# Graham Wellington banned? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 14, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231 "2005-10-14T16:03:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/41 "2005-10-14T21:14:44Z")
So the line to kiss the jackboots forms to the left? Count me in! šŸ˜ƒ ---
**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:** [October 14, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/42 "2005-10-14T21:26:49Z")
Well, that solves one dilemma for me. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/43 "2005-10-14T21:59:10Z")
Well, Iā€™m _not_ comfortable with his banning. Iā€™ve said it in the ATMB thread, and Iā€™ll say it again here: OK, he was a loon, but he was mostly a harmless one. Plenty of people have posted a lot worse things and received more warnings and been suspended before being banned: this smacks of a pre-emptive strike here, which doesnā€™t seem fair. The SDMB may not have been the ideal place for him, sure, but since when have people been banned because they donā€™t fit in? This banning sets a bad precedent, and leaves a bad taste in my mouth. So there. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/44 "2005-10-14T22:17:21Z")
Okay, Iā€™m gonna go out on a limb here and ask a sincere, though risky, question regarding the allegedly ā€œracist undertonesā€ of Graham Wellingtonā€™s posts. Agreed, the dude is nuttier that a squirl turd, but is the suggestion that we ā€œhave an open and honest national conversation about the black crime rate in this country thatā€™s been so high for so long now,ā€ a racist suggestion? Graham was clearly insensitive, but racist, I still donā€™t know. Plus he was amusing as hell. The post were he used the n-word had me rolling, not for his metaphor involving the racial slur, but the thought of distraught career driven elementary school children hurling themselves off of monkey bars because their future job prospects were dismal ā€“ black comedy gold ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/45 "2005-10-14T22:20:50Z")
> [@Case Sensitive](#): > > This smacks of a pre-emptive strike here, which doesnā€™t seem fair. I donā€™t care if itā€™s fair or not, so long as the board is less cluttered-up with thread titles that sound like they were written for _The Kids in the Hall_ā€™s ā€œGavin.ā€ **If my head was made of meat, how much would it be worth?** ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/46 "2005-10-14T22:20:59Z")
> [@whole bean](#): > > Agreed, the dude is nuttier that a squirl turd, but is the suggestion that we ā€œhave an open and honest national conversation about the black crime rate in this country thatā€™s been so high for so long now,ā€ a racist suggestion? doesnā€™t that assume that there is some link from ā€œCrime rateā€ to race? ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/47 "2005-10-14T22:36:07Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > I donā€™t care if itā€™s fair or notā€¦ You donā€™t? I do. ---
**Author:** ![Millit\_the\_Frail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Millit\_the\_Frail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Millit_the_Frail)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/48 "2005-10-14T22:44:14Z")
I feel all warm and fuzzy. Though I havenā€™t been around the SDMB for an extremely long time, I saw that one coming. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/49 "2005-10-14T22:47:52Z")
> [@whole bean](#): > > Graham was clearly insensitive, but racist, I still donā€™t know. Did you read the post where he said > [@GrahamWellington](#): > > Youā€™re exactly why I called my bank and told them to stop payment on my donation; too many spoiled and mouthy blacks for me to care any more about their supposed ā€œoppression.ā€ ? ---
**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:** [October 14, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/50 "2005-10-14T22:51:41Z")
> [@Case Sensitive](#): > > You donā€™t? I do. I donā€™t, either. The guy was badly damaged. The only purpose heā€™d have served here was fodder for the rest of us, and the idea of mocking the disabled doesnā€™t sit well with me. The boards are better without him, and he better without the boards. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/51 "2005-10-14T23:09:19Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I donā€™t, either. The guy was badly damaged. Well, the Carlos Castenada thread was way out there, but most of the rest of his threads were harmlessly silly questions that no-one was obligated to open or reply to. > [@](#): > > The only purpose heā€™d have served here was fodder for the rest of usā€¦ Like I said, no-one was ever forced to read one of his threads, let alone make fun of him. I donā€™t think someone ought to be banned because he posted silly things that others could laugh at. If he bothered anyone that much, thereā€™s always ā€œIgnoreā€. > [@](#): > > The boards are better without him, and he better without the boards. Perhaps so, but once heā€™d paid his money he had as much right to be here and post rubbish as you or I: as far as Iā€™m concerned he didnā€™t break the board rules enough to warrant sending off this early in the game, and I find the reasons **TubaDiva** gave in the ATMB thread a little disingenuous. ---
