# Does This Post Break A Rule? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 2, 2015, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585 "2015-04-02T03:27:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/1 "2015-04-02T03:27:28Z")
Quote: Originally Posted by **Colibri** View Post Moderator Note > [@](#): > > **Grotonian** , if you have a complaint about moderation take it to ATMB. No warning issued, but don’t do this again. **Colibri** General Questions Moderator > [@](#): > > I do NOT have a complaint about “moderation.” Presumably, **tomndebb** is just a regular poster in this thread. His ONLY contribution in this thread was to accuse me of hypocrisy. I explained to him that I will not engage him. > > Have I broken a rule? I have no intention of discussing anything with **tomndebb, Miller, or Johnathan Chance**. Am I required to engage anyone who quotes and addresses me? > > You write: “don’t do this again.” Don’t do WHAT again? Does the above break a rule? If so, what’s the rule? ---
**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:** [April 2, 2015, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/2 "2015-04-02T03:29:51Z")
Providing a link is a rule of etiquette, so there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/3 "2015-04-02T03:34:57Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Providing a link is a rule of etiquette, so there’s that. My bad. It’s post #50: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18255706#post18255706](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18255706#post18255706) ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/4 "2015-04-02T03:39:56Z")
The whole series of exchanges involving multiple posters begins in post #39 and extends through post #52(?). [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18252988&highlight=islamophobia#post18252988](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18252988&highlight=islamophobia#post18252988) Grotonian is not required to respond to me, of course, but I don’t see where I have lodged any accusations of hypocrisy–just error. ---
**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 2, 2015, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/5 "2015-04-02T03:43:48Z")
Some people would say you should ask this in private, but I think this is a good one to ask in public, if you think the answer is something everyone might benefit from. That said, you should have also quoted the post the engendered the mod note: > [@How is it even possible that there are Jews in Iran?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-it-even-possible-that-there-are-jews-in-iran/716258/45): > > Yeah, I’m all set with responding to mods who pose as “regular posters” yet ignore the rules and then enlist their mod buddies to pull their chestnuts out of the fire. You, **Miller,** and **Johnathan Chance** should set up a cozy little echo chamber where you can impress the hell out of each other with your progressive views. I’m not taking the bait. And that is an accusation of bad moderation, since he’s alleging they can ignore the rules. Though, really, I’d have just called him out for “being a jerk.” ---
**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:** [April 2, 2015, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/6 "2015-04-02T03:44:09Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > Does the above break a rule? If so, what’s the rule? Looks pretty clear to me. You made a complaint about moderators, suggesting that they post as regular posters and ignore rules and get other mods to come in to help them out. That’s not a complaint about “regular posters,” a term even you put in ironic quotes. And then you continued complaining about it in that thread after being asked to take it elsewhere. And that’s the bit you got a warning for. Bed made, dude. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/7 "2015-04-02T03:56:24Z")
Well, generally speaking, if you disagree with a moderator’s instructions, the place to dispute it is in ATMB, not in the thread where the instruction was given. You’ve been told this repeatedly, including in the very thread you linked to, so that’s also ignoring a moderator’s instructions. That’s two different rules violations. And that’s just in your last post there - going through the rest of the thread, I can spot a few others, but that’s outside the scope of your question. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/8 "2015-04-02T05:01:28Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > Does the above break a rule? If so, what’s the rule? Yep. If you have an issue with a moderator, you DO NOT bring that issue up in the thread where the moderation takes place. You bring it up in this forum. And it’s pretty clear why-- we don’t want to hijack threads to discuss moderator action. The post that caught **Colibri’s** eye needn’t have been about moderator action-- but you made it so. **Tom** was posting as a poser, but YOU made it about moderator action. And then you doubled down on the challenge and got a warning. I’m not surprised in the least. If you’re smart, you’ll use this as learning experience. If you insist on fighting it, well, I think the warning you got says it all. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/9 "2015-04-02T10:09:07Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yep. If you have an issue with a moderator, you DO NOT bring that issue up in the thread where the moderation takes place. See, that’s the thing. He has an issue with Tom as a poster, not as a moderator. He stated that he would not respond to Tom’s post. This was not a response to any moderation. When told to knock it off, he replied : \* "I do NOT have a complaint about “moderation.” Presumably, tomndebb is just a regular poster in this thread. "\* I see no complaint about moderation there. The opposite, in fact. The warning was wrong and should be withdrawn. ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/10 "2015-04-02T12:29:06Z")
