[QUOTE=brownie55]
Hi, Czarcasm, can you not be bothered to address my post, or are you going to hide behind silly capitalization issues?
Can you tell me why **Dex’**s statement should be trumped by your interpretation?
[/QUOTE]
Because those are Dex’s rules for ATMB?
[QUOTE=Czarcasm]
Because those are Dex’s rules for ATMB?
[/QUOTE]
Sorry, got timed out by my cat, Zippy, who insisted that she was quite capable of taking on the humongous raccoon that was climbing the tree in the front yard.
I meant to highlight this from Dex’s missive:
[QUOTE=Charlie Tan]
You know, Q.E.D. that saying that MrDibble was whining is awfully geocentrical of you. He took offense, for a good reason. If someone was to register as Bob Blackamoor or Richie Raghead, I’m sure the flaming would’ve been o par with Vesuvius.
Mr Dibble was insulted. You’ve been around long enough to know that lack of intent is not a viable defense.
[/QUOTE]
I think that not too many people knew it was a slur-I thought it was a term meaning “slut” or something-I had never heard of the meaning. I had seen the word, occassionally, but not the definition.
(Although yeah, it was definitely inappropriate, then)
[QUOTE=brownie55]
Oddly the offense you quote is explicitly allowed.
Now, tell me how the OP didn’t insult a large group of people in an acceptable way.
[/QUOTE]
It should be noted that “threadshitting” per se does not require the inclusion of a specific insult. The offense is in the dismissive nature of the comment regarding the discussion in hand, which Dinsdale’s certainly was. If you will look at the definition I quoted above, Dex includes comments such as “Who cares?” as threadshitting. So whether the insult was general or specific is rather beside the point here.
Surely not likely to change anyone’s opinions or practices, but IMHO, from his initial warning, through his non-responses to my e-mails, to his posts in this thread, at least with regards to this issue czarcasm has certainly proven him/herself to be an immature, pompous, prick.
Not a huge deal. Just that I rarely notice such behavior OBO the mods around here. And other than recognizing the name, had never really formed any opinion of czarcasm before. Now I know. Which I guess is a good thing.
[QUOTE=Dinsdale]
Surely not likely to change anyone’s opinions or practices, but IMHO, from his initial warning, through his non-responses to my e-mails, to his posts in this thread, at least with regards to this issue czarcasm has certainly proven him/herself to be an immature, pompous, prick.
Not a huge deal. Just that I rarely notice such behavior OBO the mods around here. And other than recognizing the name, had never really formed any opinion of czarcasm before. Now I know. Which I guess is a good thing.
[/QUOTE]
You’re welcome, I guess.
You insulted posters in an IMHO thread, got reprimanded for it, asked for an explanation for the reprimand, and I responded that you were reprimanded for insulting posters in IMHO.
Not much more to say, is there?
Oh, and Dinsdale? Could you clarify if refusing to capitalize my name is supposed to be some sort of childish insult?
[QUOTE=Czarcasm]
Oh, and Dinsdale? Could you clarify if refusing to capitalize my name is supposed to be some sort of childish insult?
[/QUOTE]
Does it matter? Are you, in fact, offended by it?
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.]
Does it matter? Are you, in fact, offended by it?
[/QUOTE]
Naw, just wonder what level I’m supposed to be arguing at.
You argue at your own level, of course. As soon as you start arguing down to your opponent’s level, you lose. I should follow that advice more often, actually.
[QUOTE=Czarcasm]
Oh, and Dinsdale? Could you clarify if refusing to capitalize my name is supposed to be some sort of childish insult?
[/QUOTE]
Nope, flat out simply didn’t care enough to look up how you spelled it. Had no idea I was potentially pissing you off by doing so.
BTW - would have been nice if you were anywhere near as prompt in responding to the e-mails I sent you in your capacity as a mod, as you are in responding to actual and perceived insults.
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.]
Unless you happen to be in the class being insulted, eh?
[/QUOTE]
Only the racial class.
Insult nerds, Goths, geeks, speccie gits, men, South Africans, existentialists, anarchists, pacifists, atheists and double-dippers to your heart’s content. I’ll probably try to give as good as I get, but I’ll also try and stay within the rules. Racist hate speech and ethnic pejoratives? Not in the same class.
