# Liberal's Prospective Suspension/Banning **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 27, 2006, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134 "2006-03-27T19:25:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/161 "2006-03-29T16:10:47Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > It’s quite a stretch to liken **Liberal’s** request with others dealing with some type of addiction. There’s no reason to invest it with that much meaning. **Liberal** (if we take him at his word) wants not to post here, wants not to be tempted. Fine, but that’s not addiction, that’s why I don’t keep a jar of gumdrops on my desk. The guy’s been posting here a dozen times a day for seven years. If it has suddenly become a disruptive force in his life, he doesn’t say so. There’s no evidence for any behavioral aberration or unbreakable habit on his part, so to posit such is an unjustified and unnecessary explanation for his latest foray into the spotlight, which I should think would be viewed with the same degree of alarm and confusion as a full moon. I have a hard time viewing the request as a plea for help because of its sheer absurdity. “Request for suspension or ban?” As I mentioned before, these two things are not nohow alike. When the lead actress shrinks into a corner of the stage and whispers, “I cannot suffer to live,” she’ll be taken seriously. When she sweeps onto the stage honking a bicycle horn and shrieking “I WANT TO DIE!!! Or maybe take a nap. Whichever, you decide…” laughter is the appropriate response. Someone needs to ask **Liberal** which he wants, the dramatic but permanent ban, or the reversible but decidedly unheroic suspension, and then give it to him. Right away. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/162 "2006-03-29T16:13:48Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > _damned straight lines_ what, is that the motto of the Alliance for Gay, Lesbian, Transgendered lines? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/163 "2006-03-29T16:35:08Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > What’s the significance of such a line? If you need a crutch to walk and you go get a crutch, then you’ve taken responsibility for your own mobility. Ah, I see the source of your confusion here. No, I was using the word “crutch” in the more colloquial sense of something which serves as an unneeded expedient–something one unnecessarily relies on. Like drinking to deal with one’s problems. I think **Lib** is perfectly capable of walking away from here on his own; the fact that he’s not posted here since he made his (very) public request is good evidence of that. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2006, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/164 "2006-03-29T17:05:09Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Ah, I see the source of your confusion here. No, I was using the word “crutch” in the more colloquial sense of something which serves as an unneeded expedient–something one unnecessarily relies on. Like drinking to deal with one’s problems. I think **Lib** is perfectly capable of walking away from here on his own; the fact that he’s not posted here since he made his (very) public request is good evidence of that. So what if he’s capable of walking away? Being banned might make it easier for him, and where’s the shame in that? We’re a species of intelligent creatures who do things to make our lives easier; there’s no virtue in making life more difficult than it needs to be. He asked a minor favor of someone. That someone may or may not be willing to oblige. At what point does it become your concern? Daniel ---
**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:** [March 29, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/165 "2006-03-29T17:12:33Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Ah, I see the source of your confusion here. No, I was using the word “crutch” in the more colloquial sense of something which serves as an unneeded expedient–something one unnecessarily relies on. Like drinking to deal with one’s problems. I think **Lib** is perfectly capable of walking away from here on his own; the fact that he’s not posted here since he made his (very) public request is good evidence of that. So what if he’s capable of walking away? Being banned might make it easier for him, and where’s the shame in that? We’re a species of intelligent creatures who do things to make our lives easier; there’s no virtue in making life more difficult than it needs to be. He asked a minor favor of someone. That someone may or may not be willing to oblige. At what point does it become your concern? Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/166 "2006-03-29T17:14:52Z")
At the point where **Lib** decides to post a dramatic OP about it. He could’ve kept it private. Really, Daniel, I’m not sure why this is unclear. If he really didn’t want this huge drama, he wouldn’t have invited the inevitable Pit thread by posting that ATMB thread. It was classic **Lib**. “Misinterpret this however you wish” my tattooed ass. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/167 "2006-03-29T17:15:24Z")
So what made the Pit thread “inevitable”, **Maureen**? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/168 "2006-03-29T17:18:43Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > So what made the Pit thread “inevitable”, **Maureen**? Human nature. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/169 "2006-03-29T17:22:26Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Human nature. Took the words out of my mouth. Humans love to gossip. It might be the most fundamental of all human traits. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/170 "2006-03-29T17:22:30Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > So what made the Pit thread “inevitable”, **Maureen**? A. the request was public - his choice. B. the request was ambiguous - his choice. C. there are, indeed, many posters who dislike him. He knows this. D. There are, indeed, many posters who have positive feelings for him. He knows this as well. E. He’s a long term, prolific poster. When was the last time you saw any such person leave the board in a public manner w/o a pit thread? F. the manner of the request was also something he’d done before, and pit threads were always the result. why on earth would any reasonable person think “this time, there **won’t** be a pit thread” ? ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/171 "2006-03-29T17:23:49Z")
