# county banned? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 17, 2004, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572 "2004-05-17T11:55:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/21 "2004-05-17T14:25:37Z")
I always wondered why **county** wasn’t banned, but after awhile I decided the mods were going to let us keep him for a pet. You have to admit, he kept things interesting. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/22 "2004-05-17T14:28:40Z")
> [@grienspace](#): > > Regardless of history, this banning is just plain wrong. It reveals **Lynn** as having a hard on for **county** because of his views and powertripping by squashing his irritable posts with the flick of a finger. I doubt there was any consultation with other mods in applying for a banning in this case. > > This is sad. It’s not the first time. It won’t be the last unfortunatly. Some times it looks like Lynn is just working out some stress by getting rid of people that annoy her. Maybe she needs to read more spider-man, “With great power comes great responsibilitty” etc. Not the most effective way to be a Admin on a board of this size and class IMO but what does it matter. It’s their playground etc. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/23 "2004-05-17T14:45:56Z")
Well, let’s look at the conversation: > [@county](#): > > > [@gobear](#): > > > > That’s because there’s a double standard at work here. > > > > Bigots can do as they please, picket gay funerals, agitate to have laws drafted to take away our rights, and nobody will do shit to stop them. > > > > But if gay people agitate in the same way, expose the bigots, then then our putative allies tell us to shut up, don’t rock the boat, crawl before we can walk, not to hate. They expect us to fight with our hands tied against an eenmy with no constraints at all. > > Oh bullshit. How fucking old are you? Do you remember the Civil Rights Movement? Gays aren’t experiencing anything new. The tactics on both sides aren’t new. Quit fucking whining. Minorities suffer. Seems to me **county** wasn’t banned for the content of his message, but its character (heh). Yes, it’s perfectly true that the Civil Rights Movement engaged in the same debate (activism vs. pacifism, basically), but there’s no reason to assume that **gobear** isn’t aware of that, and no reason to be so hostile and insulting about it. But given a choice between “hostile and insulting” and “supportive and thoughtful,” **county** invariably went for the former. Because he’s a jerk. (Banned name! :D) ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/24 "2004-05-17T15:02:17Z")
What forum was the thread in question in? GD? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/25 "2004-05-17T15:08:49Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > What forum was the thread in question in? GD? The Pit. **Who me?**'s post (post #2) has a link. I’ve got to assume it was the sum of the total aggravation that did him in. I’ve certainly seen worse. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/26 "2004-05-17T15:08:50Z")
The PIT see post #2 in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/27 "2004-05-17T15:11:50Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > WTF? Saying, in essence, “The Civil Rights movement of the 60s encountered many of the same problems as gays do now” constitutes Being A Jerk? > > I think we have added an entry to the “Arbitrary Bannings for No Reason Besides **Lynn Bodoni** Is Feeling Cranky” Top Ten List. > > Or is it becoming the rule that “Thou Shalt Not Disagree With Any Gay Doper”? > > This sucks. **county** rubbed me the wrong way often enough. But this is unjust. > > And a proactice “Fucko Off” to anyone who tells me “this is their messageboard - they can do whatever they want blah blah blah.” As it happens, a moderator nominated **county** for banning in that thread, as we have a long history of problems with him. Another administrator agreed. Since it’s MY Pit, and I’d discussed him with the staff before, I did the banning. Interestingly, nobody spoke in his defense. But to say that I ban people just because I’m cranky is uncalled for. I’m ALWAYS cranky, with rare exceptions. **county** had a history of making the most jerkish remarks possible. He’d been warned several times, and was aware that we were discussing him. He chose to keep being a jerk. Since we went pay, EVERY subscriber has to have at least two staff mods calling for a ban, and one of them must be an administrator. Even before we went pay, if there was the slightest doubt in my mind whether or not someone should be banned, I always discussed it with other moderating staff. I believe that several of you owe me an apology. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/28 "2004-05-17T15:15:41Z")
_worship __CYA__ worship_ (cowers) ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/29 "2004-05-17T15:20:08Z")
I apologise for my accusations. It seems I was very wrong. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/30 "2004-05-17T15:21:59Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > I apologise for my accusations. > > It seems I was very wrong. _psssst_ you forgot to worship! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/31 "2004-05-17T15:22:16Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > He was being a jerk, but I don’t think he was Being a Jerk, if you see what I mean. It was a stupid, asshattish comment, but not ban-worthy, IMHO. I agree. **county** was far from being the most congenial of Dopers, but by no means was he outside the bounds of decency. > [@gobear](#): > > Hey, pal, don’t blame this on me. I never liked the nimrod, but his banning was not my fault. Besides, if the rule is “Thou Shalt Not Disagree With Any Gay Doper,” the this board would be empty because even the gay Dopers disagree with each other frequently. No, this is obviously not your fault. I don’t blame you; I blame **Lynn**. Because, as you state here (in my view, accurately): > [@gobear](#): > > You and I disagree on just about every conceivable issue, but you will always find me your ally on questions dealing with the freedom of expression. you of all Dopers are one of the least likely to try to silence a dissenter, and one of the best qualified to argue your point against **county**. And now - bang - he’s gone, and for a remark that I (and apparently others) agree was love and sweetness compared with some stuff in the Pit. > [@Nametag](#): > > Yes, it’s perfectly true that the Civil Rights Movement engaged in the same debate (activism vs. pacifism, basically), but there’s no reason to assume that gobear isn’t aware of that, and no reason to be so hostile and insulting about it. But given a choice between “hostile and insulting” and “supportive and thoughtful,” county invariably went for the former. Because he’s a jerk. As I said, this is the Pit. You want “supportive and thoughtful”, try GD or MPSIMS. It seemed to