# Generally one changes a rule THEN enforces it. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 16, 2009, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-one-changes-a-rule-then-enforces-it/486108 "2009-02-16T16:25:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-one-changes-a-rule-then-enforces-it/486108/121 "2009-02-18T19:23:04Z")
I’m glad that at least some other people seem to agree with me that **Sapo** was a whining jerk who’s sole purpose on these boards seemed to be to question the administration. Who cares about why he was finally banned? He deserved it, FOAD was just the straw that broke the camel’s back, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-one-changes-a-rule-then-enforces-it/486108/122 "2009-02-18T21:48:10Z")
> [@catsix](#): > > How dare you say some colors are worse than others, you racist! > (No, not really) I can’t be racist. Some of my best friends are green. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-one-changes-a-rule-then-enforces-it/486108/123 "2009-02-19T03:43:55Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > I’m glad that at least some other people seem to agree with me that **Sapo** was a whining jerk who’s sole purpose on these boards seemed to be to question the administration. Who cares about why he was finally banned? He deserved it, FOAD was just the straw that broke the camel’s back, IMO. I care about why he was finally banned – if it was because he was a jerk, good. If it was because, in whole or in part, FOAD is considered to be a threat, then that is assinine and should not be used as a precedent. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-one-changes-a-rule-then-enforces-it/486108/124 "2009-02-19T14:03:11Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > I’m glad that at least some other people seem to agree with me that **Sapo** was a whining jerk who’s sole purpose on these boards seemed to be to question the administration. Who cares about why he was finally banned? He deserved it, FOAD was just the straw that broke the camel’s back, IMO. I know he asked a lot of annoying questions, but I have trouble remembering anything he whined about. Do you have any examples of why he bugged you this way? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-one-changes-a-rule-then-enforces-it/486108/125 "2009-02-19T14:22:28Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > I’m glad that at least some other people seem to agree with me that **Sapo** was a whining jerk who’s sole purpose on these boards seemed to be to question the administration. Who cares about why he was finally banned? He deserved it, FOAD was just the straw that broke the camel’s back, IMO. I interacted with him several times in threads that had nothing to do with the administration in the week before his banning. It was not his sole purpose. He had criticism. I thought some of it was valid. I think all of it should have been allowed. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-one-changes-a-rule-then-enforces-it/486108/126 "2009-02-19T14:32:24Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > I know he asked a lot of annoying questions, but I have trouble remembering anything he whined about. \ Yes, the substance is fading away, but the memory of his persistence remains. Whether you see his persistence as being admirable or a pain depends on whether you agree with his points or not, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-one-changes-a-rule-then-enforces-it/486108/127 "2009-02-19T15:09:45Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > I care about why he was finally banned – if it was because he was a jerk, good. If it was because, in whole or in part, FOAD is considered to be a threat, then that is assinine and should not be used as a precedent. That’s fair enough, I guess - though would it really be such a big deal if FOAD became a banning offence? I can see that the main objection to it would be as stated in the thread title - we don’t want to be in a place where that kind of thing can happen without warning. But to me, the answer is obvious - **Sapo** was a special case, FOAD was just an excuse, if you like. OK, the mods probably could have handled it better, but let’s move on. > [@CarnalK](#): > > I know he asked a lot of annoying questions, but I have trouble remembering anything he whined about. Do you have any examples of why he bugged you this way? It just seemed that he had more posts in the Pit and ATMB specifically aimed at questioning board administration than any other poster, by far. And the way he put those points was often far from polite. It always seemed to me that he would put on this veneer of polite reasonableness, but underneath was just trying to wind up **Ed** and the mods just as far as he possibly could. Clearly, I’m not the only one to notice this. > [@Loach](#): > > I interacted with him several times in threads that had nothing to do with the administration in the week before his banning. It was not his sole purpose. He had criticism. I thought some of it was valid. I think all of it should have been allowed. I think this is probably a function of the fact that I mainly hang out in ATMB, GQ, and the Pit, and often IMHO and MPSIMS. I rarely venture into GD or CS - perhaps he had more to contribute there. I’m sure there were some less-than-helpful posts of his in GQ that came to my attention - also, see my response to **CarnalK** above. Even if it wasn’t his sole purpose, he was clearly a massive nuisance, often without sufficient justification, and the mods obviously decided enough was enough. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-one-changes-a-rule-then-enforces-it/486108.md?page=6)