll need a license for their tritium inventory. There’s already a framework for byproduct materials.

Why was it against the rules for **Ruken** to say bringing up irrelevant source materials constitutes fear-mongering? Because this was a backhanded insult against **Stranger\_on\_a\_Train**. The latter member had cited the source materials. Fear-mongering is an accusation of bad faith, purposely exaggerating a claim to create unnecessary fear. Since **Stranger\_on\_a\_Train** clearly made the cite, and one can reasonably infer that **Ruken** was referring to him since the post quoted **Stranger\_on\_a\_Train** directly. **Ruken** did not explicitly single out **Stranger\_on\_a\_Train** in that remark but he was clearly the target. It follows that **Ruken** indirectly accused him of fear-mongering. **What\_Exit** described the post as attacking the poster, not the post.

There is no difference between what **Ruken** wrote and “people who bring up irrelevant source materials are fear-mongers”. Now look what happens when I do a little substitution. People who think being gay is a choice are malicious. I’ve replaced “bring up source materials” with “think being gay is a choice”, and “fear-mongers” with “malicious”. What if instead of “people who think being gay is a choice”, I just write “conservatives are malicious”? What have I done that makes the rule no longer apply? What difference is there?

~Max

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