# Jeez, can't we just save ourselves some trouble and just Ban Hitler apologists/deniers? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 8, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238 "2012-05-08T02:56:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**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:** [May 9, 2012, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/101 "2012-05-09T10:57:07Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > As has been pointed out upthread, there is value in having a \*\*dearth \*\*of information on the net for those on the fence > [@PlainJain](#): > > Nah, there would still be [an inadequate supply](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dearth). Just to clarify, did you really mean to tell us that \*“there is value in having an inadequate supply of information on the net,” \* or did you misspeak? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/102 "2012-05-09T12:15:26Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > But… having them around as chew toys is **fun**. We can stroke our ego, be all high and mighty, even the worst of us can stand on top of the pile-on and say “truly, I am a better person than this poster.” > > And then ban them when we tire of them. Basically, this. The “insta-ban Nazis” idea seems pretty much a solution in search of a problem. The current process of [ul][li]Neo-Nazi shows up [_] he posts some tripe denying the Holocaust [_]Dopers pile on [_]We either bait him into breaking the rules, or he does it on his own [_]he gets banned.[/ul]seems to work pretty smoothly. [/li] I suppose I could add [ul][li]Banned Nazi goes off and tells his Internet friends “I was banned because they just can’t handle the Truth”[/ul]but he would do that anyway. [/li] Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/103 "2012-05-09T12:18:31Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > As has been pointed out upthread, there is value in having a dearth of information on the net for those on the fence or just a place that comes up on a search that shows intelligent refutations of these idiots. > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Just to clarify, did you really mean to tell us that \*“there is value in having an inadequate supply of information on the net,” \*or did you misspeak? I don’t see the confusion here, if may paraphrase, what **PlainJain** is suggesting is that there is value in a shortage of information pertaining to pro-Nazi, Holocaust denier, etc. as well as a benefit in having sources, such as SDMB threads refuting those views, show up in a web search on those topics. We all know there’s more than an adequate supply of information on the net, but it’s not all true. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/104 "2012-05-09T12:27:18Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > But… having them around as chew toys is **fun**. We can stroke our ego, be all high and mighty, even the worst of us can stand on top of the pile-on and say “truly, I am a better person than this poster.” > > And then ban them when we tire of them. I suspect it is more this than any “Bringing In The Light”. At the very least, could we please make an effort not to mention by name any Neo-Nazi websites when we tell them to go back where they came from? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/105 "2012-05-09T13:13:19Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > The “insta-ban Nazis” idea seems pretty much a solution in search of a problem. I agree. What problem, exactly, did we have that this proposed instaban rule will solve? Having a couple discussion threads that nobody was forced to read? I had no idea the recent guy was a neonazi, because I didn’t give a shit about the subject of his threads and hence didn’t read them. Do some people not realize that simply not reading threads you don’t like is an option? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/106 "2012-05-09T13:31:38Z")
**THE STRAIGHT DOPE** **IGNORING FIGHTS SINCE 2012** _(Tired… so, so tired…)_ ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/107 "2012-05-09T13:46:52Z")
> [@Sparky812](#): > > I don’t see the confusion here, if may paraphrase, what **PlainJain** is suggesting is that there is value in a shortage of information pertaining to pro-Nazi, Holocaust denier, etc. as well as a benefit in having sources, such as SDMB threads refuting those views, show up in a web search on those topics. Yep. We can’t stop the Nazis from posting their hate and lies on the net so I believe there is value in our posting factual information that discredits it - however inadequate that supply of information may be. My post was a light-hearted way of expressing it. It’s not complicated unless you want it to be. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/108 "2012-05-09T14:11:22Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > My post was a light-hearted way of expressing it. I think that is one reason newbies and lurkers come to The Straight Dope. They’ve read Cecil’s columns, seen that he gives the facts in a clear and amusing form, and go to the boards for more of the same except with a faster turnover. I’m fully in favor of keeping the nuts around so we can play with them, like cats playing with mice, until they get too obnoxious. Then the banner should explain the banning, both in the thread and in ATMB, so readers don’t need to search for a reason. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/109 "2012-05-09T14:30:18Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > The “insta-ban Nazis” idea seems pretty much a solution in search of a problem. But it would be a final one. Too soon? ---