**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:** [October 14, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/52 "2005-10-14T23:22:26Z")
**Case** , your reply left out the most important part of my post: ā€œ[T]he idea of mocking the disabled doesnā€™t sit well with me.ā€ I donā€™t think he should have been banned because he annoyed other posters. I think he should have been banned because he was not well, and his interactions here would only have served to exacerbate his illness. I agree with his banning because it seemed as much a humanitarian gesture as a punitive one. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/53 "2005-10-14T23:23:33Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > Nature abhors a vacuum. Then explain George W. Bush? ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/54 "2005-10-14T23:39:35Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I think he should have been banned because he was not well, and his interactions here would only have served to exacerbate his illness. That was not the reason given for his banning, which is why I called it disingenuous: no-oneā€™s going to front up and say ā€œWe banned him because he was a nutcase who irritated some people.ā€ As to whether he was mentally ill, or simply held some extreme beliefs on certain subjects, itā€™s a matter of opinion: who are you or I or **TubaDIva** {Iā€™m not dumping on **TubaDiva** personally here; I imagine this was a collective decision, and Iā€™m only naming her because the ATMB thread was in her name} to perform a clinical diagnosis and decide he was in fact ill, and that banning would be in his best interest? > [@](#): > > I agree with his banning because it seemed as much a humanitarian gesture as a punitive one. That seems more than a little patronising. Either way, heā€™s still out 15 bucks. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/55 "2005-10-14T23:42:00Z")
He had some serious anger issues with women-in-general, from what I saw in his post about his ex. I should have paid attention to that squirmy feeling that his purpose in asking about our childbirth painful experiences might be to get off on womenā€™s pain. Ew. _I need to wash the ickiness off me now_ ---
**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:** [October 14, 2005, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/56 "2005-10-14T23:47:35Z")
> [@Case Sensitive](#): > > As to whether he was mentally ill, or simply held some extreme beliefs on certain subjects, itā€™s a matter of opinion: who are you or I or **TubaDIva** {Iā€™m not dumping on **TubaDiva** personally here; I imagine this was a collective decision, and Iā€™m only naming her because the ATMB thread was in her name} to perform a clinical diagnosis and decide he was in fact ill, and that banning would be in his best interest? He though Jesus had given him a mission to unmask a global Satanic conspiracy. I donā€™t think you need a doctorate to figure out this guy had only a nodding acquaintance with reality. > [@](#): > > That seems more than a little patronising. Either way, heā€™s still out 15 bucks. Okay, so itā€™s patronising. Some people need patrons, because they canā€™t make good decisions on their own. The guy was suffering from paranoid delusions. Letting him stay around and become a subject of public mockery would most likely exacerbate his condition, and that would be inconscionable. At the very least, if I had any sort of control over this board, it would absolutely not be a risk Iā€™d want to take. But, all that aside, receiving and ignoring several official warnings in the space of a few days is more than sufficient reason to ban anyone, regardless of mental state. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/57 "2005-10-14T23:49:55Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > **Case** , your reply left out the most important part of my post: ā€œ[T]he idea of mocking the disabled doesnā€™t sit well with me.ā€ I donā€™t think he should have been banned because he annoyed other posters. I think he should have been banned because he was not well, and his interactions here would only have served to exacerbate his illness. I agree with his banning because it seemed as much a humanitarian gesture as a punitive one. Iā€™m with you on this, **Miller**. Iā€™ll admit to a certain fascination with his delusions, but part of that fascination is born of cruelty, and thatā€™s not something thatā€™s good. Either he was mentally ill or he was jerking us around, and in neither case is that something thatā€™s good for the board. They should refund his 15 bucks, though. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/58 "2005-10-14T23:52:34Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Then explain George W. Bush? PS Shut up, **Duckster**. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/59 "2005-10-15T00:03:46Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > But, all that aside, receiving and ignoring several official warnings in the space of a few days is more than sufficient reason to ban anyone, regardless of mental state. Mhm. Not that itā€™s a legit reason for banning someone, but letā€™s face it: if heā€™d been here longer - and it wouldnā€™t have been much longer - heā€™d have just racked up more warnings. I knew this guy was going to get banned after Iā€™d read only a few of his posts, and I didnā€™t even go into the Castaneda thread. His instability was that obvious. I think the most you can say for him (and I wonā€™t even say it, myself) is that he shouldnā€™t have been banned _yet_. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231/60 "2005-10-15T01:13:54Z")
Narrowly avoided: Hey, fellow Yahoo! Parapsychology group members, demonic possession is real! Thereā€™s this poster named **Soandso** over at the Straight Dope that is totally possessed. I know, because he cryptically talked about ā€œDeath Raysā€ and used to say ā€œGotcha Ya,ā€ which is code for ā€œYouā€™re being controlled by demons.ā€ Itā€™s true, and if you DO EXACTLY AS I SAY, youā€™ll see that it is. Rent _Porkyā€™s II_. Play close attention to what the Reverend says when the Klan members show up at his revival meeting. Now compare this with the post made by **Soandso** in the thread, **Recommend Me an Avacado Dip recipe**. You see? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/graham-wellington-banned/326231.md?page=4)