'Twas I who reported Dinsdale’s post and also who complained in the very thread. When I voiced my complaint, I was told by a couple people I should just hush and report the comment (which I already had) … but now that we’ve come this far I feel like elaborating on the whole issue a bit.
I remarked that such insults to religion are dismaying to me because not only are they tolerated, they appear (to me) to be encouraged. That may be because while I very infrequently post in the Pit, I do read it. So when I see unrestrained opinions by people who I’ve come to know in other forums on other topics, I guess in my mind, I just lump it all together.
Just before reading Dinsdale’s IMHO post, I had just come from the Pit and the “There is more complaining about X than there is X” thread. Sorry to pick on WhyNot, but I had just read her comment “Just as I try to remind myself that not every Christian is represented by Phelps, …” and I was just stunned that she has to remind herself that I’m not a cruel, hate-filled, fringe-dwelling lunatic! Stunned!
This makes me remember all the posts I’ve seen in the past referencing the “magical sky pixie” and comments that anyone who “believes” is a sucker for a church that simply wants my money …well can you blame me for feeling dismissed and catagorized? I then scoot over to IMHO and see Dinsdale calling me an idiot for my Catholic Christian beliefs.
Dinsdale’s opinion saddens me, but I have no vitrol for former Catholics, atheists or pagans. I don’t believe as they do, but I don’t hold any antipathy for them. Go right ahead and hate religion; it does nothing to me for you to have whatever beliefs or non-beliefs that you may have. Live and let live! I may pray for you, but I would certainly never tell you that on a message board, for that in itself is tantamount to an insult to someone who hates religion!
From Dinsdale’s comments in this thread, and others I’ve read from atheists here over the years I understand the desire to scamper in the freedom from religion that a message board can offer. Sick and tired of a society that you feel imposes a certain set of beliefs as the norm, it must feel wonderful to shout RELIGION IS NUTS and I AM SO GLAD I CAN SHOUT ‘I AM AN ATHEIST’ without all kinds of chastizement.
But it’s just so depressing to me for these same people, who I like and respect when the topic is something other than religion, to gather up all this vitrol and start posting about the “deluded” believers and the idiots with ashes. I have never once in all my nearly nine years at Straight Dope told another poster that his or her beliefs were foolish. My faith is very important to me. I try to live my life based on love, and feel the teachings of Christ help me to live a good, moral and honorable life. Calling me an idiot for this belief hurts … and that’s why I reported the post.
Thanks for reading and bear in mind that I don’t post in the pit much … so if I’ve been a jerk or offensive, it was wholly unintentional.
[QUOTE=Dinsdale]
Nope, flat out simply didn’t care enough to look up how you spelled it. Had no idea I was potentially pissing you off by doing so.
[/QUOTE]
Capitalization != spelling.
Carry on.
[QUOTE=Guinastasia]
I think that not too many people knew it was a slur-I thought it was a term meaning “slut” or something-I had never heard of the meaning. I had seen the word, occassionally, but not the definition.
(Although yeah, it was definitely inappropriate, then)
[/QUOTE]
Put it down to regionalism. It’s an insult on a par with nigger here, and with a more recent bad history. Not that it matters how many people know it was a racial pejorative - I knew, I proved it to the Admin’s satisfaction, end of story.
Well, except for those cunts who keep bringing it up as evidence for my so-called hypocrisy. All of whom can kiss my brown ass - you hear me, Carol Stream, Q.E.D…oh, yeah, and Liberal, let’s not forget him. Pucker up, fuckers.
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.]
No, I don’t think it was a good reason. He chose to take offense at the name, despite the clear evidence that the poster in question had absolutely no intention of insulting anyone; quite the opposite, in fact. And you can just stuff that “lack of intent is no defense” crap. We’re not talking legal definitions here; when it comes to insulting behavior, intent absolutely matters.
[/QUOTE]
Whether or not MrDibble personally felt insulted by the name is irrelevant. There is no question that the term is a very severe pejorative in a significant part of the English-speaking world. As such, there was justification for asking that the username be changed.