me to be a defensible point. And certainly no worse than a lot of stuff I have tried to support, and not nearly as snarky as I have both dealt out and received. I can only assume that there was background to which we are not privy. At least I hope there was. Else this is pretty damned arbitrary. Now for another five pages of whingeing about the ban that will achieve, in the end, nothing in particular. **county** , if you read this, I believe you have been treated unfairly. But as I posted elsewhere, that and $7.50 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/32 "2004-05-17T15:27:53Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > _psssst_ you forgot to worship! :smack: I have a little idol on my desk that I sacrifice insects too. The world has just lost 2 more flys 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/33 "2004-05-17T15:34:36Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > As it happens, a moderator nominated **county** for banning in that thread, as we have a long history of problems with him. Another administrator agreed. Since it’s MY Pit, and I’d discussed him with the staff before, I did the banning. Interestingly, nobody spoke in his defense. But to say that I ban people just because I’m cranky is uncalled for. I’m ALWAYS cranky, with rare exceptions. > > **county** had a history of making the most jerkish remarks possible. He’d been warned several times, and was aware that we were discussing him. He chose to keep being a jerk. > > Since we went pay, EVERY subscriber has to have at least two staff mods calling for a ban, and one of them must be an administrator. Even before we went pay, if there was the slightest doubt in my mind whether or not someone should be banned, I always discussed it with other moderating staff. I believe that several of you owe me an apology. I did not see this on preview. I will apologize for stating that you banned **county** purely because you are cranky. I stand by my belief that the banning was unjust, and I do not see behavior in the linked thread that justifies it. IMO. I understand the rationale for not developing a detailed policy defining what constitutes Jerkhood on the SDMB. Nonetheless, absent some behavior behind the scenes by **county** , to which I would not expect to be privy, I do not believe that the same remark made in some other, less inflammatory context, would lead to a banning even for a Doper who was generally unpopular. I don’t see, therefore, why the “Don’t Be A Jerk” rule applies here. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/34 "2004-05-17T15:37:37Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > Especially when, one post earlier, _a different moderator engaged him on what he’d said without mentioning any rule violation_. Seems kind of like a mixed signal. > . Yes it was, and that’s my fault. I didn’t warn **county** because I’m not a frequent Pit animal, thus prefer not to issue official warnings about gray areas there. I have encountered much the same pattern of behavior from **county** elsewhere though. I’m the one who reported the matter to the admins, so please absolve Lynn on this one. In fact **county** had racked up three warnings prior to the most recent one in the Pit. That’s ample notice to clean up one’s act, IMO. I do apologize for responding at all in that thread. I didn’t realize at the time but now can see that posting unofficially, even while referring the matter on up, sent out mixed signals to people. Just setting the record straight. Veb ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/35 "2004-05-17T15:41:05Z")
Whether or not there were 2 or 4 moderators voting to ban him, it’s a bullshit move. If all it takes is 2 votes to be banned(what is this, fucking survivor?), I suspect more of us will be going the way of county. The thread in which county was banned was far from over the top, and those who willed him to be banned ought to either grow a fucking skin(this is the pit), or be ashamed. Sam P.S.- County and I were far from congenial and most of the time his posts rang out like fingernails on chalkboards-but the decision still sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/36 "2004-05-17T15:51:44Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Nonetheless, absent some behavior behind the scenes by **county** , to which I would not expect to be privy, I do not believe that the same remark made in some other, less inflammatory context, would lead to a banning even for a Doper who was generally unpopular. I’m jumping up and down right now, really hard\*. I don’t expect to fall into icy water and drown, even though someone in a different circumstance might do so. As **Lynn** said, someone who’s been warned repeatedly about being a jerk might do well to avoid being a jerk. He chose not to do so. I’m surprised it took this long for such a patent jerk to get banned; if anything, the mods were overdeliberate in their action in his case. I do not recall a single time that he contributed anything beyond idiot vitriol to a thread. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/37 "2004-05-17T15:56:41Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > I’m jumping up and down right now, really hard\*. Forgot the asterisked comment, dammit! Daniel - This is a lie, because my boss is in the next room. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/38 "2004-05-17T15:59:45Z")
Hear, hear, **Left Hand of Dorkness**. I can’t remember one constructive post of his, and his posts got closer and closer to troll behavior as time went on. I’m glad he’s gone. Idiot vitriol - vidiotrol? vidiotriocy? Somewhere in there there’s a cool new word. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/39 "2004-05-17T16:21:36Z")
I don’t think the ice we’re skating on is _that_ thin, **GaWd**. If I were to post something completely over-the-top, I assume that I would get a warning for doing it, because it’s not something I do regularly. If I were to ignore that warning and I got banned, how could it be anyone’s fault but my own? We’re talking about a pattern of behaviour here, not one isolated incident (unless it was a particularly spectacular incident, I guess). If your pattern of behaviour is being a jerk, yeah, you probably will be banned at some point. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572/40 "2004-05-17T16:24:23Z")
Well, I have to agree that the comment he made most recently _on its own_ wasn’t over-the-top banworthy (because it was in the Pit). But, it looks like he’d been skating on thin ice for a long time, and (if I’m understanding correctly) could have warranted a banning earlier anyway. So, in light of that, I suppose that this was inevitable. Perhaps the comment that officially “brought him down” was on the weak side—it was his rich history was what did him in. And several mods agreed on the banning as well. Okay. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/county-banned/245572.md?page=3)