Mainly, **Tuba** locked a dramatic request made by a high profile poster. Said high profile poster has taken these hiatuses before, but I don’t recall he’s ever made the request for hiatus public before. Personally, I don’t see how “I need a break, please put me on suspension for X number of days” can be misread, but that’s just me. The thread could’ve been started in MPSIMS, but it was going to be started. Considering the amount of hostility leveled both by and at **Lib** in the past month or so, though, **Shodan** was quite correct in saying it’d end up here anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/172 "2006-03-29T17:24:43Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Took the words out of my mouth. Humans love to gossip. It might be the most fundamental of all human traits. Well that and laughing. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2006, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/173 "2006-03-29T17:25:08Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > At the point where **Lib** decides to post a dramatic OP about it. He could’ve kept it private. Really, Daniel, I’m not sure why this is unclear. 😕 Have I not said over and over that it was silly for him to make it public? You and I agree about that. I disagree with **QED** that it was irresponsible to make the request at all. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/174 "2006-03-29T17:27:20Z")
Sigh … the Pit thread was only “inevitable” because there are so many people who want to jump on him, even when he hasn’t said jack since. There’s a Pit thread because there’s so many people with nothing better to do than to add to it. Clear now? :rolleyes: Apparently his request to be ignored _is_ too hard for some of you to comply with. But to call _him_ a drama queen because of \*your \* lack of a life is just sad. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/175 "2006-03-29T17:30:18Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > I disagree with **QED** that it was irresponsible to make the request at all. You might have a valid point if he’d not made said request in the manner he ultimately chose to. Others have addressed this point as well, and better than I could have. Go read it again, and then tell me honestly if you truly think that’s the result of a person taking responsibility, or someone passing responsibility to someone else. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2006, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/176 "2006-03-29T17:31:37Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > You might have a valid point if he’d not made said request in the manner he ultimately chose to. Others have addressed this point as well, and better than I could have. Go read it again, and then tell me honestly if you truly think that’s the result of a person taking responsibility, or someone passing responsibility to someone else. Read his request again, you mean? Sure: it’s taking responsibility, by any meaningful measure. And sure, doing it in a public manner is kinda silly, but no great crime. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/177 "2006-03-29T17:34:09Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Apparently his request to be ignored _is_ too hard for some of you to comply with. But to call _him_ a drama queen because of \*your \* lack of a life is just sad. Oh, please. If someone truly wants to be ignored, he doesn’t climb up to the roof, wave his arms about wildly and scream at anyone passing by how he wishes to be ignored and would someone please cut out his vocal cords. Or push him off the roof. Whatever. Because sure as shit, that’s the one thing _guaranteed_ not to get you ignored. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/178 "2006-03-29T17:34:27Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > 😕 Have I not said over and over that it was silly for him to make it public? You and I agree about that. I disagree with **QED** that it was irresponsible to make the request at all. > > Daniel Well, not irresponsible so much as, um…what’s a diplomatic word for hypocritical and melodramatic? Hypocritical because **Lib** claims to be all about personal responsibility. Yet he can’t be bothered to just exercise some self control and not post. Melodramatic because April 15th really isn’t all that far away. He could’ve just allowed his subscription to lapse. It would’ve accomplished the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/179 "2006-03-29T17:36:15Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > Sure: it’s taking responsibility, by any meaningful measure.l Then we’ll have to agree to disagree, sir. Because, I just can’t see it that way. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134/180 "2006-03-29T17:38:51Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Sigh … the Pit thread was only “inevitable” because there are so many people who want to jump on him, even when he hasn’t said jack since. There’s a Pit thread because there’s so many people with nothing better to do than to add to it. Clear now? :rolleyes: This particular pit thread is here because **Shodan** wanted to ask him to stay. I assume you are condemning both the people who want **Lib** to stay, as well as those who want him to go. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-prospective-suspension-banning/350134.md?page=10)