[QUOTE=MrDibble]
Only the racial class.
Insult nerds, Goths, geeks, speccie gits, men, South Africans, existentialists, anarchists, pacifists, atheists and double-dippers to your heart’s content. I’ll probably try to give as good as I get, but I’ll also try and stay within the rules. Racist hate speech and ethnic pejoratives? Not in the same class.
[/QUOTE]
Why not?
But my real reason for this post is to say, Ellen Cherry, that was a great post. It dismays me as well to see the way religion is often treated around here. And I don’t mean in the debate threads…as far as I’m concerned, if it’s a debate topic, it’s up for scrutiny. But, in an MPSIMS thread, or even in IMHO, there is no reason for a post like Dinsdale’s. It’s mean, it’s pointless, and it contributes to the decline of civility and sense of community on this message board. I wasn’t reading that thread, but I popped into a thread entitled What are you giving up for Lent? , and I found these lovely comments:
From Mangetout: “I don’t want to be a threadshitter, but why would anyone want to announce their pious abstentions? Doesn’t that defeat the whole point?”
From Clothahump: [“I gave up silly shit like giving things up for Lent a long time ago.”](I gave up silly shit like giving things up for Lent a long time ago.)
Plus, of course, the usual chorus of “I’m giving up religion!” “I’m giving up Catholicism!” SO funny these folks are! Is it really too much to ask that a thread that is obviously directed at a specific group of people (people who are planning to give something up for Lent, for those who are unclear on the concept of thread titles) be left to those folks to exchange their thoughts on that subject? I’m not asking for a rule change, I’m just wondering what purpose people think these kinds of comments serve, and why they feel they have to make them. It’s rude and uncalled for. And I think this would apply to any number of interests or beliefs that people have. I think it’s just as annoying when someone jumps into a baseball thread and asks why anyone would possibly be interested in watching grown men hit a ball with a stick…just because you don’t care about something, there’s no reason to start insulting people who do care about it. Would you treat someone like that to their face?
[QUOTE=Sarahfeena]
Plus, of course, the usual chorus of “I’m giving up religion!” “I’m giving up Catholicism!” SO funny these folks are! Is it really too much to ask that a thread that is obviously directed at a specific group of people (people who are planning to give something up for Lent, for those who are unclear on the concept of thread titles) be left to those folks to exchange their thoughts on that subject? I’m not asking for a rule change, I’m just wondering what purpose people think these kinds of comments serve, and why they feel they have to make them. It’s rude and uncalled for. And I think this would apply to any number of interests or beliefs that people have. I think it’s just as annoying when someone jumps into a baseball thread and asks why anyone would possibly be interested in watching grown men hit a ball with a stick…just because you don’t care about something, there’s no reason to start insulting people who do care about it. Would you treat someone like that to their face?
[/QUOTE]
Some people just aren’t happy enough thinking they’re right - they need to announce it to the world, and rub it in the face of those who think otherwise. “Oh, you silly little people think those things, do you? How cute!” It’s condescension for the sake of it.
I’m really not sure what the psychology of having to announce superiority is. I like the rule of coolness as it applies to the way people think of you on something; if you have to say you’re cool/smarter/better, you’re probably not.
[QUOTE=Revenant Threshold]
Some people just aren’t happy enough thinking they’re right - they need to announce it to the world, and rub it in the face of those who think otherwise. “Oh, you silly little people think those things, do you? How cute!” It’s condescension for the sake of it.
I’m really not sure what the psychology of having to announce superiority is. I like the rule of coolness as it applies to the way people think of you on something; if you have to say you’re cool/smarter/better, you’re probably not.
[/QUOTE]
Truer words were never spoken.
[QUOTE=Sarahfeena]
Why not?
[/QUOTE]
Almost all of those are choice. The ones that aren’t (gender, nationality) I don’t think anyone would argue are privileged classes. Gender is the funny one - I’d probably say someone insulting women for being women was over the line, men qua men not so much. Probably because the one can be serious, and the other either joking or done by nutjobs like Dworkin.
But anyway, I don’t really have a hard and fast rule, and it’s not about rudeness per se, I just think race falls over the line. Religion, not. YMMV.