# I object and demand a retraction **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 11, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843 "2012-06-11T19:25:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/1 "2012-06-11T19:25:59Z")
[This warning](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15155928&postcount=106) > [@TriPolar](#): > > The assholes who knew about Quasi’s condition could have ignored him. Instead they goaded him. I hope I’m alive long enough to see them deteriorate so I can laugh at them. > [@Miller](#): > > [Moderating] > TriPolar, wishing harm on other posters is a violation of the board rules. Don’t do this again. > > No warning issued. > [/Moderating] I did not in my post wish harm upon anyone. You and others may believe whatever you want about my desires, but the wish stated was to take pleasure in an inevitable condition of human life. If that is a violation of rules, than so is the statement “I hope you grow old”. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/2 "2012-06-11T19:30:11Z")
“I’m not telling anyone to 'f\*ck off, just those who read this post”. It’s not a violation of the letter of the law, but it’s definitely against the spirit of it. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/3 "2012-06-11T19:37:54Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > [This warning](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15155928&postcount=106) > [@Miller](#): > > No warning issued. What exactly do you want to be retracted? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/4 "2012-06-11T19:49:30Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > What exactly do you want to be retracted? Miller’s claim that I wished harm upon others. ---
**Author:** ![Astral\_Rejection](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@Astral\_Rejection](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astral_Rejection)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/5 "2012-06-11T20:07:12Z")
“The assholes who knew about Quasi’s condition could have ignored him. Instead they goaded him. I hope I’m alive long enough to see them get alzheimer’s so I can laugh at them.” “The assholes who knew about Quasi’s condition could have ignored him. Instead they goaded him. I hope I’m alive long enough to see them get cancer so I can laugh at them.” “The assholes who knew about Quasi’s condition could have ignored him. Instead they goaded him. I hope I’m alive long enough to see them get hit by a car so I can laugh at them.” These are all roughly equivalent, and they’re all wishing harm on another poster. I’m not seeing anything to retract… you’ve clearly broken the rule of “wishing harm on another poster.” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/6 "2012-06-11T20:17:30Z")
> [@Astral\_Rejection](#): > > “The assholes who knew about Quasi’s condition could have ignored him. Instead they goaded him. I hope I’m alive long enough to see them get alzheimer’s so I can laugh at them.” > > “The assholes who knew about Quasi’s condition could have ignored him. Instead they goaded him. I hope I’m alive long enough to see them get cancer so I can laugh at them.” > > “The assholes who knew about Quasi’s condition could have ignored him. Instead they goaded him. I hope I’m alive long enough to see them get hit by a car so I can laugh at them.” > > These are all roughly equivalent, and they’re all wishing harm on another poster. I’m not seeing anything to retract… you’ve clearly broken the rule of “wishing harm on another poster.” Those cases which were not cited by the moderator come closer, but still do not wish the harm upon others, only my desire to be there should it happen. But instead of arguing over semantic contortion I’ll point something out directly to the point. Currently this thread exists in the Pit: [All religious people should be executed](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=566782) Not only are there no moderator warnings or other moderation about wishing harm upon others, the thread was moved to the Pit from another forum by a moderator. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/7 "2012-06-11T20:58:40Z")
1. The “all religious posters” thread is from like 2010 and was recently bumped. Statute of limitations and all that. 2. I thought the rule was “Don’t wish _death_ on someone” and “don’t make real-world type threats”. Did those rules change when I wasn’t looking? 3. If it _is_ “Don’t wish _harm_” then yeah, Tripolar broke the rules, but…it’s a kind of a dumb rule. At least “don’t wish death” was a bright line with the ‘excuse’ that it could be a threat or something. But “don’t wish harm” is just a silly rule. Does anyone really believe that saying “I hope you get cancer” or something isn’t going to make it happen. ---
**Author:** ![Astral\_Rejection](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@Astral\_Rejection](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astral_Rejection)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/8 "2012-06-11T21:04:20Z")
I agree, it’s a dumb rule. I’m not defending it at all, but as presented it does appear TriPolar broke it. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/9 "2012-06-11T21:23:05Z")
I still contend that I did not wish the harm upon anyone by a strict reading of the cited statement, which I believe should be the considered standard for this subject in a moderator action. Deterioration is an inevitable fact of life, and no different than aging, and unrelated to something like cancer, developing Alzheimer’s specifically, car accidents, or any other condition that would be considered harmful but not inevitably encountered. Is it against the rules to say “I hope you die someday”? I would find that a stretch even for a standard based on death specifically instead of harm. But I did not express a desire to see anything occur to a person other than the normal course of life, and my pleasure in the knowledge of it\*. \*My pleasure in the knowledge of it is part of Pit hyperole, not an actual desire on my part. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/10 "2012-06-11T22:10:40Z")
