# Moderators are clearly using thier power as mods to shut down debates that they are losing. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 7, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964 "2015-11-07T21:34:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/1 "2015-11-07T21:34:48Z")
And to terminate debates that they don’t want to see happening at all. It is obvious, and it is really very pathetic. It happened again: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=768070&page=30](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=768070&page=30) Ultimately, the mindset that leads to this coddling of over-sensitive Muslims is a vestige of white supremacy. Robust and open discussion of Islam allowed [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/exmuslim/), for anyone who is interested. Notice how much different the discussion is when censorship is not used to protect ideas simply because many people hold those ideas to be sacred. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/2 "2015-11-07T21:37:52Z")
I’m an impartial observer who noticed that you linked to a 30 page thread. Is that the best example? ---
**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:** [November 7, 2015, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/3 "2015-11-07T21:45:32Z")
Well, I certainly wasn’t losing the debate. I wasn’t participating at all. But the debate was anything but. I’d say it was becoming a train wreck but with thirty pages behind it that was a question long answered. We’re currently very hyped on the issue of violence and Islam. Fine. But if there’s no real debate going on it’s a waste of time. That’s why I encouraged everyone to take a step back, take some deep breaths and begin again in a few days. You are free to debate pretty much anything in Great Debates and Elections provided you remain civil and you actually debate. Simply repeating assertions and not responding to other poster’s debate points isn’t debating. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/4 "2015-11-07T21:49:00Z")
> [@Hank\_Beecher](#): > > And to terminate debates that they don’t want to see happening at all. It is obvious, and it is really very pathetic. > > … You know, I’d really, really like to get behind this but, well, I’m guessing they close threads for the same reason the city sweeps the streets. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/5 "2015-11-07T21:50:38Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > You know, I’d really, really like to get behind this but, well, I’m guessing they close threads for the same reason the city sweeps the streets. Or the reason the guy with the broom and scoop follows the parade. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2015, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/6 "2015-11-07T21:51:22Z")
Aw, yeah. My self-esteem is rising. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/7 "2015-11-07T21:57:12Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > I’m an impartial observer who noticed that you linked to a 30 page thread. Is that the best example? Exactly what I was thinking. :D:D I guess everyone was waiting for page 31 of the thread to start making their well thought out arguments and debate points. OP, got any other examples?? ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/8 "2015-11-07T21:57:17Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Well, I certainly wasn’t losing the debate. I wasn’t participating at all. > > But the debate was anything but. I’d say it was becoming a train wreck but with thirty pages behind it that was a question long answered. > > We’re currently very hyped on the issue of violence and Islam. Fine. But if there’s no real debate going on it’s a waste of time. That’s why I encouraged everyone to take a step back, take some deep breaths and begin again in a few days. > > You are free to debate pretty much anything in Great Debates and Elections provided you remain civil and you actually debate. Simply repeating assertions and not responding to other poster’s debate points isn’t debating. That’s clearly not what what was happening, [especially in the thread you closed yesterday](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=773888). Other than a few posters, notably including certain moderators, it was a lively and robust debate. The points I was making were in response to ignorant assertions by others. I mean, if people keep like tomndebb keep repeating ignorant assertions, of course there refutations will be repeated. I challenge you to back up your claim that I\* was not responding to other poster’s debate points\*. I clearly was, to a much greater degree than is the norm on this message board. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2015, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/9 "2015-11-07T21:57:49Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Aw, yeah. My self-esteem is rising. At least you’re in show biz. ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/10 "2015-11-07T22:03:05Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > Exactly what I was thinking. :D:D I guess everyone was waiting for page 31 of the thread to start making their well thought out arguments and debate points. > > OP, got any other examples?? Here is tomndebb making clearly false claims while moderating: [Of course, the accusations of genocide and misogyny are completely false; the accusations of slavery and rape are based on out of context extrapolations.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18810922&postcount=1368) ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/11 "2015-11-07T22:04:43Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Aw, yeah. My self-esteem is rising. A tendency towards self-congratulations is a common trait of those with more ego than intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, or morals. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2015, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/12 "2015-11-07T22:13:38Z")
> [@Hank\_Beecher](#): > > Here is tomndebb making clearly false claims while moderating: > [Of course, the accusations of genocide and misogyny are completely false; the accusations of slavery and rape are based on out of context extrapolations.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18810922&postcount=1368) **[Moderator Note]** Don’t use this forum to restart the debate in the thread that was closed. If you do so, this thread will be closed as well. > [@Hank\_Beecher](#): > > A tendency towards self-congratulations is a common trait of those with more ego than intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, or morals. **[Moderator Note]** ATMB is for civil discussion of moderation issues. Don’t make insulting personal remarks in this forum. Further remarks of this kind will be subject to a warning. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/13 "2015-11-07T22:14:50Z")
I’m listening to Queen right now. They are singing - _Another One Bites the Dust_. Great song. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/14 "2015-11-07T22:15:18Z")
I had hoped to participate in that thread, as it’s a topic I’m interested in, But haven’t been able to discuss civilly. I’ve seen it fail and turn into a train wreck on other boards. I didn’t get to the end, and don’t know how the op here was debating, but there were certainly people in that thread who were unresponsive and repetitive and not debating. ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/15 "2015-11-07T22:17:21Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I had hoped to participate in that thread, as it’s a topic I’m interested in, haven’t above discuss. I’ve seen it fail and turn into a train wreck on other boards. I didn’t get to the end, and don’t know how the op here was debating, but there were certainly people in that thread who were unresponsive and repetitive and not debating. Those people were over-represented by posters with moderation authority. ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/16 "2015-11-07T22:19:04Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > **[Moderator Note]** > > Don’t use this forum to restart the debate in the thread that was closed. If you do so, this thread will be closed as well. Right, I get it. Arguments critical of Islam will be limited on this message board. It has been made abundantly clear. ---
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/17 "2015-11-07T22:19:57Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Aw, yeah. My self-esteem is rising. > [@Hank\_Beecher](#): > > A tendency towards self-congratulations is a common trait of those with more ego than intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, or morals. Well, damn. I was going to reply to the same post by **Jonathan Chance** by saying something like “we don’t want to encourage self-effacement amongst the moderators.” One of us is clearly on the wrong page. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2015, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/18 "2015-11-07T22:27:18Z")
> [@Hank\_Beecher](#): > > Right, I get it. Arguments critical of Islam will be limited on this message board. It has been made abundantly clear. Obviously you don’t get it. This is not the forum for debating such issues. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/19 "2015-11-07T22:31:23Z")
> [@Hank\_Beecher](#): > > Right, I get it. Arguments critical of Islam will be limited on this message board. It has been made abundantly clear. Be fair. JC said this when he closed the thread; \*The Moderator Speaks That’s enough. Time out. Separate corners. Take a few days off and come back with better debating skills.\* He said take a few days off, not forever silence yourself in Islamic issues. ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964/20 "2015-11-07T22:33:36Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Obviously you don’t get it. This is not the forum for debating such issues. What is clear is that there is no place \*anywhere \*on this forum for one of the greatest debates of our day, and that coddling the sensitivities of a particular minority to criticism of ideas sacred to them, and protecting the self-congratulatory ignorance of the regressive defenders of those ideas, is of a higher priority than a free and open exchange of ideas. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderators-are-clearly-using-thier-power-as-mods-to-shut-down-debates-that-they-are-losing/736964.md?page=2)