# Are Moderaters Moderate? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 21, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033 "2003-03-21T05:21:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/1 "2003-03-21T05:21:27Z")
I’m now here. (How long can I keep using this excuse?) I lurked for a year before posting. In the Pit, Uncle Beer, one of the Moderators, shot at another user, “No Shit, Dick Tracy.” I don’t get it… I respect the right of the Moderators to post their own opinions on real issues. But how does it serve the BBS for Moderators to post rudely? I highly respect those moderators who will say “moderator hat on… moderator hat off…” to make sure that their opinions are separate from their regulatory actions. But isn’t it incumbent upon a Moderator to behave in a moderate manner, and to refrain from succumbing to the temptation to shoot from the hip with a facile slur? To be sure, the person Uncle Beer took the shot at was being a jerk… But isn’t the role of a Moderator to help pour oil on troubled waters? I asked Uncle Beer, “How does this help?” He answered, “What makes you think I was trying to help.” But isn’t that his job? I lurked the SDMB for a year, and started posting only with great trepidation. This is a slam-dunk, no-holds-barred, knock-down, drag-out, smash-and-grab debate area…and my own preferences are more sedate… On the other hand, there’s more collective knowledge here than in any ten encyclopedia! So I think I’ll hang around for a while! Best regards, Trinopus ---
**Author:** ![Thunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a8b319/32.png) [@Thunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thunder)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/2 "2003-03-21T05:36:03Z")
Can **Manhatten** swear while closing a thread? (this is only the 4th time I’ve used this joke) ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/3 "2003-03-21T07:00:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Thunder \* > \*\*Can **Manhatten** swear while closing a thread? > \*\* [Boy,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=3068231&highlight=fuck%2A#post3068231) [can](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=2851574&highlight=fuck%2A#post2851574) [he!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=2610500&highlight=fuck%2A#post2610500) [I](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=1220553&highlight=fuck%2A#post1220553) [mean,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=909735&highlight=fuck%2A#post909735) [_CAN_](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=900513&highlight=fuck%2A#post900513) [_HE_](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=862113&highlight=fuck%2A#post862113) [_EVER!_](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=775132&highlight=fuck%2A#post775132) Happy ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/4 "2003-03-21T07:04:17Z")
> [@](#): > > _from the BBQ Pit Forum Description:_ > > This is the place for all complaints and other discussion regarding administration of the SDMB. Since this is not about the message board, but about the administration of the board, it belongs in the Pit. Off to the Pit. **DrMatrix** - Your Moderate Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/5 "2003-03-21T07:24:24Z")
Link to the thread [Enough; please!(mild)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=171274) by the clown **MachineHead** , to which this OP refers. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/6 "2003-03-21T08:38:53Z")
> [@](#): > > But isn’t the role of a Moderator to help pour oil on troubled waters? Sure. But their job description doesn’t mention anything about being sickly-sweetly nice to any motherfucker that comes down the pike. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/7 "2003-03-21T10:33:13Z")
The thing I don’t understand is how **UncleBeer** can say that Machinehead’s compalint is valid, while also bleiveing he was just trolling. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/8 "2003-03-21T11:04:39Z")
Provide a link to what you’re talking about, please, **Aslan2**. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/9 "2003-03-21T11:09:19Z")
In this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=171304) , in reference to MachineHead pitting Brian Ekers. Last post, cannot link it because it’s closed. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/10 "2003-03-21T11:23:54Z")
I still don’t follow. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by UncleBeer_ > > > [@](#): > > > > Why bother telling everyone that you are leaving?. . . You don’t need to start a thread telling us. > > **Indeed.** **UncleBeer** only posted a single word to the thread. I’m not trying to argue with you, I just can’t work out what you’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/11 "2003-03-21T11:26:51Z")
Wrong thread. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/12 "2003-03-21T11:29:49Z")
[Correct thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=171201) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/13 "2003-03-21T14:14:55Z")
We don’t call them moderators because they are moderate (the noun), it’s because they moderate (the verb, meaning they keep _the board_ on an even keel, not necessarily _themselves_). ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/14 "2003-03-21T14:35:24Z")
And as already discussed in the other thread- the poster in question opened a MPSIMS version of a PIT thread he wasn’t doing so well in. This was a bad idea, and a violation for the forum descriptions. Unclebeer was pretty mild with him actually. ---
**Author:** ![Humble\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/47e85d/32.png) [@Humble\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Humble_Servant)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/15 "2003-03-21T15:19:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Trinopus \* > \*\*In the Pit, Uncle Beer, one of the Moderators, shot at another user, “No Shit, Dick Tracy.” > > I don’t get it…\*\* Neither do I. Shouldn’t that be, “No Shit, Sherlock”? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/16 "2003-03-21T15:29:21Z")
I thought **UncleBeer’s** responses were very measured compared to what MachineHead probably deserved. He for damn sure had me laughing out loud in a thread that needed some levity. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/17 "2003-03-21T16:28:18Z")
Okay, I guess I still have a lot to learn… (But that’s why I’m here, right?) Trinopus ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/18 "2003-03-21T16:37:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Humble Servant \* > \*\*Neither do I. Shouldn’t that be, “No Shit, Sherlock”? \*\* Yeah, that’s what I thought. But he also says weird things like “making winkies” as a euphemism for peeing. Something’s seriously wrong with him. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/20 "2003-03-21T19:13:48Z")
Interesting observation from someone with all of three posts. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033/21 "2003-03-21T19:15:46Z")
A lot of anger? Heh, good one. Again, read **Ethilrist’s** comment and welcome here! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-moderaters-moderate/163033.md?page=2)