# Aspenglow is biased in her moderation based on her political views **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 31, 2022, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692 "2022-08-31T23:37:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/21 "2022-09-02T22:50:20Z")
Hmm, a thread deemed to be a rant against Trump, moved to the Pit. > [@Why Trump felt he could mishandle Top Secret files](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-felt-he-could-mishandle-top-secret-files/970839): > > The unifying theory of why he’s in the position he’s now in is that his plan from the start was “I’m going to be President for the rest of my life. I’ll claim I won the 2020 election, whatever the results show, and if I don’t succeed at that, I’ll organize an insurrection, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll carry on and declare myself President anyway, and that will get me to 2024, when I’ll run and claim to have won, and if i win I’ll suspend all future elections, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll org… And we were told the moderators don’t do this. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/22 "2022-09-02T23:05:17Z")
We don’t. We close the thread, then ask the OP if they want the thread reopened in the Pit as a rant. We no longer move the thread sua sponte. It’s a small distinction, but an important one. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/23 "2022-09-02T23:20:02Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > We don’t. We close the thread, then ask the OP if they want the thread reopened in the Pit as a rant. We no longer move the thread sua sponte. Fair enough, but the claim was that moderators will let a ranting thread stay in a non-Pit category if the rant is about Trump, because you folks are biased. Which I know isn’t true, and I think most of us know isn’t true, yet a couple of misinformed people were insisting that it was. I was showing how that is absolutely false. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/24 "2022-09-02T23:21:46Z")
Mmmm…I would say that the “they” who told you this were mistaken. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/25 "2022-09-02T23:24:15Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Fair enough, but the claim was that moderators will let a ranting thread stay in a non-Pit category if the rant is about Trump, because you folks are biased. Ah, I’m sorry. I misunderstood your point. You’re right. The thread will either be closed as inappropriate to the forum, or if the OP wishes, it will be reopened in the Pit. Inappropriate threads can be opened by posters of any political persuasion. Or no political persuasion at all. Thanks for the clarification. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/26 "2022-09-03T05:31:44Z")
Since all of the PE moderators, and the vast majority of the posters in the thread disagree with my position on this, them’s the brakes, and I accept it. ---
**Author:** ![Roger\_That](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roger_that/32/8505_2.png) [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/27 "2022-09-03T08:08:51Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > We close the thread, then ask the OP if they want the thread reopened in the Pit as a rant. Just for the record (and I don’t much care about the answer) i have no clue why my OP about a unifying theory for Trump’s somewhat puzzling motivations was deemed a rant. What Exit? was kind enough to tell me that we have too many Trump threads going on in P&E and that he felt that it could have been folded into one of those, but i don’t see how that begins to make it a “rant.” I’m not being abusive (even to Trump) in the OP, I’m coming up with a politically extreme (perhaps) explanation for his actions, and it seems pretty calm and rational to me, given all that. As I say, it doesn’t matter much to me, and everyone in the Pit seems to be behaving themselves so far and continuing the rational political discussion over there, so no harm, no foul, but it does seem to me an odd and unnecessary act to take it from P&E and put it in the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/28 "2022-09-03T11:19:14Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > “For some who feel Trump’s potential crimes include truly traitorous behavior, a death sentence _does_ seem appropriate.” > > I’m sorry, but I can’t see anything but politcal bias in that statement. You are simply factually wrong. If you or I stole top-secret documents and stored them in your home, you or I would quite possibly have to try to plea bargain down from a death sentence. That you find it hard to imagine that certain Dopers, in good faith, don’t think a former President (of any party) should (or, ideally, could) be treated differently — shows (IMHO) a disturbing take on justice. Roger\_That’s recent post in this thread clarified why it is unlikely to happen — but it’s not politically biased to view Trumps actions (especially, to me, regarding those Georgia votes) as treasonous, and the possible punishment for that is what it is. (FTR, I’m against the death penalty, and though I despise Trump, I think it would be too strong a punishment for him even if I were for it.) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/29 "2022-09-03T11:26:47Z")
The last couple of posts have been interesting, but i think they are more about the topic, and not about moderation or this message board. That is, i think we may be drifting into relitigating the topic. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/30 "2022-09-03T11:27:12Z")
You’re right — my mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/31 "2022-09-03T11:31:39Z")