Of course he was complaining about moderation. His post referred to moderators posing as “regular posters” and he mentioned three moderators–apparently members of a cabal–by name. Grotonian, “not engaging” is best accomplished by not engaging. You _responded_ to tomdebb’s post in full jerk mode with your usual spiel. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/11 "2015-04-02T12:37:01Z")
This: > [@](#): > > enlist their mod buddies to pull their chestnuts out of the fire is a complaint about moderator action, pure and simple, regardless of how moderators were posting in the thread prior to that. Saying otherwise is like saying “I didn’t pull the cat’s tail; I just held it. The cat pulled.” ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/12 "2015-04-02T13:17:10Z")
Yep OP, you focused on mods as mods with your comment. You should have done that in this forum. If you want to attack a mod’s modding abilities and attack him personally, you must do half of said thread in the pit, with the other half in ATMB, using little symbols like [----\>] or [\<----]when the reader is to change from the pit thread (and the personal attacks) to the ATMB thread (and the modding attacks). Of course, spacing and footnoting are important to keep the continuity flowing and not confuse the reader as he switches forums. Hyperlinks are helpful too, as some readers have trouble following along as you change forums. A simple system really. But then, speaking for myself, please don’t piss off the mods. Things are better now than they were in the past, and we don’t want them taking their ball and going home. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/13 "2015-04-02T13:47:11Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > See, that’s the thing. He has an issue with Tom as a poster, not as a moderator… Go back and read the post in question. He had issues with **Tom** as both a poster and a moderator. It’s floor wax and a dessert topping!! ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/14 "2015-04-02T15:16:14Z")
[\*\*\*\*QUOTE=Ethilrist;18257281]This: is a complaint about moderator action, pure and simple, regardless of how moderators were posting in the thread prior to that. Saying otherwise is like saying “I didn’t pull the cat’s tail; I just held it. The cat pulled.” [/QUOTE] No. This comment received a mod note in comment #49 by **Colibri.** The comment in the OP is what received the warning. Unless it’s possible to receive a note and warning for the same comment. Why not two or three warnings for the same comment? Hell, **samclem** should’ve just given me 8 warnings for it banned me. That would’ve fixed me good. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/15 "2015-04-02T15:33:08Z")
It’s still an option. ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/16 "2015-04-02T15:47:54Z")
> [@Emiliana](#): > > Of course he was complaining about moderation. His post referred to moderators posing as “regular posters” and he mentioned three moderators–apparently members of a cabal–by name. > > Grotonian, “not engaging” is best accomplished by not engaging. You _responded_ to tomdebb’s post in full jerk mode with your usual spiel. No, I wasn’t complaining about any moderating. I was explaining why I would not engage 3 posters, who also happen to be mods (all of which illustrates my point that the mods are never regular posters). That the mods don’t follow the rules _ **as posters** _ has absolutely nothing to do with moderating. It has to do with posting. I explained to **tomndebb** _ **as a poster** _ why I was declining to respond to his comment. And I got mod noted. Then the above comment, in the OP, received a warning. So I ask: what in the OP broke a rule? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/17 "2015-04-02T15:51:35Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > No. This comment received a mod note in comment #49 by **Colibri.** The comment in the OP is what received the warning. > > Unless it’s possible to receive a note and warning for the same comment. Why not two or three warnings for the same comment? Hell, **samclem** should’ve just given me 8 warnings for it banned me. That would’ve fixed me good. The reason you got a warning is very simple. A moderator told you to take issues about moderation to ATMB. In your next pots you took another issue with moderation in that thread instead of taking it to ATMB. You got the note for your post directed at **Tom** , and you go the warning for the post directed at **Colibri**. I find neither action surprising in the least. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/18 "2015-04-02T15:54:53Z")
Arguing with a mod’s instructions in the thread in which you received them, instead of in ATMB. I’m almost _certain_ this has been said already in here. ---
**Author:** ![Grotonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c2a13f/32.png) [@Grotonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grotonian)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/19 "2015-04-02T15:59:30Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Some people would say you should ask this in private, but I think this is a good one to ask in public, if you think the answer is something everyone might benefit from. > > That said, you should have also quoted the post the engendered the mod note: > > And that is an accusation of bad moderation, since he’s alleging they can ignore the rules. Though, really, I’d have just called him out for “being a jerk.” No it isn’t. It’s an accusation that **tomndebb** doesn’t follow the rules _as a poster._ Moreover, that comment already received a mod note, it was what I posted in the OP that received the warning. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585/20 "2015-04-02T16:02:00Z")
> [@Grotonian](#): > > That the mods don’t follow the rules _ **as posters** _ has absolutely nothing to do with moderating. It has to do with posting. How do they get away with not following the rules? Surely they would be warned, suspended or banned if they did that routinely, yes? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-post-break-a-rule/716585.md?page=2)