So what’s to retract? You weren’t given a warning. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/11 "2012-06-11T22:13:23Z")
> [@Astral\_Rejection](#): > > “The assholes who knew about Quasi’s condition could have ignored him. Instead they goaded him. I hope I’m alive long enough to see them get alzheimer’s so I can laugh at them.” > > “The assholes who knew about Quasi’s condition could have ignored him. Instead they goaded him. I hope I’m alive long enough to see them get cancer so I can laugh at them.” > > “The assholes who knew about Quasi’s condition could have ignored him. Instead they goaded him. I hope I’m alive long enough to see them get hit by a car so I can laugh at them.” > > These are all roughly equivalent, and they’re all wishing harm on another poster. I’m not seeing anything to retract… you’ve clearly broken the rule of “wishing harm on another poster.” “The assholes who knew about Quasi’s condition could have ignored him. Instead they goaded him. Eventually, like all people, they will deteriorate, and I hope I’m alive long enough that when it happens I can laugh at them.” That’s more equivalent to what he was saying. Not a wish of harm, a recognition that eventually everyone is harmed by something. I dunno that it’s a fight worth fighting given the no warning issued. I guess it’s just the principle. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/12 "2012-06-11T22:32:38Z")
If you retract “not a warning” does it then _become_ a warning? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/13 "2012-06-11T22:38:17Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > So what’s to retract? You weren’t given a warning. See post #4 > [@TBG](#): > > I dunno that it’s a fight worth fighting given the no warning issued. I guess it’s just the principle. Miller stated that I wished harm on others, and strongly implied that I had a violated a rule. I did not wish harm on others, and thus did not violate a rule. Clearing up the record on the first point is an important principle to me\*. The second point about the violation is unimportant except in that it supports the first. \*Important enough to start this thread, it’s not like I have a new mission in life. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/14 "2012-06-11T23:44:37Z")
Yeah, well I want a pony. Too bad we can’t always get what we want. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2012, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/15 "2012-06-11T23:51:04Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Miller stated that I wished harm on others, and strongly implied that I had a violated a rule. I did not wish harm on others, and thus did not violate a rule. Have you read the pit rules lately? > **[Revised Forum Rules for the BBQ Pit: read this before posting](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=507985)** > > The BBQ Pit is the forum for rants about the outside world or quarrels between posters - often the first turns into the second. Although the standards of discourse are looser than in the other forums, the Pit is NOT a free-for-all - you don’t have to... > [@](#): > > **Do not threaten harm or wish death on another poster** > > Do not threaten another poster with physical harm, or wish for their demise. This includes hypothetical statements like “it would make me happy if someone ran you over” or “I hope you say that to [someone prone to stabbing people] and they stab you”. 1. “it would make me happy if someone ran you over” 2. “I hope I’m alive long enough to see them deteriorate so I can laugh at them.” These two statements seem to me to be identical in their intent. Seems to me that your statement broke the letter and the spirit of the rule. I’m with Miller on this one. He was perfectly fair to you. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/16 "2012-06-12T00:24:32Z")
I retract and demand an objection! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/17 "2012-06-12T00:42:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by _TriPolar_ > The assholes who knew about Quasi’s condition could have ignored him. Instead they goaded him. I hope I’m alive long enough to see them deteriorate so I can laugh at them. If you imagine that this statement doesn’t wish harm on other posters, well, the rules of this forum don’t allow me to fully state my opinion of your intellectual capacity. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/18 "2012-06-12T00:46:44Z")
Well. I was with Tripolar after the OP but Peter Morris’s rebuttal has convinced me. Also, I like the “[someone prone to stabbing people].” Cracked me right up. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/19 "2012-06-12T00:55:09Z")
What about this statement: “I hope I outlive you.” Which is the same as saying “I hope I live long enough to see you die.” Which seems worse than “I hope I live long enough to see you age.” Which is basically the same thing as what Tri said. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843/20 "2012-06-12T01:24:30Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Yeah, well I want a pony. No you don’t. My gf has two horses. Gotta clean stalls regularly, keep them fed and watered. They get brushed weekly, fed twice a day, new shoes or resets on a regular basis. Vet visit for vaccines and deworming every few months. Plus their pastures need to be mowed every few months since they don’t eat fast enough. After all of that, we ride a few times a month due to other fun things taking up our time. You don’t want a pony.😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-object-and-demand-a-retraction/624843.md?page=2)