# Disputing the warning **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 19, 2017, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disputing-the-warning/791661 "2017-07-19T17:25:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disputing-the-warning/791661/21 "2017-07-19T23:06:45Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Is that correct? You can that even if 10 posters in that thread made clear that they also thought the meeting was secret? > > That sounds like a huge loophole in the “no personal insults” rule, for people so inclined. But I thought I’ve seen prior guidance saying that obvious workarounds like that would not be tolerated. As always, it’s context dependent. Attacking off board people (sans hate speech) has always been allowed _ **and** _ obvious workarounds to insult other posters are not okay. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disputing-the-warning/791661/22 "2017-07-19T23:30:53Z")
Ok, so, to be clear, the rule is: Someone posts an article that states “A”. - Posting “the writer of the article is an idiot for stating “A”” - is ok. - Posting “only an idiot could state “A”” - is a “personal insult” if someone else in the thread also thinks “A”? ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disputing-the-warning/791661/23 "2017-07-19T23:56:39Z")
Group insults do not lend themselves to bright line rules. In discussions all across the Great Debates and Elections there are disparaging comments towards groups that it is clear from past posting history that some of our posters are members of. Insults towards Republicans, Democrats, and libertarians abound and while I personally am not a fan of sweeping generalizations, it’s not something that I’d prefer to moderate. It is when the attack on a group is inseparable from an attack on a poster where a person can run afoul of the rules. This would be context dependent. I gave an example in post #3 where a group insult would be inseparable from a personal insult towards another poster. On the other hand, we often have posts along the lines of _‘Democrats are thieves because they want to tax all our money away!’_, or _‘Republicans are racists who hate the poor!’_. Both of those are childish and add little to productive discussion, but probably not something I’d moderate for personal insults (withholding judgment for other potential violations). However, depending on the direction of the thread, if it’s clear that the intent is to disparage other posters by adding the veneer of the group insult, then that would be moderated. In general I’d avoid sweeping generalizations since they are often false. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disputing-the-warning/791661/24 "2017-07-20T01:14:19Z")
I agree that clarity is needed. If you don’t know where the line is, how can you rub up against it while thumbing your nose through the bars? ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disputing-the-warning/791661/25 "2017-07-20T04:09:04Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > In general I’d avoid sweeping generalizations since they are often false. And is this one true? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disputing-the-warning/791661/26 "2017-07-20T04:48:18Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > Group insults do lend themselves to bright line rules. This should be “do not”. Doh. ---
**Author:** ![Mellivora\_capensis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mellivora\_capensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mellivora_capensis)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disputing-the-warning/791661/27 "2017-07-20T08:48:50Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > This should be “do not”. Doh. Reported for personal insults. Oh wait… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disputing-the-warning/791661.md?page=1)