# Has a banned poster ever been reinstated? - could it happen?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-banned-poster-ever-been-reinstated-could-it-happen/88498>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [October 19, 2001, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-banned-poster-ever-been-reinstated-could-it-happen/88498 "2001-10-19T21:46:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-banned-poster-ever-been-reinstated-could-it-happen/88498/1 "2001-10-19T21:46:03Z")

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I’m not asking for names, just wondering if a banned poster could _in principle_ be reinstated, or is it a possibility that the mods/admins simply won’t ever entertain?

I’m not talking about the usual pattern of events where a poster earns those capital letters under his username over a period of time and obviously wouldn’t change his ways.

Let’s say a relative newbie **way** violated the rules in an act of reckless abandon, then was immediately banned, if he crawled back on bended knee and promised to sin no more, would he get another chance or is he history?

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**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-banned-poster-ever-been-reinstated-could-it-happen/88498/2 "2001-10-19T22:08:41Z")

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Yes, it can happen. We’re not made of stone and if someone shows real repentance and wants to play by the rules then we can certainly see our way to reinstating them.

Once.

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**Author:** ![annalamerino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@annalamerino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annalamerino)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-banned-poster-ever-been-reinstated-could-it-happen/88498/3 "2001-10-20T00:05:05Z")

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There have also been a few in the banned-in-error category.  
Mine was nearly a year ago. Waterj2 also, and a few others I can’t recall, but we had a thread for them at one time.

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**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-banned-poster-ever-been-reinstated-could-it-happen/88498/4 "2001-10-20T11:56:02Z")

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For a good example of what can happen, see [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=94030).