# Ed, at some point you'll need to quell the rebellion.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-at-some-point-youll-need-to-quell-the-rebellion/487670>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [February 27, 2009, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-at-some-point-youll-need-to-quell-the-rebellion/487670 "2009-02-27T16:25:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 90

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**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-at-some-point-youll-need-to-quell-the-rebellion/487670/90 "2009-02-27T19:39:17Z")

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> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#):
>
> Are people upset because they won’t be able to say what they want or because they don’t know if what they say will get them in trouble. I mean if the rule was crystal clear and said you cannot say, “fuck you” then folks would be fine and say, “OK, I won’t say that”. Or are folks be in an uproar because the can’t say “fuck you” anymore.

First, let me get one thing right out of the way, for the benefit of morons like the OP: i’m not going to the barricades over the word “cunt.” It’s clear that it is one word that is unequivocally unacceptable when used about another Doper, in the new rules. Fine. I don’t need it; i can live without it; although i do think it’s sort of funny that the instances of its use on these Boards have escalated beyond any previous level since the new rule took effect.

Anyay, at the moment, for me it’s a combination of:

a) the fact that the new rule #2 attempts to solve what i see as a non-existent problem

and

b) the complete lack of clarity about what the rule actually is.

Here’s **Ed** ’s [most recent “clarification”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10883570&postcount=41):

> [@DSYoungEsq, you supercillious toad...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsyoungesq-you-supercillious-toad/487657/41):
>
> The question here is whether you can call someone a cunt by proxy: “X [some offboard person] is a cunt, and you are like X.” The answer obviously is no. On the other hand, the Pit being what it is, it’s not like this is an insta-ban offense. We’ll just tell you to stop. If you keep it up, eventually you’ll get warned.
> 
> On a related subject, I realize as examples come up that mostly what I’m trying to get rid of is insults of a sexual or unusually graphic nature. Comments like “you ignorant asshole” and “you’re a bitch,” while a bit crude, don’t seem worth objecting to. “Fuck you, asshole,” on the other hand, will get you a note. Looking through the exchange above, I’d also have to say you shouldn’t call someone a dick. You can call them smarmy or supercilious or any of about fifty thousand other derogatory adjectives, though.

Talk about precision!

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