# Bad Moderation in "Hamas Attacks Israel" MPSIMS thread

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-moderation-in-hamas-attacks-israel-mpsims-thread/1000412>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [April 17, 2024, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-moderation-in-hamas-attacks-israel-mpsims-thread/1000412 "2024-04-17T16:49:08Z")\
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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2024, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-moderation-in-hamas-attacks-israel-mpsims-thread/1000412/24 "2024-04-18T12:07:36Z")

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> [@MrDibble](#):
>
> Like I said before, “antisemite” has lost all sting for me through its blatant abuse by our pro-Israel posters. I’d need actual _ZOG_-level posting from a long-term poster before I believe it. ⁢

And that’s what I find baffling. Why in the world would someone else’s misuse of a term change the criteria you would use for it yourself? I’m against any idea that you should raise the requirements of what counts as bigotry based on anything. That tactic is primarily used to defend lesser bigotry by raising the minimum requirements. It’s like the guy saying “Well, he doesn’t hate women, so he’s not misogynist.”

I also don’t get this:

> [@MrDibble](#):
>
> > [@BigT](#):
> >
> > I see it similar as when someone tries to portray slave owners as having been kind to their slaves. I’m pretty sure people wouldn’t balk at calling that racism. ⁢
> 
> No, it’s often mere cluelessness. It’s _the result of_ systemic racism, but is just gauche ignorance in-and-of itself. Now, such defences often go hand-in-hand _with_ racism, but you need more tells than just that one. ⁢

That seems like exactly the sort of thing that you would call racist. You don’t ever seem to think cluelessness is an excuse. Heck, I’ve disagreed with you because I think the person actually was just dumb, but you were sure they were not.

> [@MrDibble](#):
>
> > [@BigT](#):
> >
> > You can’t argue that the Nazis “really were more kind and considerate” ⁢
> 
> You present this as a quote, but that was Smapti’s sarcastic wording, not Crane’s. Crane did riff off the idea behind it in response, but again, only to say people might consider how much worse the IOF were being (which, it should not need repeating, they are clearly _not_)

I presented it as a quote because the OP did. I do now see Crane did not actually say that. But he did indeed make it clear that he meant “less kind,” and was not engaging in any sort of hyperbole. And he didn’t seem to object to Smapti’s characterization, but said people should consider it.

I guess I could say it’s not quite Holocaust denial, but it’s close. But then I take into account LHOD’s point. He was trolling Jewish people. I do not agree with you; you can’t tweak about the Holocaust and have it only affect Zionists and pro-Israel people. And you seem more concerned with content than I have seen you previously.

I do not reserve any terms for bigotry for intentional bigotry. Unintentional bigotry happens all the time. If you mean “intentional antisemitism,” then I agree that Crane doesn’t necessarily rise to that level.

But I stand by my other arguments.

* * *

But, regardless, I think puzzlegal’s moderation makes sense for the initial comment. It could just be an emotional expression. I disagree after he confirmed it was not hyperbole.

But I also do not think it is as big a deal as anyone else in this thread. At the end of the day, the purpose of modding is to stop a behavior. If it does stop, then there’s no longer a problem. If it doesn’t, then it can be dealt with.

I’ve lately been modding somewhere else, and I also err on the side of undermoderating. So far, the only time I’ve actually had issues is when I was cranky and overmoderated. Undermoderation can always be corrected the next time. But overmodding can make people leave who took me as being more harsh than intended.

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