This whole thread appears to be in the time honored Trump tradition of “working the refs”. In other words, instead of defense against the accusations, call into question the enforcement agents and actions. But that’s just my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Roger\_That](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roger_that/32/8505_2.png) [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/32 "2022-09-03T12:08:32Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > interesting, but i think they are more about the topic, and not about moderation or this message board My last post was about the moderator’s decision to put the thread into the Pit rather than P&E. I don’t really mind, but it seems capricious to characterize my OP as a rant. How is it any more of a rant than any other P&E thread? Any clues as to what was rant-like in my OP would help me identify future P&E posts as rants so I could put them in the Pit myself. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/33 "2022-09-03T12:44:46Z")
Keep in mind I fired off a response fairly quick but did explain my reasoning. So my full response to the query was this … > It really doesn’t rise to the level of a P&E thread and we have too many Trump threads currently. It doesn’t belong in MPSIMS as too political but not much to the thread but just an idea you had. > > Honestly it would have been best in some existing thread probably already talking about the Trump Files. But it should be good enough for the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Roger\_That](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roger_that/32/8505_2.png) [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/34 "2022-09-03T12:56:43Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Keep in mind I fired off a response fairly quick but did explain my reasoning. Yes, and I credited you with being kind enough to explain your reasoning, but I still don’t see traits that were “rant”-like. My OP didn’t “rise to the level of a P&E thread”? What exalted levels are those? There are “too many Trump threads” currently in P&E? How many is “too many” and how am I supposed to track them so I’ll know there are too many? It was “just an idea” I had? Well, yes, that’s what most P&E threads are, ideas that people have. If you look at the thread, now moved to the Pit, where again I don’t mind it being, there is a vigorous discussion being variously argued as to my idea, mostly opposed to my idea of Trump’s motive in mishandling the documents, with people offering all sorts of alternatives to my idea, and it reads like a perfectly fine P&E thread to me. And again if you can point to language that I used in the OP that seems to you “ranty” that will help me recognize such language in future threads. Seems to me a rant would elicit responses suitable for the Pit such as “Your an idiot” or “I agree 100%” instead of the numerous thoughtful responses this one is getting. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/35 "2022-09-03T17:26:50Z")
> [@Roger\_That](#): > > Seems to me a rant would elicit responses suitable for the Pit such as “Your an idiot” or “I agree 100%” instead of the numerous thoughtful responses this one is getting. Just as a general question for the mods, but let’s say that a thread looks like it’s Pit material (because it doesn’t seem to fit anywhere else and seems likely to generate Pit-type responses) but the thread evolves into a different kind of thread through the subsequent replies and the discussion they form. Is there a potential to move it outside of the Pit? Or is it “tainted”, like pulling a fresh uneaten donut out of a garbage can (in the style of George Costanza)? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/36 "2022-09-03T17:34:04Z")
Other mods will be more knowledgeable on this than me, but speaking as a poster: Some of the most productive conversations I’ve seen and participated in have been Pit threads. So much so that the Pit was my most participated-in forum until I became a mod. I always thought it was a shame, because many posters won’t go near the Pit. But I’ve never seen a thread that was in the Pit moved into a different forum, no matter how productive the discussion became. Speaking as a mod: It would be difficult to do, because surely some of the posts would be Pit material and some productive discussion. We would spend a lot of time separating them out and making decisions about what an original poster intended. I for one wouldn’t like doing that. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/37 "2022-09-03T17:35:35Z")
I’m pretty sure a few threads have been moved from the Pit to MPSIMS as they were too mild for the Pit. But I can’t think of a recent one. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/38 "2022-09-03T18:11:21Z")
Way back in the day the Pit was getting overrun with lame parody Pit threads like “I Pit my cats for being so cute when they wake me up at 5am” or “I Pit What Exit for being more eloquent than I am”. Eventually a rule was made against doing that and those threads were moved out. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/39 "2022-09-03T18:16:40Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Way back in the day the Pit was getting overrun with lame parody Pit threads like “I Pit my cats for being so cute when they wake me up at 5am” or **“I Pit What Exit for being more eloquent than I am”.** Eventually a rule was made against doing that and those threads were moved out. - I actually had that one in mind but I couldn’t figure out how to phrase it effectively. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692/40 "2022-09-03T18:17:47Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I actually had that one in mind but I couldn’t figure out how to phrase it effectively. You should PM What\_Exit for help. I hear he’s pretty eloquent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspenglow-is-biased-in-her-moderation-based-on-her-political-views/970692.md?page=3)