I’ve noticed something from time to time, and wanted clarification:
Poster A will mention something about himself – noting that he’s a member of some political party, say; or declaring which candidate he’ll vote for; or stating his position on a given issue. Poster B then states that everyone who is a member of that party/votes for that guy/holds that position is racist or sexist or ignorant or whatever.
As I understand it, that’s a reportable offense; I’ve seen it draw warnings; it’s clearly an attack on, among others, Poster A. But I’ve also seen this:
There’s, uh, no Poster A, yet; in the wake of nobody in the thread declaring for that party or candidate or position, Poster B states that everyone who belongs to that party or so votes or thinks like that – is racist or sexist or ignorant or whatever.
And that, I don’t recall ever seeing draw a warning. So – what’s the rule? Is it okay to so post until a poster who fits the bill shows up? If someone replies by noting that he fits the bill, what comments can then be made regarding the previous statement?
Am I right in thinking we can so insult the other side (a) so long as we make sure to broad-brush them before they show up in a thread, (b) and they can’t then respond in kind, so long as we mention our side when doing so?
That would be very context sensitive. I’ve certainly warned people for over-the-top broad-brush, apropos-of-nothing slams that demonize their opposing posters.
I’d advise against it. If you must insult someone or a group, best to do so in the Pit. It what Miller’s there for.
I was Mod-noted once for calling a certain party the Party of Evil. It depends on the forum. Certainly not okay in Elections. The Pit, not so much of a problem.
Again, just to be clear this would be a situation where there’s some wiggle room: they’re arguably not demonizing any opposing posters, because no such opposing posters would’ve yet shown up in such a thread.
Well, it’s less that I was looking to insult someone or a group; it’s more that I wanted to know whether I should report folks who so insult people or groups when no poster has actually gone on record in a thread as holding the position in question. And if the answer is ‘yes’, then, hey, that’s good to know.
in another words what you to know is say I say “hi I’m a I’m republican and here to discuss the party” and before anyone responds someone comes in and says " why bother republicans are lying scum" before anyone else responds can poster b get modded for it? .
No, I think that would clearly be moddable. My scenario is more like, say, a bunch of Democrats are discussing Republicans, and one says “they’re all lying scum” before any posters pop in to say “Hi, I’m a Republican.”
Conveniently, between the time I posted that then and how I’m posting this now, the following example popped up:
Now, that’s maybe not a great example, since he goes on to specifically comment about a particular poster: “You’re on the latter side. So you’ll have to excuse me if many of the proposals on what to do about people who are either stupid or evil or both sound just a little bit condescending. It’s because they are. This isn’t a case where discourse is needed.” (He then adds – in case we missed it – a “The only question is, why would you self-identify into that group?”)
But that’s the sort of language I had in mind: a poster flatly declaring that folks who enthusiastically back a particular candidate are intellectually or morally bankrupt; are ‘stupid or evil’; and are to be treated as “complete retards”. If a remark like that comes in before a self-identified Trump backer posts, would it be reportable?
In terms of your other examples? It’s all context sensitive and how much it appears the poster is trying to insult his or her debate opponents as well as the poster’s personal history of behavior.