This is the pit, right? So I can ask a question, even if it contains unpopular viewpoints or somewhat inflammatory content, without being banned, correct?
I am a lurker. I like to read these straight dope boards. I am curious about why exactly people get banned. Specifically MissBungle and Mimi. Now, I have not read all the posts of each of these people, and I guess some of you will hop in to fill me in with negative statements about them, but isn’t this a board where all different opinions can be stated, even unpopular ones? I see a lot of foul language, rants against each other, hate speech with soft warnings, all over this message board and the people are not banned. I’ve only noticed those 2 - MissBungle and Mimi - being banned members. And of the posts I’ve seen from those 2, I didn’t see anything that looked like a banning offense. I didn’t read all 250+ of MissBungle’s posts, but I think I read all dozen or so of the posts from Mimi, and every one of hers were benign. So what’s up? How do you decide to ban people?
I actually think there should be a section at least of this message board where they let people express whatever they feel, even if it gets ugly, or off topic, or angry, or unpopular, or disagrees with their own personal opinions. It looks to me like a lot of the people do posts angry, foul, rude, inflammatory stuff and they do not get banned. I would like to know where is the line? Mimi was new to the boards, judging from the small number of posts, but MissBungle posted over 250 times. Seems wrong that she would be an accepted member for that long and suddenly, she’s out. I swear to God I don’t know her. Or him… I am just curious about what looks like some very selective banning practices.
It made it onto the board, but as a newbie, asking these questions is bound to get some nasty replies from posters and mods.
The accepted method of handling such an inquiry is to E-mail the mods/TubaDiva for an answer and not posting it here on the board…even if it is the Pit and is the proper place to bitch about the mods.
MissBungle got banned because she admitted she was a sock, something that is explicity forbidden in the rules, not because she was rude. I haven’t been following Mimi so I don’t know her story.
You are allowed to complain in the pit, but people can still get banned for breaking the rules.
If you wonder about the rules here I would advise you to go over to About This Message Board and read for a while.
They are far from being the only people to get banned, even recently.
MissBungle registered in Feb 2003 meaning she had only been around for a month - she just talked a lot. The reason she was banned is that she admitted to being a sock - that is, registered under more than one user name. A big no-no.
As to mimi, I’m not familiar with that poster. My WAG (wild ass guess) is that s/he was also a sock.
Anyhow - people do say nasty things around here, within reason.
Read the FAQ’s, try to be at least a little bit nice and you’ll do just fine.
I appreciate the guidance. I have read and loved a few of the Straight Dope books and I have read a lot of the archives of Cecil’s articles. I’ve lurked on the boards a bit, but not enough to know what a sock is.
I also didn’t notice that it was only February when MissBungle first joined. I just happened to notice that those two were banned and I couldn’t see what they did wrong so I wondered how likely it is to get banned arbitrarily when I do venture to register and begin posting. I’d like to participate in the forum, particularly if it is a fair and open minded forum that welcomes many different opinions.
I will read the faqs and rules. Thanks Al for the nice welcome.
Mimi admitted that she was trolling in one of her threads, which will get a poster banned without any warning. I removed the thread in question, as I didn’t want to give her any more jollies by reading it.
MissBungle admitted that she was a sock, so I banned her, too. I was going to take her to task about the tone of her posts, in fact, but she saved me the effort of composing the letter.
Trolling is posting deliberately inflammatory comments just to get a rise out of people. It’s distinguished by such comments as “I was just saying that to get a rise out of you people.” or “You don’t think I really believe that? I was just funnin’ ya.” or “You people are so easy to rile up. Lighten up, willya?”
I seeeeee… geez. A body could totally make a comment like that without realizing the severe no-no-ness of it.
I kinda wish there was a no-holds-barred category somewhere on this message board. Or even a very-few-holds-barred category. Passionate conversation ensues with the required skill being the ability to remain cool and defend your position without losing your mind in the din.
Ya know, I see the title of the thread and I’m thinking “cool”, maybe someone has a gripe with God, or an alternative way of looking at the world. A different paradigm as it would have been.
Alas, I’m afraid my quest to find such an all encompassing thread…
What the hell am I talking about?
