# Moderator Miller abusing power? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 26, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731 "2013-09-26T15:50:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/1 "2013-09-26T15:50:06Z")
Will a moderator look at this post please? [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16699469&postcount=370](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16699469&postcount=370) Why did this moderator, Miller, feel the need to give me and only me a warning? Seems like he was singling me out due to a bias rather then caring bout actually enforcing the rules, what with all the other rules being broken in plain site. > [@Dudes of straight dope, if I type in proper english...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/314): > > [Moderating] > Telling other posters to suck your dick is a violation of the Pit’s language rules. Don’t do this again. > [/MODERATING] > [@Dudes of straight dope, if I type in proper english...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/328): > > [Moderating] > Threatening other posters with violence is _also_ against the board rules. I’m going to make this one an actual warning. I strongly suggest you go back and actually read the rules of this message board before posting any further, and perhaps spend some time lurking until you get a feel for the board culture. Or at least until you graduate from junior high. > > Incidentally, you can find the forum-specific rule for the Pit in the stickies at the top of the forum. You can find the overall rules for the board as a whole in ATMB. Which is also where you can register any complaints you have about my moderation. > > Good luck with that. > [/Moderating] This was about another poster who was saying what seemed to be an attempt at insulting my post by saying: > [@Dudes of straight dope, if I type in proper english...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/323): > > Do you get funny feelings while climbing the rope in gym class, too? And earlier saying at the end of one of his posts: > [@Dudes of straight dope, if I type in proper english...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/264): > > …well, why are you posting here? What is the point? Why not just stay in your bedroom and talk to yourself? So I reply: > [@Dudes of straight dope, if I type in proper english...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dudes-of-straight-dope-if-i-type-in-proper-english/668899/324): > > All I gotta say is lets see u say that 2 my face in real life Did I threaten in terms of going over to him in the next week and harming him or some plan to hurt him? No. I said _if he were here,_ he either wouldn’t have the guts to say that, or he would get hit. I did not say I would actively try to bring about bodily harm as an agenda or plan in my life. Do to the above I believe that either my warning should be done away with, that something is at least said to the moderator, or both. Its hard to know what rules to follow when the mods seem to play favorites and be selective while they obviously don’t enforrce them with everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/2 "2013-09-26T15:58:28Z")
You can insult people all you like in the Pit - you just can’t use some very specific language that Miller pointed out to you. Which of the words on the naughty list do you feel someone else used? What rules do you think other posters were breaking? You’re doing a pretty terrible job of making your case. Edit: Looks like the only one really over the line that you pointed out was ChefGuy. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/3 "2013-09-26T16:01:34Z")
**Gateway** , I thought you were against following the conventions of grammar and spelling? Why the sudden traditionalism? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/4 "2013-09-26T16:02:58Z")
Only u got warned cuz no1 else broke tha rulz. Kthxbye. Seriously: the Pit rules on banned comments are pretty specific, but nobody else broke them. ‘Come over here and say that’-type post always sounds kind of threatening even though there’s no way to make it happen. It’s a dumb rhetorical move that people should avoid. You got a warning because that was your second mod note in the same thread. **Miller** didn’t do anything wrong here. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/5 "2013-09-26T16:03:54Z")
2 bad if U don’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/6 "2013-09-26T16:05:02Z")
Hrdn ^, bro. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/7 "2013-09-26T16:27:45Z")
You might spend a minute or two reading the stickies in the pit, especially the one posted by **Ed Zotti.** I think you’ll find thew answer to your question therein. ---
**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:** [September 26, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/8 "2013-09-26T16:28:59Z")
To quote American philosopher Nelson Mandela Muntz, “Ha Ha!” ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/9 "2013-09-26T16:30:48Z")
Insults in the Pit are allowed. That’s practically what the Pit is for. Threats are not. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/10 "2013-09-26T16:36:03Z")
Here’s a little hint **Gateway**. When you join a board, swim with the current, not against it. Get to know the forums, and the particular rules for those forums. If you have questions, mail a mod or an admin. They really don’t care if you make them work a little, in fact, I’m betting they much prefer answering questions to issuing warnings. Lurk a bit and get a feeling for the flow. Then, after everyone knows you, you can express your individualism. ---
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/11 "2013-09-26T16:43:49Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > **Gateway** , I thought you were against following the conventions of grammar and spelling? Why the sudden traditionalism? Effaciacy ---
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/12 "2013-09-26T16:45:07Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Here’s a little hint **Gateway**. When you join a board, swim with the current, not against it. Get to know the forums, and the particular rules for those forums. If you have questions, mail a mod or an admin. They really don’t care if you make them work a little, in fact, I’m betting they much prefer answering questions to issuing warnings. Lurk a bit and get a feeling for the flow. Then, after everyone knows you, you can express your individualism. Thanks for the advice. Future forums will possibly take this route ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/13 "2013-09-26T16:51:53Z")
> [@Gateway](#): > > Effaciacy Clear as mud 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/14 "2013-09-26T16:54:57Z")
> [@Gateway](#): > > Effaciacy Were you shooting for efficacy or efficiency here? > [@Gateway](#): > > Thanks for the advice. Future forums will possibly take this route Is forums really the intended subject of the second sentence, or did you mean to say “I will possibly take this route in any new forums I visit in the future”? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/15 "2013-09-26T16:58:12Z")
Strategery. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/16 "2013-09-26T17:22:47Z")
OK, you kids have had your fun. Let’s keep from mocking Gateway in this thread. I choose to take his question at face value and have it answered (which it has been) and you guys aren’t helping the situation. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/17 "2013-09-26T17:24:45Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > OK, you kids have had your fun. Let’s keep from mocking Gateway in this thread. I choose to take his question at face value and have it answered (which it has been) and you guys aren’t helping the situation. I hav n0 id wat u sed, plz use gud grandma wen u typ ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/18 "2013-09-26T17:26:29Z")
> [@Gateway](#): > > Thanks for the advice. Future forums will possibly take this route Another bit of advice. The words on that list will be modded everytime but the Pit mods have stated they are not going to try and enforce every possible variation on those words. So you can not say, “Go fuck yourself.” But you can say, “Go fuck a cactus.” All in all it’s best just to stay away from variations that are close to those words on the list. Just call people shitballs or something. Get creative it’s more fun. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/19 "2013-09-26T17:27:24Z")
Miller’s easily one of the best mods I’ve ever seen on the Dope, and I’ve been here a long time. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731/20 "2013-09-26T17:34:00Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Just call people shitballs or something. Get creative it’s more fun. If he gets creative, we’ll have no idea what he said. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-miller-abusing-power/669731.md?page=2)