# I'm Appealing My Case: Misleading Title **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 16, 2005, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-appealing-my-case-misleading-title/284985 "2005-01-16T05:23:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-appealing-my-case-misleading-title/284985/1 "2005-01-16T05:23:01Z")
A few months ago I asked what to do when a title has misleading information. A mod told me to report it. I did and the title was changed, for which I was most grateful. Shortly afterward, the following title appeared in the Pit: **Georgia Schools: Dinosaurs Now Called 'Jesus Horses’** Right off the bat the thread’s poster mentions that it wasn’t really the Georgia school system that is calling dinosaurs “Jesus horses,” but someone from a TV skit. There were a few people in the thread who didn’t seem to notice that the source was not actually Georgia schools, so I reported the deliberately misleading title. Those of us who have had to endure prejudice against Southerners will understand _why_ I reported it. And after all, it _is_ inaccurate. The moderator was nice about it, but declined to change the title. I comforted myself with the knowledge that it would soon scroll away. Through the months I have seen references to it – although they might just as well be referencing the skit itself. Now I see that the thread itself is active again. In the spirit of fighting ignorance, could the title be reworded so that it does not continue to perpetuate false information and a stereotype? (No offense intended to the OP of that thread.) ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-appealing-my-case-misleading-title/284985/2 "2005-01-18T05:11:01Z")
You should put your protest/disclaimer in the thread. I do commiserate with you; I despair to see Georgia taking a page out of Alabama’s day planner and marching proudly into the 19th century, but there you have it. It’s gonna get worse before it gets better: It’s silly season and it’s been reported in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that among the issues being considered in the new (Republican) legislature is an amendment allowing public displays of the 10 Commandments in government buildings. your humble TubaDiva Administrator Are you from Dixie? ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-appealing-my-case-misleading-title/284985/3 "2005-01-18T06:33:24Z")
> [@](#): > > **TubaDiva** : You should put your protest/disclaimer in the thread. [This is a link to the thread in question.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?searchid=650637) I did! > [@](#): > > Zoe: How many of you didn’t read carefully enough to notice that it was SNL and not the Georgia State School System that used the reference “Jesus horses”? With the false claim of the title of this thread, I think we have a prime example of why Southerners are not solely responsible for their reputation as chime heads. There are a lot of gullible people who buy into the stereotype without much thought. But please keep in mind that I had also just been told to report misleading titles to moderators. People have been banned for using what some considered to be false quotations. Misattribution of a remark in a thread title in order to paint Southerners in a stereotypical fashion is as offensive to me as prejudicial comments about races and nationalities. (And I also speak up when those are made.) > [@](#): > > **TubaDiva** : I despair to see Georgia taking a page out of Alabama’s day planner and marching proudly into the 19th century, but there you have it. It’s gonna get worse before it gets better: It’s silly season and it’s been reported in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that among the issues being considered in the new (Republican) legislature is an amendment allowing public displays of the 10 Commandments in government buildings. My comment from the linked thread: > [@](#): > > Zoe:The article that was referenced in the OP talks about the ignorance of a few people and the difficulties they can cause in an educational system. Nowhere does the article imply that these nutcases are typical Georgians. To the contrary, the article emphasizes how such instances get blown out of proportion and perpetuate the myths. Try to think of the _Atlanta Journal-Constitution_ as just as much a symbol of Southern thinking as the new legislature whose amendment will most likely be struck down – maybe before it leaves Georgia. It was a Georgia judge that had those stupid stickers removed from the textbooks. **All I am asking is that moderators consider changing thread titles that are deliberately misleading.** If a mod agrees with the stereotype that is furthered by the misattribution, that is no excuse for allowing false information. I too become frustrated when the religious right has too much power in any government decision. But painting it as worse that it is is promoting ignorance. Yes, I’m from Dixie. Nashville – the home of country music – voted BLUE. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-appealing-my-case-misleading-title/284985/4 "2005-01-18T06:45:01Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > I despair to see Georgia taking a page out of Alabama’s day planner and marching proudly into the 19th century, The Jesus Horses are gonna’ stampede through your rose garden for that, oh Humble One. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-appealing-my-case-misleading-title/284985/5 "2005-01-18T10:56:17Z")
My dear Zoe: I looked at the referenced thread. I did see that it was mentioned very early that the “Jesus Horses” bit was from Jimmy Fallon. Now, will everyone remember this? No, they will remember that Georgians are stupid. It has ever been thus. However, it also appears from the thread that stupidity is an equal opportunity employer that hires in every state. Southerners just tend to get painted with that broad brush. It’s Gladly, our cross-eyed bear. your humble TubaDiva Administrator