**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:** [May 9, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/110 "2012-05-09T15:01:42Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > Yep. We can’t stop the Nazis from posting their hate and lies on the net so I believe there is value in our posting factual information that discredits it - however inadequate that supply of information may be. . Thank you for clarifying what you meant. You did, however, phrase it poorly, and gave the wrong impression. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/111 "2012-05-09T15:49:50Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > I was going to ask the same [slippery slope] question: > > Shall we ban the following? Why, or why not? > > 1. Moon landing hoax believers > > 2. 9/11 thruthers > > 3. Oswald did not kill Kennedy believers > > 4. Global warming deniers > > 5. Gun control opponents > > 6. Republicans > > 7. Fox News viewers > > Edit: Posting before finishing the thread. Still in the middle of page 1! Hah! I have locked horns with all of them! The fight against gross ignorance should not care if the proponent of woo is liberal or conservative. I have to mention that there are many thinking conservatives here so I agree with many posters here that we should not autoban them, because many do not go for the jerky style of dealing with others, in the SDMB the last 4 items specially show many examples of conservatives that while they support some of those ideas they do listen to reason. Also, to confuse this more, nowadays most thinking republicans and conservatives are being kick out of office by a party that is going off the deep end. OTOH, it was with \*\*evidence \*\*presented in this message board that made me agree a lot with #5, so you would had to ban me if we follow with that post hypothetical. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/112 "2012-05-09T16:23:03Z")
Not to mention that Holocaust deniers are one of the few things guaranteed to unite everyone on the Board. Think about it. Grouchy Republicans/angry Democrats/frustrated supporters of Ron Paul, atheists/theists, pro-union/anti-union, lovers/haters of kitty pix. . . There are few things we can agree on, but #1 on the list is a Hitler supporter. Every time one appears, it’s a team-building exercise! ---
**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:** [May 9, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/113 "2012-05-09T16:47:06Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Not to mention that Holocaust deniers are one of the few things guaranteed to unite everyone on the Board. Think about it. Grouchy Republicans/angry Democrats/frustrated supporters of Ron Paul, atheists/theists, pro-union/anti-union, lovers/haters of kitty pix. . . There are few things we can agree on, but #1 on the list is a Hitler supporter. > > Every time one appears, it’s a team-building exercise! Nah, because we don’t agree on whether it’s worthwhile to engage them. I consider these people trolls, and I don’t feed trolls. But I will grant the SDMB one thing – it is a tremendous feeding ground for trolls. Maybe I’m jealous. A long time ago I looked back at threads I started and found that almost a third of them died without ever even getting a response. Now I know why – they weren’t crazy or evil enough! ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/114 "2012-05-09T23:11:16Z")
And yet I’m not allowed to say to these people; “You know that scene in \*Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkhaban \*where the Boggart steps out of the wardrobe looking like Professor Snape and then Neville uses the _Ridiculous_ charm to make it look like it’s wearing his grandmother’s clothing? That’s how I imagine you. Including the look of confusion on your face.” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/115 "2012-05-10T12:10:10Z")
One quick comment: in addition to the rules about not insulting other posters, there is a specific rule in the Registration Agreement: > [@](#): > > Hate speech, insults, and purposely inflammatory remarks (i.e., trolling) will not be tolerated. Do not post threats or state or imply that any individual or group is deserving of harm. Neo-Nazis will almost surely fall afoul of these rules fairly quickly. Thus, the current policy (IMHO) treads the line very neatly between not giving a sounding-board to such extremists, while at the same time not stifling any particular topics. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/116 "2012-05-10T15:02:55Z")
From the Woody Allen film _Manhattan_ (1979): **Isaac Davis (Woody):** Has anybody read that Nazis are gonna march in New Jersey? Y’know, I read this in the newspaper. We should go down there, get some guys together, y’know, get some bricks and baseball bats and really explain things to them. **Party Guest:** There is this devastating satirical piece on that on the Op Ed page of the _Times_, it is devastating. **Isaac Davis:** Well, a satirical piece in the _Times_ is one thing, but bricks and baseball bats really gets right to the point ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/117 "2012-05-10T15:06:46Z")
My Dad knew how to deal with Nazis. 69th Infantry Division: Siegfried Line, the Rhineland, Liepzieg, Eilenberg, Torgau. If I have to argue with them on a messageboard, it’s the least I can do. ---
**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:** [May 10, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/118 "2012-05-10T16:25:54Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Not to mention that Holocaust deniers are one of the few things guaranteed to unite everyone on the Board. Think about it. Grouchy Republicans/angry Democrats/frustrated supporters of Ron Paul, atheists/theists, pro-union/anti-union, lovers/haters of kitty pix. . . There are few things we can agree on, but #1 on the list is a Hitler supporter. > > Every time one appears, it’s a team-building exercise! When Ron Paul supporters unite with kttiy pix lovers, I get very, very scared. I’m not sure I’m OK with this. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/119 "2012-05-10T16:30:05Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > When Ron Paul supporters unite with kttiy pix lovers, I get very, very scared. I’m not sure I’m OK with this. i kan has gold standard? ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238/120 "2012-05-10T18:04:17Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I think we should instaban anyone who likes shaky cam. And vegans. > > Once you start banning people for ideas, then where do you stop? Best post yet. Give everybody at least ONE chance to express their opinion. _Then_ drop the “Ban Bomb”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeez-cant-we-just-save-ourselves-some-trouble-and-just-ban-hitler-apologists-deniers/621238.md?page=7)