# December banning **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 29, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415 "2003-08-29T13:09:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/141 "2003-08-29T18:05:51Z")
> [@](#): > > I can’t think of anyone more conservative than december in this forum at least. Was he a conservative though? He sided with conservative pundits almost exclusively, but it was very rare to hear him actually espouse a conservative viewpoint for its own sake. Since his subject was mostly “liberals did this bad thing and here’s why” it rarely came up, and when it did, he was actually fairly moderate on a lot of issues. He even criticized conservative positions from time to time. So I wouldn’t describe him as the most conservative poster here. He might have been the most partisan, but that’s not the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/142 "2003-08-29T18:08:49Z")
Naturally, nobody’s paying the slightest attention to the only person in this thread who actually knows what happened. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/143 "2003-08-29T18:13:24Z")
Congratulations to RedFury for totally forgetting what the topic of the thread is and working in a giant conspiracy theory! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/144 "2003-08-29T18:13:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by grienspace \* > \*\*I can’t disagree. So shouldn’t the Bali thread be locked? Isn’t it the usual procedure to lock the thread of a convicted troll ? \*\* Then there’d be a whole lot of lockin’ goin’ on. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/145 "2003-08-29T18:18:29Z")
Good point **Apos** , I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/146 "2003-08-29T18:19:49Z")
Thanks for the straight dope on the situation, **C K Dexter Haven**. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/147 "2003-08-29T18:21:36Z")
Thank you for the explaination, **C K Dexter Haven** , it’s what i figured. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/148 "2003-08-29T18:28:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by C K Dexter Haven \* > \*\*WHOA! > > Jumping to conclusions in the complete absence of evidence is NOT good exercise. \*\* With all due respect, and with my thanks to you for all that you do to keep this board running - I do not consider that I have reached my conclusion in the absence of any evidence. I post to the boards; I read the threads, and I see the patterns. I am obviously not privy to the discussions of the moderators, nor would I expect to be. All I have is my own experience. On preview, the hell with it. I had a long response all worked out, but it won’t make any difference. It’s your message board, run it by any rules you like. The day I can’t stand it will be the day I quit, or get banned myself. Thanks for the explanation. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/149 "2003-08-29T18:29:32Z")
**C K Dexter Haven** thank you for posting. **Dead Badger** we seem to agree on much more then we disagree upon. But to clarify (again), the fact the someone disagrees with me is not what’s reprehensible. **december’s** _conduct_ as of late in the Clinton, Bali and original Peace Protestors as Terrorism supporters was reprehensible. His handling of the truth, of citations, and of interpreting others arguments was reprehesible (see **C K Dexter Haven** post above) . Not somebody disagreeing with me. That person is probably wrong, but I want to hear what they got to say. 😉 By the way, are you saying **Tax Guy’s** posts are “eminently reasonable” then? Or did you miss those? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/150 "2003-08-29T18:31:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Debaser \* > \*\*It’s not that the mods are conscously deciding to ban him because he is conservative, > However, the fact that **december** is a vocal conservative poster is a large part of his problem on the boards. It’s only natural for mods to cut somone like Colounsbury some slack because they might tend to agree with what he is saying, even if he is breaking the rules a bit. It’s also natural for them to come down hard on **december** if they disagree with what he stands for. > > I also think the fact that dozens of posters hated **december** has an impact on his treatment by the mods. > > The mods may have a very good reason for the banning that we don’t know about yet. I’m not saying that the mods are out to get **december**. I am just pointing out that it’s silly to think that they are impartial robots incapable of having bias. \*\* I agree. It seems that if you disagree or argue with the Staff, they cut you less slack than if you parrot their views. Not that that OP by December wasn’t “being a jerk”, mind you- it was. Look some of the other long term posters that were banned- AND didn’t get to come back. Anthracite brings up Danielinthewolvesden- who clearly had some “jerk like” behaviour here in the PIT. But can anytone really think that a poster that would drive a MOD to PIT him over a religous debate would be cut any slack- or allowed back? Satan was another. I mean, the thread for which he was supposedly banned is so mild, that others could (and did) get away with worse with barely a warning (or no warning at all). (Not that Satan wasn’t also a “jerk” at times mind you.) But he argued with the Staff, and appareantly has personal problems with them. Gone- and not allowed back. Of course, we have all the “quick bans” of trolls, commerical posters, and sockpuppets- dudes with only a few posts. Those consitute the great mass of bannings, and good riddance I say. As to December? I don’t like to see anyone who isn’t in the above categories ever banned. BUt I can’t say I liked the dude or agreed much with him, or that I’ll miss him a lot. Then we have the “long established posters”. They seem to be banned as: 1. They generate complaints 2. They disagree with Mods. _then_ they commit a “jerk” behavior. No doubt- they all got to step 3 before banning. But it _seems_ like if a poster does not do “1 & 2”, then much “jerk-like” behaviour is either ignored (or only warned)- or the “bannee” is allowed back. However- as Debaser wisely points out- the Staff here is human, just like we are. They work hard, for no pay. One has to allow them some amount of bias & personal issues. We do have some “rules” around here- we accept that Cecil is real, is the smartest man on earth, and is never wrong- this is all part of “the Game”. However, we don’t have to try & pretend the Staff isn’t all too human, also. ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/151 "2003-08-29T18:31:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Revtim \* > \*\*Thanks for the straight dope on the situation, **C K Dexter Haven**. \*\* Yes, thanks. (One point I want to clear up: My OP was not meant to start a debate about whether he should have been banned. I didn’t realize that it had just happened, assumed that there’d be a thread somewhere with a mod statement noting the banning, and wanted help in finding it. I’ve seen similar statements before, usually in the thread which was the final reason for the banning. In retrospect, I suppose it was inevitable that the debate ensued.) ---
**Author:** ![Tee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@Tee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tee)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/152 "2003-08-29T18:32:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SentientMeat \* > **A shame in many respects. december was, to me, an excellent demonstration of just how startlingly right-wing the USA is compared to the rest of the first world. Foreign Dopers who wish to gain some insight into what wins a US election could simply click on a december OP.** Mmm, no. Not really. **December** , being Jewish, is most definitely not representative of the rightiest-right we have to offer or even the core ideology of the party in power. It might be tempting to paint him a rabid partisan or idealogue, but it’s probably incorrect. More appropriate sources for “startlingly right-wing” are the Free Republic, the Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler, Little Green Footballs, Chief Wiggles blog, etc etc…they aren’t hard to find. Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/153 "2003-08-29T18:32:38Z")
Topic: Trolls. For 500: A longtime troll who has left a black mark on the SDMB with his lies and mangling of the truth, now gone forever. What is… December! Ding ding ding! The staff wins a new car! ---
**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:** [August 29, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/154 "2003-08-29T18:33:05Z")
Well that wraps everything up in a neat package. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/155 "2003-08-29T18:33:09Z")
Oh, wow, I’m _so_ late to this party… Now that **C K Dex** has tossed in the word from the Mods On High, I’ll just say this: In the fight against ignorance, **december** was an enemy combatant. He was polite, yes, but certainly not a contribution to the common cause of this board, and I won’t miss him for it. I’d rather have a hundred profanity-cussing longshoremen(\*) who have factual contributions to the battle against stupidity over one ignorance-tossing twit whose only saving grace is that he won’t swear above a “darn.” As for the whole “oh us poor persecuted Republicans are under attack” schtick, :rolleyes:. How _do_ y’all manage to type out your posts with one hand nailed to your forehead? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/156 "2003-08-29T18:35:02Z")
Forgot to add… (\* = Apologies to any polite longshoremen who may be reading this. I was merely playing on a stereotype for comedic effect. 🙂 ) ---
**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:** [August 29, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/157 "2003-08-29T18:36:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rjung \* > \*\*As for the whole “oh us poor persecuted Republicans are under attack” schtick, :rolleyes:. How _do_ y’all manage to type out your posts with one hand nailed to your forehead? \*\* Are these stupid partisan shots really neccessary? ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/158 "2003-08-29T18:37:10Z")
Wow. The end of an era. CKDH used the “T” word, so I certainly don’t have to, but the thing I found most frustrating about December was that he would never admit he was wrong when pointed out to him–he would just pretend the argument never occured and instead would hijack his own thread with a tangent that seemed more workably defensible. It’d also be easy to play “What Site did he read today?” based on the OPs, but by using these quotes as a “debate” springboard without doing any of the primary digging himself, it hardly seemed much different than some of Chumpsky’s transgressions (except D’s defense always seemed to strike the same chord, showing he hadn’t actually put much thought in the matter). Oh well. Thanks to CKDH for clearing things up (and putting into black-&-grey what seemed fairly obvious to the non-conspiratorially inclined). Hope it doesn’t become necessary again to a seasoned vet from either “side” anytime soon. ---
**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:** [August 29, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/159 "2003-08-29T18:37:18Z")
Yes, **CKDH** , thanks. Not that it particularly matters, but I feel better about the banning now. **erislover** , you asked me for what cause december was martyred. I don’t really have an answer for that; rather, I suspect that if I were a mod, I’d be giving december a lot of leniency **because** I found his views so repugnant. I’d be trying very hard to make sure that his views weren’t influencing my decisions. I therefore would likely not have clicked the ban-button for him, despite what I see as dishonest debating tactics. I believe the mods when they say they were very lenient with him. Given that they’d warned him in May, his recent posts were clearly over the top. I appreciate the clarification, and feel as bad as I do for an employee fired for gross misconduct: even though they might deserve firing, I pity them for losing their job. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415/160 "2003-08-29T18:42:36Z")
> [@](#): > > I do not consider that I have reached my conclusion in the absence of any evidence. Hey, I’ll be happy to consider it! You are, without supplying any sort of reasonable evidence, suggesting that political views are a bias factor in mod bans, and implying this further with your “I guess I have no recourse, since you’re the boss and can be as biased as you want” concession. Do you seriously think that you have ANY chance of getting \banned unless you very obviously and deliberately step out of line? You are both far more conservative and far more abrasive than december, but yet… here you are. How do you explain it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/december-banning/198415.md?page=9)